Teams are built. Choreo is over. Stunts are starting to hit. Parents should be on top of the world as we coast toward our first competition. Right?

Yeah, if I knew absolutely nothing about all star cheerleading, I’d agree with that first sentence too. But I know better. Trust.

Because as every all star gym owner knows: teenagers bring drama—but parents can bring more.

🎭 When Chaos Finds You

When I opened Twister Sports in 2013, I thought moving from an elementary school gym floor to a real facility would be a dream for everyone. We’d finally have floor space, equipment and a place to call “home”. 

For about two weeks, it was a dream. People were happy and excited.

Then, reality kicked in.

Then parents got comfortable. Like, showing up with notes and forming committees comfortable. One group literally held a meeting to demand changes—or else. Spoiler: “or else” happened, and they moved on to the next gym up the road.

Looking back, it wasn’t all them.

  • I didn’t communicate well. I was consumed with the day-to-day.
  • I expected excitement and assumed they understood the challenges a new facility would encounter.
  • I assumed they’d give me grace as we navigated new systems, but I never explicitly told them to expect new problems. 

And that was a rookie mistake.

💥 How Drama Actually Starts

Drama rarely shows up all at once. It sneaks in:

  • A vague Facebook post about a dropped stunt

  • A former coach airing talking badly about their unnamed “former employer” (except we all know who they’re talking about”

  • A whisper campaign about team placements and who deserves to be on what team

If you’ve owned a gym longer than five minutes, you’ve seen it. And if not… congrats on your five minutes. I hope they were a blast.

🛡️ How to Drama‑Proof Like a Pro (or at Least Fake It)

Here’s what 14 seasons taught me the hard way:

✅ Communicate early—and clearly.
 Don’t just post the schedule. Explain the why. Hard truths land better than silence.

✅ Set expectations before the season starts.
 If you don’t define your culture, someone else will.

✅ Don’t clap back.
 Your snarky reply might feel good—but it’ll cost you trust and peace. No need to end your sentences with “periodt”. 

✅ Skip the “no drama” social policy.
 You can’t control the internet. Don’t potentially violate someone’s rights by telling them what they can and cannot post. Lead by example instead.

✅ Address issues privately.
 The lobby is not a town hall. Pull people aside, and keep it classy.

💡 Culture Starts With You

If you want less drama, you have to model less drama.

  • Be the calmest person in the room (admittedly, I’m still a work in progress  on this one.)

  • Respond with empathy (not eye-rolls and blank stares)

  • Explain decisions instead of defending them (find the win for both sides. Usually if there isn’t a “win” somehow for the customer, it’s a decision you should re-think.)

Parents take their cues from you. If you snap, they’ll snap harder. But if you stay calm? Eventually, they catch on. I can tell you from experience that as I’ve improved at this myself over the years, I’ve seen less and less people feel free enough to have temper tantrums.

🏆 The Bottom Line

You can’t eliminate drama—but you can decide how much room it gets in your gym (and in your brain).

So communicate clearly. Set the tone early. Take a breath before you fire off that email. In fact, please please please consider walking away from the computer and picking up a phone. You’re better off handling drama in person or on the phone and following up with an email to ensure you’re both on the same page. The email will come out less confrontational and still accomplish the task all day long.

And when chaos inevitably comes knocking?

Answer with calm—and then close the door.

Kicking someone out of your gym shouldn’t be your go-to move. But sometimes… it’s necessary.

  • Cussing in the lobby? Goodbye.

  • Stealing? Adios.

  • Rude because Suzy isn’t in a stunt? Let’s chat. I get it.

A little grace + a lot of clarity goes a long way.

🎧 Listen to the full podcast episode: Drama‑Proofing Your Program: Surviving the Parents for more real stories, scripts, and strategies to help you survive “peak drama season” with fewer headaches and way less caffeine.

Watch or Listen Now:

📺 YouTube: https://youtu.be/m2eY-Y9YkKU 

🎧Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3RHtfA8DXVYJpSFDr1ya0b?si=IwDHOd48TmWFZnDItq9_3Q 

🍏Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fullout-cheer-podcast/id1763244914?i=1000711753596