The Fullout Cheer Podcast

How Gym Owners Create Toxic Parents

Are your gym's communication, policies, and leadership are helping create toxic parents?In this episode, Danielle shares her perspective as a gym owner on how parent toxicity develops, the warning signs coaches often miss, and the mistakes that unintentionally fuel drama. From parent group chats and constant questioning to poor communication and outdated policies, she breaks down what gym owners can do to prevent problems before they spread through the gym.If you've ever felt like you're spending more time managing parents than coaching athletes, this episode is for you. Learn how to play offense, build trust with families, and create a culture where parents, athletes, and coaches can all thrive.

Toxic Parents: How They Start (And How to Stop Them)

Every gym owner has dealt with a toxic parent. The hard part is that most of them didn't start that way.In this episode, Danielle sits down with Kristen Wheeler from the Cheer Mom Podcast to discuss how toxic parent behavior develops, the warning signs parents often miss, and what gym owners can do to prevent drama before it impacts team culture. They also discuss parent group chats, athlete advocacy, difficult conversations, and how good families can unintentionally become part of the problem.If you've ever wondered why parent drama starts, spreads, and seems impossible to stop, this episode is for you.

Your Gym Lost Its Edge

Most gym owners don't lose their edge overnight.They lose it slowly.The events become less personal. The experiences become less memorable. The things that once made the gym feel special get replaced by efficiency, schedules, and simply trying to keep up.In this episode, Danielle explores why growth can sometimes pull gym owners away from the very things that made them successful in the first place. She shares a simple mindset shift that can help you create experiences larger gyms can't replicate and why your size may be a bigger advantage than you realize.Because sometimes the question isn't, "What would I do if I had 1,000 athletes?"It's, "What can I do with 50 athletes that I could never do with 100?"

The Hard Truth About Accountability

Everybody says they want accountability.Parents want accountable coaches.Coaches want accountable athletes.But accountability feels very different when it's your athlete being corrected.In this episode, Danielle explores why accountability is one of the most misunderstood topics in cheer. We'll discuss why athletes resist it, why parents struggle with it, and why coaches often spend more time enforcing standards than actually coaching.We'll also talk about the difference between accountability and punishment, why grace and accountability can exist at the same time, and what happens when athletes are constantly rescued from consequences.Because the real test of accountability isn't when it's easy.It's when it's uncomfortable.

Parents Aren't Ruining Cheer. Your Systems Are.

Every coach and gym owner has thought it at some point:“Parents are ruining cheer.”But what if the real issue isn’t parents at all?In this episode, Danielle breaks down how customer expectations, communication, and family dynamics have changed dramatically over the last decade... while many gyms are still operating with outdated systems and assumptions.From overscheduled families and last-minute communication to transparency, trust, and social media pressure, this episode explores why parents often become frustrated and what gym owners can do about it.Because difficult parents usually aren’t created by one bad moment.They’re created when people feel confused, ignored, or blindsided.

When Coaches Cross the Line

A video of a cheer coach screaming at athletes went viral this week… and the reactions shocked us.Some people defended it.Some called it “normal.”Others said, “That’s just competitive cheer.”In this episode, Danielle Johnston and Dan Cotton break down where the line actually is between intense coaching and toxic coaching — and why so many people in the cheer industry have become desensitized to behavior that should never be acceptable.They talk about:Why some coaches confuse intimidation with leadershipThe difference between accountability and emotional outburstsWhy parents sometimes normalize aggressive coaching behaviorHow gym culture either permits or prevents these situationsWhat owners should do when a coach loses controlAnd how coaches can become more self-aware before they reach that breaking pointThis conversation isn’t about “soft coaching.”It’s about leadership, emotional regulation, athlete safety, and creating environments where athletes can actually thrive.If you’ve ever questioned whether a coach crossed the line — or if you’re trying to become a better leader yourself — this episode is an important conversation for the entire cheer industry.

Why Your Cheer Gym Isn't Actually Sellable

Most cheer gym owners think they have a sellable business.In reality… they have a job.In this episode, Danielle sits down with Matt Becker, an attorney who works closely with business brokers, to break down why so many gym sales fall apart—and what buyers are actually looking for.They dig into the biggest myths gym owners believe about selling, including:Why your gym isn’t worth what you think it isThe truth about revenue (and what buyers ignore)Why doing everything yourself hurts your valueThe reality of bringing on a partner for “capital”And why selling won’t magically fix burnoutThis isn’t theory. This is what shows up in real deals—and what kills them.If you think you might sell your gym someday (or just want to build something that could be sold), this episode will show you what actually matters… and what doesn’t.

Losing Athletes This Season? This Is Why

If you’ve been losing athletes this season, it’s probably not for the reason you think.In this episode, Danielle breaks down the real reasons athletes are leaving—and why most gym owners completely miss what’s actually happening.She covers:Why athletes feel stuck in their skills (and how stagnation drives them out)The difference between healthy commitment and full-blown burnoutHow change—both inside the gym and in families’ lives—quietly impacts retentionThese aren’t dramatic blowups or obvious problems.They’re the subtle issues that slowly push athletes out the door.If you want to improve retention, it starts with understanding what’s really causing athletes to leave.

How Smart Coaches Handle Emotional Cheer Parents

Most gym owners think emotional parents are the problem… they’re not.In this episode of the Full Out Cheer Podcast, Danielle sits down with Jason Larkins to break down what’s really happening when parents get frustrated, reactive, or overwhelmed—and how smart coaches handle those moments the right way.You’ll learn:Why emotional parents aren’t actually the issueHow to tell if a parent wants a solution or just to be heardThe biggest mistakes coaches make in tough conversationsHow to lead your staff without micromanaging or losing controlWhy systems and structure matter more than you thinkThey also dive into how the cheer industry has evolved, from skill progression to competition culture, and what today’s gym owners need to be doing differently.If you’ve ever had a parent conversation go sideways… this will change how you handle it.

How to Build a Routine That Actually Scores Well

Most routines don’t lose because of talent… they lose because of bad strategy.In Part 2, Danielle Johnston and John Barajas break down how to choose the right skills, structure your routine, and avoid the mistakes that cost teams points.As you’re building your teams and heading into choreography season, this is what you need to get right.