Sometimes cheer parents ask questions that make me laugh—like whether their 7-year-old can be on a Worlds team. But every now and then, a question really makes me stop and think. Earlier this week, a “Crazy Cheer Mom” posed a great question on Facebook: “What does it take to go into a competition knowing you’ve got a shot at winning?”

It took me back to my early days as a gym owner. I remember watching other teams compete and being struck by their confidence, both on and off the mat. Their coaches weren’t scrambling outside Accuscore to review the rules. They seemed to know where their teams would place before the awards even started. At the time, I assumed it was all about experience—something I’d gain naturally after years of coaching. But now, 13 years in, I’ve learned that confidence and success don’t just happen. You have to work for them, and that work looks the same whether you’re a big gym, small gym or even part of a major franchise.

That brings me back to the moms: In the comments of that post, many pinpointed what I believe are the key factors to building champion teams; however, they missed one crucial point: The size of a gym doesn’t impact its ability to be successful.

Big Gym, Small Gym: Advantages and Challenges

I’ll be the first to admit—there are clear advantages to being a large gym or a franchise. Large gyms often attract experienced coaches because of their reputation, competitive pay or strong marketing presence. Smaller programs, on the other hand, often have to build their coaching staff from scratch. They rely on developing athletes who grow up in the program and (hopefully) stay local. My gym is in a small town. Our staff is made up of part-time college students we’ve trained in tumbling and cheer, and former athletes of our own.

It’s a similar story with attracting high-quality athletes. In smaller programs, there might be a couple of standouts—kids who are either naturally talented or have climbed their way to the upper levels through hard work and determination. Often, smaller gyms are experts at turning kids who have never tumbled before into successful prep and elite athletes within just a few seasons. Sometimes these athletes are later acquired by larger programs with Worlds teams, but there’s no doubt those athletes got their foundations from gyms who invested in them.

To be clear, I don’t blame big gyms for this. In my area, they’re rarely recruiting athletes away. Instead, it’s the perception of potential success that draws athletes to larger programs. Five of my former athletes cheered together and medaled at Worlds last year. We took them from Mini Level 1 to Junior Level 3 before losing them to the larger program. 

Can smaller gyms build athletes to the same level? Absolutely. Will they ever get the chance? Some will. Take Dan’s gym, Oregon Dream Teams, for example: They’re not a massive D1 program; however, they have super successful teams and a Worlds team. (And let’s not forget—Worlds is not every athlete’s dream. The majority of the kids at my gym just want to do a sport they love that they can continue through high school and college.)

I’ve competed against large gyms whose lower levels struggled on the mat and a few whose lower levels were outstanding. Realistically, great coaches can be built at any size gym by owners who care about developing their staff as much as their athletes.

When a Franchise Gym Steps Up

A few weeks ago, we competed against a Midwest franchise gym that had previously been good—but not grand champs good. Over the last few years, smaller programs had been beating them consistently.

But this time, something had changed. Their choreography was sharper. Their athletes were polished. Their execution had improved across the board. In what seemed like just two or three seasons, they’d transformed from a typical first-year Midwestern gym to a program that matched the high expectations you’d expect from this franchise.

How? Likely through training and systems provided by the franchise itself. It wasn’t about poaching talented athletes from Texas (I’m certain the Midwest in December wouldn’t be calling their names). Instead, I believe this gym transformed their program so rapidly as a result of their easy access to coaching education and shared resources.

But here’s the good news: You don’t have to be a franchise gym to achieve this level of success. You’re also more likely to learn how to do this from those who have already developed this level of success both on and off the mat organically. 

The Small Gym That Proved It’s Possible

I know a gym owner in Oklahoma who runs a small program in a town surrounded by a couple big-name gyms. Her athletes aren’t pulled from a massive talent pool. They’re normal kids. No one is moving to host families in the middle of Oklahoma to attend her gym. Yet they show up to every competition with standout execution and technique.

This owner took over the program just a few years ago. That’s when I saw the changes occur. 

So, what exactly changed? The owner regularly emphasizes consistency and accountability with her athletes. She sets benchmarks, holds athletes to their goals, and focuses on doing the little things right every single day. She is an owner—just like you and me. She never won NCA or cheered on a Worlds team, and you don’t have to either. She has great teams that are competitively successful in a small town, and she runs a great program. 

Talk about success. 

The result? Her small-town gym became a fierce competitor, proving that any gym—franchise or not—can develop champion teams.

My Experience as a Franchise Owner

I know firsthand the advantages franchises bring because I once owned a franchise restaurant. Although we’re talking about franchise cheer gyms, the benefits of franchises are the same:

• Buying power. Bulk orders mean potential deals on everything from uniforms to competition fees.
• Systems and resources. Franchises provide training, processes and a built-in support network.
• Brand familiarity. Customers know what to expect before they even walk in the door.
• Staff security. Employees feel stability working for a recognizable brand.

But for me, those benefits came with too many drawbacks. When the franchise I owned decided to change its logo, we were going to be forced to spend $55,000 to update signs, menus and apparel—whether we agreed with the change or not. The policies were rigid, and the reputation of the entire franchise could suffer because of one bad location. People regularly got their Google reviews confused with similar restaurant chains, and we even got a few reviews from customers in Warrensburg, New York rather than our local customers in Warrensburg, Missouri. Franchises can make financial decisions that negatively impact small business owners, and because of how a franchise contract is written, there is little you can do about it. 

For me, the potential of getting new athletes through brand recognition would not outweigh the lack of control I’d have over my own business. That experience taught me that I’m not personally made to be a franchise entrepreneur. I value flexibility and ownership over every decision, especially in my cheer gym.

The Bottom Line: Success Isn’t About Size

While franchises can offer significant advantages, they’re not the only way to build a winning program. Any gym—large or small—can train its staff, implement systems and develop great athletes. It takes work, but that work pays off.

Tomorrow, I’ll share what else the moms thought makes gyms successful, and I’ll weigh in on the factors I think they got right (and a few they missed). Stay tuned!