Today we’d like to introduce you to Sonia Taylor.
Hi Sonia , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
First and foremost, thank you so much for selecting me for an interview.
My cheer and dance journey began in a small town in Pennsylvania called West Chester, about an hour west of Philadelphia. I started dancing at just three years old at Harrison’s Dance Studio, where I developed a strong foundation and lifelong passion for performance. My cheerleading career truly blossomed under the guidance of a legendary coach, Nancy Riccardo. She is still actively coaching and achieving great success today, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have learned from someone who set such a high standard of excellence, discipline, and leadership.
That foundation has carried me to where I am today.
For over 30 years, I have been deeply involved in educating and mentoring adolescents through instructional support, extracurricular programs, and athletic activities, with a strong emphasis on cheerleading and dance. My career has allowed me to impact athletes both on and off the mat, helping them develop confidence, work ethic, and leadership skills.
Most recently, I transitioned from being an All-Star Cheer gym owner to becoming a certified cheerleading judge. I now travel nationally judging All-Star cheerleading competitions ranging from novice to elite levels. I proudly judge for both Open Championships and Varsity. The competition season runs from November through May, which means most weekends you’ll find me—and my suitcase—in an airport, headed to evaluate and celebrate talent across the country.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
At just 19 years old, I stepped into a leadership role as the head cheerleading coach at my former high school, Henderson High School, located in West Chester, Pennsylvania. That opportunity marked the beginning of my lifelong commitment to coaching, mentoring, and developing young athletes.
During my time coaching varsity cheerleading at my local high school, I became a mother. Even while navigating motherhood, I continued coaching my varsity team and successfully led them to qualify for the High School National Cheerleading Championship in Orlando, Florida.
After approximately five years of coaching at the high school level, I decided to transition into All-Star cheerleading. This shift was inspired by my desire to enroll my daughter in an All-Star program at our local gymnastics gym. When the gym offered me a coaching position, it opened the door to an entirely new chapter in my career and introduced me to the dynamic and competitive world of All-Star cheerleading.
Fast forward to 2011—fun fact—we moved 960 miles south to Georgia for Allstar Cheerleading.
I landed a job at the high school my children attended, working as a dance coach. After they graduated, I knew I wanted to take the next step and open a small Allstar cheer gym of my own.
Owning North Georgia Jazz Allstar Cheerleading came with its challenges—wanting what was best for every athlete while knowing you can’t please everyone—but overall it was incredibly rewarding.
Watching athletes grow, accomplish goals, and master new skills at practice was the true highlight of ownership and made it all worthwhile.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Today, I proudly sit on the Allstar Cheerleading panel as a judge, certified in Deductions, Overall, and Tumbling. While my role may now be behind the scenes rather than front and center coaching or choreographing, my purpose in the sport has never changed.
I still get to be part of the magic—watching athletes push past limits, perform with heart, and leave everything on the floor. Competition weekends fill me with excitement, knowing I’ll step into an arena charged with energy, passion, and dedication. Being surrounded by athletes and fans who live for high-impact routines reminds me why I fell in love with cheerleading in the first place—and why I continue to love what I do today.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
My advice is this: if you have the heart and passion for cheer and dance and aren’t quite sure what you want to do, never let anyone tell you there are no opportunities in this industry. Even after you’ve graduated and are no longer able to perform, cheerleading offers countless paths—whether in administration, coaching, judging, choreography, and so much more.
