There’s something I’ve started calling the absence trifecta: injury, illness and weather.

And if you haven’t dealt with one (or all three) this season … congratulations. You are a unicorn in all star cheer.

For the rest of us, this year has felt like coaching with one hand tied behind your back while someone continually removes athletes from the floor like it’s a magic trick. You plan a practice, you show up ready to go, and then the routine you thought you were coaching is suddenly a totally different routine because three kids are out, two are “fine but can’t tumble,” and one just got cleared but needs to ease back in (ie: Also can’t tumble).

If you’ve caught yourself thinking:

  • “What the heck am I supposed to do with this team?”
  • “One more injury and I’m mentally done for the season.”
  • “How can you possibly keep moving forward and progressing as a team with just half a team?”

…you’re not alone.

In a recent episode of “The Fullout Cheer Podcast,” I sat down with Ally Loomis, marketing director for Next Generation Gym Owners and program assistant at Dynamic Elite in Rochester, New York. We basically did what coaches do best: We vented a little, told the truth a lot and then talked about how to turn the chaos into a plan.

Because (as I tell parents) complaining is only helpful if it ends with solutions. And this season requires solutions.

The Reality: Attendance Has Been Unpredictable, and It Changes Everything

Ally described her season starting the way so many of yours have:

  • Choreography in July/August
  • Excitement to get routines rolling
  • Then immediately, a season-ending injury to a backspot who was also a crossover

And then … it just kept going.

Injuries. Illness. Weather. Absences—scheduled and unscheduled. The constant feeling that your absence policy is pointless because you’re simply out of options. And the worst part? Sometimes it’s not their fault. If they have a fever of 103, I don’t want them in the gym anyway!

That’s the part coaches don’t say out loud enough: Sometimes your policies are solid, your staff is prepared, your athletes are hardworking … and you still end up in survival mode because you cannot stunt, fix formations, synchronize tumbling or upgrade dance with missing bodies.

Which leads to the next reality.

Crossovers: The “solution” That Becomes a Problem in Itself

When rosters start breaking down, crossovers start looking like the only way to keep routines standing. Suddenly you’re putting athletes on two teams … then three teams … and you know it’s not a long-term solution.

You also know it won’t work at most end-of-season events.

But in the middle of the season, when you’re just trying to get through next weekend’s competition without completely reteaching a routine? It can feel like the only choice you have.

The tricky part is what happens when you get too generous too early.

I’ve done it. Ally’s done it. You’re at tryouts, you’re feeling optimistic, kids are eager, the season hasn’t hit you yet—and you start labeling athletes as crossovers because they want to be on the gym more, and heck – my teams could use another strong tumbler! On paper, it works.

Then February hits and you’re staring at the reality:

  • You can’t add another crossover without creating a logistical nightmare for end-of-season events.
  • You can’t remove one without breaking another team.
  • You can’t keep reteaching entire sections because practice time is already limited.

And you end up in the worst place a coach can be: Constantly teaching instead of consistently training.

Re-choreography When Coaching Isn’t Your Full-Time Job

This is one of the biggest stress points I hear from coaches.

Most cheer coaches are not sitting at home at noon on a Tuesday mapping out new routine pathways and stunt substitutions. They’re at work. They’re in college classes. They’re parenting. They’re in the gym for hours already.

Ally shared a boundary she’s tried hard to hold this year: not taking practice problems home.

Not because she doesn’t care—but because if you let injury updates, absence changes and roster what-ifs spill into every hour of your week, you’ll burn out before your teams hit the floor in March, and you’ll walk into summer with annoyed bosses and co-workers at your 9-to-5.

And honestly? Sometimes the only realistic approach is this:

  • Prepare in the short time you have before practice, and make the rest of the changes at practice.
  • She’s found it helpful on older teams to even use the athletes to help solve the puzzle.
  • Stop waiting for the perfect plan and focus on the safest workable one in the time you have available.

Because the season isn’t pausing while you “figure it out.” I’m sure you’re like me, where you can almost feel the clock ticking at every practice.

Here’s the Part That Might Give You Hope: Athletes Can Step Up Fast

Ally told a story that I loved—not because mono is fun (it’s not), but because it showed something important.

One athlete got diagnosed with mono and was out for a couple of weeks. They asked the team: Do you want to make it work to compete in person or maybe do a virtual competition instead?

The athletes immediately said they wanted to compete live.

They got on FaceTime together. They walked through the routine. The fill-in athletes showed up already knowing:

  • The stunt grips
  • The dance
  • The routine layout

So practice didn’t become a full teaching session. It became a review and a bunch of reps.

I want you to hear that: Your athletes are often more capable than you assume, especially when they feel ownership.

That doesn’t mean you throw them the keys and walk away—but it does mean you can invite them into the solution in a way that saves time and protects your practice quality.

Now, keep in mind this may work best with junior and senior teams. Ask my youth team for their opinion and they’ll all volunteer to fly pyramid just to “help out”. 🤣

The Numbers Game Is Real—and Parents Need to Understand It

This season, I’ve played the numbers game so much I feel like I should probably pick up judging difficulty as a side gig.

But here’s what parents don’t always understand: When your roster number changes, the routine requirement changes. It takes a lot of education to help them understand why you’re making the changes you’re making, and in the chaos of the moment, that can be hard.

Once you hit certain thresholds, you’re not just “adding a kid” or “subtracting a kid”. You’re adding or subtracting:

  • Another stunt group
  • A different pyramid max +
  • Tumbling numbers
  • Jump numbers
  • More moving parts that now have to be learned by multiple athletes quickly

And asking athletes to learn what other groups have been building all season—in two weeks—and then hoping they can hit it in a routine at competition is unfair. But we do it, because that’s the nature of all star cheer.

Shoutout to the fill ins who work hard every time, because they care – whether it’s their team or not.

A Handbook Section You Probably Need to Write

Here’s one of the most practical takeaways from this episode: You need injury language in your handbook that gives you room to make decisions without constant conflict.

For example:

  • If an athlete is out a short amount of time, a fill-in may be used, and the athlete can return once cleared with a doctor’s note.
  • If an athlete is out beyond a certain window (many gyms use something like 6-8 weeks), you may not be able to guarantee their return to the same team or the same role.
  • Returning athletes need a minimum number of practices before re-entering the routine, based on safety and team readiness.
  • The fill in may or may not get to stay – regardless if they were on the team when the team won a bid. This is a policy I strongly recommend writing before you encounter it. Be clear in the expectations and benefits of your fill ins to avoid future hurt feelings.

And here’s the key: Write the policy for the average scenario.

You can always be the “good guy” and make exceptions when it truly makes sense.

It’s harder to be the “bad guy” trying to add strict rules midseason because one situation got messy.

Communicate the “What If” Before the Doctor’s Note Comes Back

One of the best strategies I’ve started using is calling families before the appointment results come back and talking through scenarios:

  • Best case: Nothing is broken and you tape it, modify as needed and move forward.
  • Worst case: You already have a fill-in ready, you’ll follow the handbook process and you’ll keep everyone updated so your team can keep moving forward.

This does two things:

  1. It lowers parent anxiety.
  2. It positions you as prepared and organized instead of reactive.

Then when the note comes in, you can follow up with: “Here’s the handbook section, here’s our process, here’s what happens next. We can’t wait to see her back in six-to-eight weeks!”

Don’t Forget the Human Side: Injured Athletes (and Their Moms) Still Need to Feel Like They Belong

If you’re being honest, your brain probably goes here first when someone gets hurt: “How do we fix the routine?”

That’s normal. It’s damage-control mode. You’re thinking about the other 19 athletes still on the floor and trying to protect their experience.

But the injured athlete is still part of the team. They still feel guilty. They still feel left behind.

So build a simple injured-athlete system:

  • Have them dress out on competition day (when appropriate).
  • Bring them to warm-ups.
  • Give them a job: water bottles, music, counting, cheering, being the “assistant coach.”
  • Let them sit with you in the coaching area if your event allows it.
  • Make sure teammates intentionally show them love.
  • If it’s not an elevated stage, and the EP allows, we’ve even had the injured athlete walk out on the floor and right back off the mat just to wave, have their moment and then watch their team.

The goal isn’t just to keep the routine standing; it’s to keep your athletes emotionally standing too.

One More Thing: Don’t Burn Bridges With Athletes Who Leave

This season has reminded me of something I learned years ago: Athletes come back.

Sometimes you need a fill-in and you’re calling:

  • A former athlete who left for high school sports
  • An athlete who went to another gym years ago and is no longer there
  • A senior who misses being in your uniform more than they expected

When you don’t burn bridges on the way out, you create options you didn’t know you’d need.

And in a season like this? Options can make all the difference.

Final Thought: You’re Not Failing—You’re Coaching Through the Hardest Version of the Job

If you’re exhausted, frustrated and tired of being adaptable … that doesn’t mean you’re a bad coach.

It means you’re coaching in the reality of 2026 all star cheer, where attendance is unpredictable and the absence trifecta is alive and well.

In Part 2, we’ll get into more illness and some weather issues, how to simplify without panicking and what to do when you lose a full week of practices and still need progress.

But for now, I want you to take this with you: You don’t need a perfect season to be a great coach.

You need a system, clear expectations and the willingness to keep making smart decisions when nothing goes according to plan.

 

Watch or listen to the full episode!

📺 YouTube: https://youtu.be/bwg4RiSEuto 

🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5PV9TGKIpzAKjAkWP4Qwqm?si=hxq5zrlNRJOWTdMY7f8Xcw 

🍏 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fullout-cheer-podcast/id1763244914?i=1000748365850