The Long Road to Leadership: Lessons from the Gym Floor to the Sidelines

Leadership isn't something that suddenly appears one day. It is built over years through experiences, successes, failures, setbacks, and lessons learned along the way.

When people ask me how I became the leader I am today, I often think back to my years in gymnastics and cheerleading. Long before I owned a business, coached athletes, or managed teams, I was learning lessons about discipline, accountability, and growth.

Gymnastics always made sense to me.

There was a clear progression. Once you mastered a forward roll, you learned a cartwheel. Once you mastered a cartwheel, you worked toward a back walkover. Then came a back handspring, a back tuck, and so on. Every skill built upon the one before it.

The lesson was simple: growth happens one step at a time.

At a young age, I became accustomed to setting goals and working relentlessly toward them. Expectations were high. I learned that success wasn't just about completing the routine. I had to smile at the judges, point my toes, keep my posture strong, and even make sure the sleeves of my leotard were perfectly in place. Excellence required attention to detail.

That mindset stayed with me.

After injuries prevented me from continuing gymnastics, I transitioned into cheerleading. While the sport was different, many of the same principles applied. Success required discipline, commitment, and constant improvement.

Parkway West High School 1990

At the University of Missouri, our cheerleading program was demanding. We had fun, but we were disciplined. We practiced six days a week, had weekly weigh-ins, and continuously pushed ourselves to learn new skills. We held each other accountable because we all wanted to be better than we were the day before.

I loved my college cheerleading experience because it reinforced a lesson I already knew: talent alone is never enough. Consistency and effort are what separate good from great.

University Of Missouri 1991

In 1995, when St. Louis was awarded an NFL franchise, I knew I was going to try out for the cheerleading team. More than 650 women auditioned, and only 40 of us made the squad.

Making the team was exciting, but the experience taught me one of the most important leadership lessons of my life.

For the first time, I found myself in an environment where success wasn't driven by talent, effort, or teamwork. It felt more like a beauty contest mixed with politics and favoritism. While I enjoyed being on the field during games, I quickly realized that the culture didn't align with my values.

I finished the season, but I had no desire to return.

St. Louis Rams 1995

That experience taught me something powerful: not every organization deserves your loyalty. If the culture doesn't reward hard work, integrity, and contribution, talented people eventually leave.

After my time with the Rams, I cheered for two additional professional teams—one in arena football and another in minor league baseball. Both experiences were completely different.

These organizations emphasized teamwork, fan experience, and shared responsibility. We worked together, governed ourselves, and constantly looked for ways to improve the experience for the fans. Everyone contributed. Everyone had a voice. Everyone understood that success was bigger than any one individual.

Those teams reminded me how much culture matters.

St. Louis Stampede 1996

Years later, when I was hired as the head cheerleading coach at Old Dominion University, I brought every lesson I had learned from my coaches, teammates, and experiences with me.

I was a tough coach.

I demanded accountability, effort, and commitment. But I also believe I was fair. I cared deeply about the team, the fan experience, and helping young athletes become the best versions of themselves. I expected excellence because I knew what they were capable of achieving.

Together, we created traditions that still exist more than twenty years later.

That may be one of the things I am most proud of—not the performances or the wins, but building something that outlasted my time there.

Old Dominion University 2004

Looking back, I realize that every stage of my journey contributed to the leader I am today.

Gymnastics taught me that growth happens through progression.

College cheerleading taught me the value of discipline.

Professional sports taught me the importance of culture.

Coaching taught me that leadership means holding people accountable while helping them reach their potential.

Most importantly, all of these experiences taught me that nobody is going to hand you success.

You have to earn it.

You have to set goals, work through setbacks, continue learning, and keep moving forward even when the path isn't easy. Becoming the best version of yourself requires constant effort, dedication, and a willingness to grow.

Whether you're building a career, leading a team, growing a business, or pursuing a personal goal, the formula is the same.

Set the goal.

Do the work.

Learn from every experience.

Then keep pushing forward.

The person you become along the way is often the greatest achievement of all.