Why Boys Don’t Join Your Gym

Want more male athletes in your cheer gym? In this episode of the Cheer Biz Podcast, Dan Cotton breaks down what actually works (and what doesn’t) when it comes to building a strong coed cheer program. Dan shares lessons learned over eight years of running coed teams—from the early “all-girl gym” days to growing a true boys pipeline—and explains why most gyms struggle to recruit male cheerleaders in the first place. You’ll learn how to: Make it obvious online that your gym is open to boys through branding, content, and messaging Use stunting as the gateway to get boys hooked quickly Run open stunt sessions and create low-pressure entry points for new male athletes Fully integrate boys into the sport instead of letting them “stunt only” Motivate boys through competition, strength, community, and responsibility Avoid the common mistakes that backfire, including “boys cheer for free” and out-of-town recruiting If you’re a cheer gym owner, director, or coach who wants more coed opportunities, stronger stunting groups, and a healthier pipeline of male athletes, this episode gives you the real strategy to make it happen.