Exclusive Review: The Pioneers of All Stars
- Lisa D. Hall
- Sep 20
- 6 min read
By Lisa D. Hall
CheerMAD Founder
The Evolution of All Star Cheer with Lessons and Tips from Gym Owners and Entrepreneurs
Release date September 30, 2025
What better way to celebrate National All Stars Day than to dive into the evolution of the sport?
Believe it or not, besides a timeline here or there, it’s difficult to find definitive answers about “how All Star began” and the who, what, when, where and why of its development.
As a cheer mom and founder of CheerMAD, I knew about NCA camps vs. NCA the competition, the NCA and UCA organizations’ competitiveness then partnerships, “Worlds” even though the United States was the only country that copeted..
Depending on the source, there were nuggets of information here and there about the establishment of “Varsity,” but nothing about the differences between “USASF” and “CDIP”, “NCA” and “NACCC,” or “The Cheerleading Worlds” vs. “The All Star World Championship.” As I worked with mainstream opportunities it was embarrassing to not have facts, not knowing if hearsay or even gossip were masquerading as truth. It was hard to nail down data as easy as the number of athletes that participate in All Stars (150,000 in the United States and 7.5 million from 116 nations).
Heck, no one could even agree on the name: Some spelled it “Allstars,” others “All-Star,” and even others wrote it “All Star.”
There were inconsistencies galore. Sometimes it seemed like they were making it up as they went along.
As a writer and entrepreneur, that’s a problem.
Which is why I became very interested, even a little excited, when I heard that someone was writing about All Star cheer’s “History and Evolution of the Sport with Tips from gym owners and entrepreneurs.”
A few months ago, social media started dropping references about the book and its author S.R. Fabrico. In all my 20+ years involved with All Stars, I had never heard of S. R. Fabrico and that seemed to be a problem to me. How could anyone not in the thick of the sport (an outsider!) write a cohesive book about competitive cheer. They must have been researching for years.
Then I learned Stacy Rowe was the author and she had extensive cheer (and dance) experience. She was using her penname because, outside of her World Champion coaching and gym-owning, Stacy is also an award-winning and compelling voice in contemporary fiction. Her published works include novel, The Secrets We Conceal, and Southport Series trilogy—Call Her Janie, Keeping Janie, and Janie's Hope.
Now I wanted to interview her; the result of which will appear in a Certifiably CheerMAD post 9/24/25. I also had the opportunity to receive an advanced copy of this new book and the exclusive pre-launch review of it.
“The Pioneers of All Star Cheer” satisfies its claim of being the “definitive chronicle of a uniquely American sport that transformed from sideline support to global phenomenon.” I whole-heartedly believe it would benefit anyone involved in All Stars to read it, especially cheer parents and those new to the sport.
In the simplest of terms, the book explains how “we got here.” How the sport became a (sometimes) recognized sport. How the beginning process led by teenage cheerleaders morphed into a $4+ Billion industry. How good decisions made on the fly, became future consequences.
The history of All Star cheer is interesting and complicated but, as in any sport, there are problems that have yet to be resolved. The author intentionally created a book that celebrates All Stars but what stands out to this reader is what is not included. The book describes how “stay to play” became a thing, Varsity’s monopoly of All Stars and its “bottom-line” business model are addressed but the lawsuits and exploitation of recent years are not.
And although the first three sections of the book get it right, some readers may not appreciate who is included in Section IV.
Over the years, I’ve attempted to capture the All Star experience and communicate it to family, other cheer parents and CheerMAD readers. I got goosebumps when I read Stacy’s account, which certainly benefits from the skills, creativity and discipline of writing novels.
Though I didn’t want to put it down, it’s an easy read that can be taken in by sections and chapters in or out of order. The information is presented in a clear, organized manner, split into several sections:
Section I
An overview of All Star’s origins from the first cheerleader in 1898 through the first All Star team, competition and other milestones.
Ever wonder how the very first All Star team was created? And if there was only one team, how did a competitive cheer team compete? It’s in the book.
Section II
Mergers, Acquisitions through the new Pro Cheer League
Section III
All Star’s future
Section IV
The Pioneers: The people, programs, gyms and businesses. Challenges and personal memories, advice and inspirational stories.
The intention of the book is to chronicle the start of the sport through its current state and celebrate “the grit, tenacity, and passion that define the All Star experience—the blood, sweat, and tears that culminate in those perfect moments on stage.”
It also recognizes the Pioneers’ of All Star cheer’s personal, and sometimes intimate, stories of their journey in All Stars, including behind-the-scenes glimpses that bring their contributions to life. Their memories, inspiration, drive and glimpses into what keeps them going are a special treat.
Want to know what drives Top Gun owners, Victor and Kristen Rosario to create champion routines and athletes year after year? Get this book.
Want to learn that something other than a love for cheer got Stingrays’ owner, Casey Jones, into cheerleading? Get the book.
Ever heard of Heidi Weber or Happy Hooper? No? You should get this book.
In the process of writing, some featured Pioneers directed Stacy to others. Some who are not featured may consider themselves left out. Stacy says she plans for Volume 2 in the future because she wants to celebrate everyone. Suggestions for people to be included in future books or blogs can be made here: srfabricoauthor@gmail.com.
Many Pioneers have told Stacy that they feel honored to be included but “The Pioneers of All Star Cheer” isn’t a popularity contest. It definitely is a “who’s who” of those whose contributions helped make All Stars what it is.
It’s not called The Heroes of All Star. Although some former and current athletes, parents or associates, may consider a Pioneer as such, others may consider some the exact opposite.
Just like other pioneers: of countries, industry and social change, these are human beings and as such, they are fallible and have made mistakes.
It's the personal tidbits, intimate stories, fun-facts and private stories that inspire. There are lessons in “how to succeed in life,” as much as in competitive cheer. As Debbie Love says, “Success in being able to produce your best when your best isn’t needed.”
And if you don’t know who Debbie Love is, you need this book.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
As Senior VP at Premier Athletics and 2014 USASF Coach of the Year, Stacy’s impact reaches from the mat to the boardroom.
Now a Managing Partner at MotUS, she empowers gym owners to build strong, sustainable businesses while leaving a lasting legacy in the sport.
Drawing from her remarkable 25-year career spanning All Star cheer and dance, marketing, and sports, S.R. Fabrico brings authentic depth to her narratives. Known in the cheer and dance community as Stacy Rowe, she has built an impressive legacy as a World Champion Dance Coach, sought-after speaker, and lifelong gym owner. Her entrepreneurial spirit extends to her roles as part owner of MotUS and The CX Brands, where she remains dedicated to creating transformative experiences for young athletes.
Beyond fiction, S.R. Fabrico has published a collection of sports journals for young athletes and a dedicated journal for women, reflecting her belief in the restorative power of personal reflection. She crafts each work with the same passion and insight that have defined her multifaceted career.
Website: www.srfabrico.com
Signed Pre-Order Link: https://square.link/u/x0w57RAt
Social Media: @srfabrico_author (IG, FB, TikTok) and @joinmotus (FB, IG, Linkedin)
Website: www.srfabrico.com
Amazon Author Page: Click Here
Lisa D. Hall
CheerMAD Founder
As a journalist whose interviewed former presidents and sitting governors, covered Olympians and professional athletes and shadowed Hollywood A-listers as well as local celebrities, Lisa Hall has written about some of the most gruesome crimes the streets of the second largest city in New England can spit out. Associated Press credentialed, credits include The New York Times, The Boston Globe and CNN.com. Publications I've written for include Inside Cheerleading, The Atlantic, Today's Parent, Living, Senior Advocate and Jewish Chronicle magazines.
Considered an "expert resource" about the cheer parent perspective she's quoted in USA Today, People Magazine, Sportico and other media. She’s written multiple stories for Inside Cheerleading magazine and was nominated for “Best New Media” in Cheer Biz News
Hall was a proud cheer mom of two All Stars for more than a decade and served a term on the USASF Parent Action Committee.
In journalism they say "write about what you know" and CheerMAD was born on June 19, 2011.
Her goal was to have 10,000 readers in the first year and accomplished that in six weeks. CheerMAD had more than 12 million social media impressions, with the majority of posts receiving more than 250,000 authentic reads.
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