Netflix’s new docuseries Cheer following one community college cheer team has stunned the world after it first premiered earlier this month, and now the athletes have performed on The Ellen Show.
Navarro College’s cheerleading squad in Corsicana, Texas, gained attention around the world as Netflix followed the team while they vied for their 14th National Championship.
Members of the team, including famed head coach Monica Aldama, visited with Ellen Degeneres before performing their championship-winning routine for the audience.
Making their mark: Navarro College’s cheerleading squad in Corsicana, Texas, attracted attention following the six-part docuseries about the team
Giving it their all: Ellen DeGeneres invited the team on the show to perform
Incredible: The team performed an altered version of their championship-winning routine viewers witness during the Netflix docuseries
Before performing the routine, DeGeneres chatted with Aldama and three member of the Navarro team: Gabi Butler, Jerry Harris, and La’Darius Marshall.
DeGeneres first complimented the head coach on her love for her team that is shown throughout the entire docuseries, while also stating Aldama is unafraid to be ‘tough’ on her kids.
‘I’ve done this for 25 years and even though I thought it was a temporary job [at first], I just can’t see myself giving it up,’ she told DeGeneres. ‘I’m so passionate about these kids and I love doing it.’
Aldama went on to explain the show for the studio audience, which follows the team as they strive to win another National Championship in Daytona, Florida.
But what makes the series more personal and emotional is that it also gives viewers a glimpse into the lives of these athletes, many of whom have dealt with their own hardships.
‘It just gives you an inside look of these kids and their different backgrounds and how they’re able to overcome anything that life throws at them,’ she said.
During the chat, Harris also gave DeGeneres an idea of what ‘mat talk’ is for cheer, and Marshall opened up about his difficult upbringing.
High praise: Ellen also sat down with head coach Monica Aldama (middle) and members of the Navarro College cheer team to commend them on the docuseries
Opening up: La’Darius Marshall, Gabi Butler, and Jerry Harris (from left to right) become fan favorites during the docuseries as it followed their own personal battles
Then Butler, who is ‘famous’ within the cheer community and boasts one million followers on Instagram, was asked about the backlash her parents have received since the docuseries aired.
Viewers attacked Butler’s parents for being hard on the 22-year-old athlete throughout the series and appearing to profit off her success. This encouraged Butler to release a statement defending her parents.
She then further detailed the backlash with DeGeneres.
‘When the show came out, we all watched it together as a family. It was a really big eye-opener for all of us,’ she said.
‘My parents were like, “Wow, maybe we do need to be more independent and let her make her own decisions for herself.” And I really do think that it was great for me because I really started to love myself more and being like, “I need to be more positive for myself.” So I’m really grateful for the show.’
Celebrating: After appearing on The Ellen Show, the team (pictured is Butler and Kassidy Warnol) visited the Netflix Headquarters in Los Angeles, California
Strike a pose: Many members of the squad shared pictures from the evening, including Harris (left) and Morgan Simianer (right)
Can’t get enough: Since the docuseries aired on January 8, viewers online have begged Netflix to announce a second season for the show
Round two? The second season of the show, if it happened, would possibly follow Aldama as she coached the team to another championship
Following the interview, members of the Navarro cheer team were brought out to then perform most of their award-winning routine for the studio audience.
DeGeneres further made the team’s dreams come true by gifting them with a check for $20,000 to go towards the next competition season.
The athletes then visited the Netflix Headquarters in Los Angeles, California, after appearing on the talk show, with team members like Morgan Simianer and Butler sharing snaps showing off the stunning view.
‘First we went on Ellen and now we’re at Netflix headquarters….this doesn’t even feel real,’ Butler wrote in an Instagram caption. ‘All I can say is I’m so thankful and grateful for all of these amazing opportunities and all the great people I have met and I couldn’t do it without you all behind me.’
Since the docuseries aired on January 8, viewers online have begged Netflix to announce a second season for the show.
Although some members, like Marshall and Butler, have moved on from Navarro cheer, there are other fan favorites who are returning for another season on the team to again vie for a National Championship.
Netflix has yet to confirm another season, but the streaming service could be swayed following the positive response for the show. The filming would have to start immediately, though, to cover the current cheer season.