The Road From All Star Cheer to Elite College Cheer

Brooke’s cheerleading career started because some friends at recess told her she couldn’t do a back walkover. Years later, she would go on to compete at Worlds, spend three years at Trinity Valley, transfer to Weber State, and experience some of the highest levels of competitive college cheer. In this episode of The Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton sits down with Brooke, a member of the Dream Camps staff, to talk about the journey that got her there. Brooke shares how going back to the basics completely changed her tumbling, what it was like walking into Trinity Valley without ever visiting the school, and the hours athletes spent training outside of scheduled practices. She also opens up about one of the biggest challenges of her career: discovering she had a bilateral break in her back during her first year at Trinity Valley. After months away from tumbling and a carefully planned return, Brooke unexpectedly earned a spot in the Daytona routine — and her team went on to win. Later, at Weber State, she faced another challenge when she found herself physically capable of competing but without a spot on the mat. Instead of checking out, she kept learning, conditioning, and preparing until an opportunity came just days before showoffs. Dan and Brooke also talk about mental blocks, pressure, the differences between Trinity Valley and Weber State, her plans after college cheer, and why coaches should never let competition take away the part of cheer that made athletes fall in love with it in the first place.