If you are familiar with All Star Cheerleading, there is no secret that hitting ZERO is a huge achievement. Hitting ZERO means that a team performed their routine with no deductions—no falls, no mistakes, no rule violations. But while hitting ZERO is a great goal, it’s not anywhere close to the final step of things.
In All Star Cheer, teams are judged on difficulty, technique, and execution. When a team hits ZERO, it means they executed their stunts, tumbling, jumps, and dance with perfect technique and control. It shows that every athlete knew their job and performed at their best. Judges look for teams that are clean, precise, and confident. However, hitting ZERO doesn’t guarantee a win. It is actually only the beginning.
One reason hitting ZERO isn’t everything is because cheerleading is about more than avoiding mistakes. It’s about performance. A routine needs to have energy, excitement, and confidence. Judges don’t just want to see a team complete their skills; they want to be amazed. They want to see teams perform like champions. If a team hits ZERO but looks nervous, stiff, or unexciting, they might not score as high as a team that performs with passion and enthusiasm.
Another important factor is difficulty. A team can hit ZERO with a simple routine, but if their skills aren’t challenging enough, they won’t score as high as teams with harder stunts and tumbling passes. The best teams push themselves to perform elite skills while still hitting ZERO. They make their routines harder and cleaner at the same time. That takes dedication, practice, and trust in each other.
Cheerleading is about consistency. A team might hit ZERO once, but can they do it every time? Great teams don’t just hit once; they hit over and over again. They train so that no matter what happens—if they’re tired, if the mat feels different, if the crowd is loud—they can still deliver a perfect routine. This kind of consistency takes mental toughness. Cheerleaders have to believe in themselves and their teammates. They have to block out distractions and perform under pressure.
Then there’s teamwork. Cheerleading is not an individual sport. One person can’t win alone. Even if one person is amazing, the entire team has to be strong to succeed. Teams that hit ZERO work together. They support each other, communicate, and trust that every member will do their job. They spend hours practicing, correcting mistakes, and building each other up. That’s what makes a strong team—not just talent, but teamwork and effort.
Even after a perfect performance, there’s always room to grow. Athletes can improve their flexibility, their strength, their endurance. They can work on performing with more confidence and energy. They can learn new skills and set new goals. Champions don’t settle—they keep pushing to be better.
This mindset applies to more than just cheerleading. It’s a lesson for life. Just because you succeed once doesn’t mean you stop trying. You keep learning, growing, and striving for more. You work hard, not just to avoid failure, but to reach your full potential.
Hitting ZERO is an incredible accomplishment, but it truly is simply a starting point. It’s a sign that a team is on the right path, but to truly be the best, they have to keep improving. They have to bring energy, increase difficulty, stay consistent, support their teammates, and never stop striving for greatness. That’s what separates good teams from great ones.
That’s what makes champions.
