Geneva Junior Panthers
In 2006, I joined the Geneva Junior Panthers and spent two seasons cheering on both the C and B teams. I loved it right away — especially getting to travel for competitions and experience what it felt like to perform as a team. Those early seasons taught me the basics of discipline, teamwork, and what it means to work toward something together. It was the first time I realized cheer could become more than just a hobby. Looking back, this is where the foundation of everything started.
Panther Extreme All-Starz
After my time with the Panthers, my coach opened an All-Star gym in Geneva called Panther Extreme — my first real introduction to All-Star cheer. Everything felt like a step up: the branding, the atmosphere, the intensity, and the level of training. It was also the first time I started seeing the sport beyond my hometown, especially with programs nearby like Rochester and Buffalo. Being close to All-Star cheer completely changed my perspective and raised my standards. Not long after, I knew I wanted more.
Dynamic Silver Bullets
Joining Dynamic Silver Bullets in Rochester was a huge step for me, and I was excited to train in a program that pushed me at a higher level. That season, I became even more focused on tumbling — building front tuck consistency, cleaning up passes into layouts, and starting to work twisting. But between intense training and a major growth spurt, I developed severe shin splints and Osgood-Schlatter disease. After medical advice, I ended up taking the rest of the season off to recover. Even though it was a setback, it taught me early what it means to respect the process and listen to your body.
Northeast Elite
After taking time off to recover, I returned through another Rochester program: North East Elite. I joined the J4 team and spent two seasons there, building some of my closest friendships in cheer. Those years gave me my first major competitive highlights, including the chance to compete at a national level. In 2011, I attended Cheerleading Worlds and won with NEE’s International Open Coed team. Seeing Worlds in person — the talent, intensity, and performance level — showed me what was truly possible in the sport. After that, I came back hungrier than ever.
Moving to Rochester
When I started high school, my family moved from Geneva, NY to Churchville-Chili, which made a lot of sense because I was already spending so much time in Rochester for cheer. By that point, Rochester had become a second home and I had built a real friend group and support system there. During this time, I also cheered for Churchville-Chili Varsity starting my sophomore year. Balancing school cheer with All-Star helped me grow as both an athlete and a performer. It was a major transition, but it set me up for the next stage of my career.
Core Athletix — Black Diamonds
In 2011, I joined Core Athletix Black Diamonds, a Coed team with a strong reputation at Worlds. I was especially excited because there were several other boys in the program, and it was the first time I consistently trained alongside athletes at the same skill level as me. That season raised my standard in a big way — physically, mentally, and competitively. I learned what it really meant to train like an elite athlete and hold yourself accountable. It ended up being one of the most special and memorable years of my cheer career.
Moving to Miami (2012) — Top Gun All Stars
Leading up to 2012, I watched cheer routines on YouTube constantly — and that’s when I discovered Top Gun All Stars. It quickly became the program I looked up to most, and I started picturing what it would be like to train at that level. Going into Worlds 2012, my mom had already been in touch with the coaches, and we even met the owners in Orlando that weekend. On June 21st, 2012, I moved to Miami, stayed with an incredible host family, and enrolled in public school for my junior year. It was a huge leap, but it became the start of a completely new chapter in my life.
TGLC (2013–2015)
From 2013–2015, I competed on Top Gun Large Coed (TGLC) for three seasons — a full-circle moment after years of watching the program online. During that time, we won Worlds in 2013 and became back-to-back World Champions plus Grand World Champions in 2014. We also won major events like Cheersport, NCA, UCA, and more throughout those seasons. I was featured in The Champions League nationwide theater release, and later appeared on the cover of Inside Cheerleading (“The Boys of All Star”) in October 2014. In 2015, we placed 2nd at Worlds, and I graduated the Senior Division ready for the next era.
Working for Top Gun All Stars
During my second year with the program, I was asked if I’d be interested in joining the Top Gun All Stars coaching staff. If I’m being honest, up to that point cheer was my entire world — but coaching was something I’d never pictured for myself. I loved training and performance, but I didn’t see myself as a “coach” yet. I had always been confident in small groups, but learning to lead a full team — loud, clear, and in front of everyone — was something I had to grow into. Once I started coaching, everything changed, and it became a major part of my identity.
Achilles Tendon Injury
During a trip home to New York in December 2012, I ruptured my Achilles tendon while tumbling. I had already been dealing with tendonitis, and between the cold weather and not warming up enough, I started throwing bounding passes and it happened. I had surgery a few days later and spent Christmas and New Year’s recovering. For the rest of the season, I stayed involved by working for Top Gun and attending practices while I worked my way back. It was one of the hardest moments of my career, but it taught me resilience, patience, and perspective.
Top Gun OO5 (2015–2018)
I joined Top Gun OO5 in 2015–2016, trained through the off-season, and performed at showcase before my Achilles injury happened. For the rest of the 2016 season, I stayed close to the team by supporting practices, working out alongside them, and finding new interests like content creation and social media. I returned as an athlete in 2017 and 2018, and both seasons we were hungry and determined. We finished 2nd at Worlds in 2017, then came back and won Worlds in 2018. Those years shaped me in a huge way and helped build the athlete — and coach — I am today.
Summit Champion Coach (2018)
In 2018, it was a season I’ll always remember — not only did we win the World Championship, but the very next weekend I also won The Summit as a coach. It was one of those moments where everything I had poured into the sport — as an athlete and as a leader — came full circle. Coaching that year confirmed that I wasn’t just transitioning into the next phase of cheer… I was built for it. It was a massive milestone in my career and one I’m extremely proud of. Safe to say, it was a successful year.
Back to New York (Core Athletix)
At the end of 2018, I made the decision to step away from Miami and move back to New York. I returned to my hometown of Geneva, NY, and spent that time coaching at Core Athletix. I stayed busy teaching private lessons, coaching teams, and choreographing — and it became an important chapter in my growth as a coach. Being back home gave me a different kind of perspective and helped me develop my own coaching style. It was a reset, but also a turning point.
