Ashlie Modabber has spent most of her cheerleading career in the back of the stunt group — literally and figuratively.
- Twelve Years on NEON — The Foundation That Built Her
- The Backspot Philosophy: Strength, Instinct, and a Little Bit of “I Got You”
- California Built: Precision, Discipline, and a Little Extra Sparkle
- Why Grit, Why Now, and What It Means to Represent the West Coast
- Longevity, Leadership, and What She Wants Younger Backspots to Know
- Fearless, Electric, United
- My Take — What Modabber Represents
Not because she couldn’t do anything else. Because backspotting is where everything she’s good at comes together: strength, timing, awareness, and the kind of calm that makes flyers feel safe enough to push their hardest skills.
“As a backspot, I get to see not only my stunt group but the whole team,” she said. “My flyer always knows where to go because they can find me.”
That steadiness, the kind coaches describe as unshakable and flyers describe as essential, is what makes Ashlie one of the most respected athletes stepping into the Pro Cheer League’s inaugural season with Golden State Grit. And at 33, she’s not slowing down. She’s just getting started on a bigger stage.
Twelve Years on NEON — The Foundation That Built Her
In an era where athletes transfer programs every season chasing titles, Ashlie stayed put.
Twelve years on NEON, OC All Stars’ legacy program. Twelve years of building relationships, refining technique, and learning what it means to be accountable — not just to a routine, but to a culture.
“OC All Stars became home for me because it was the one place where I felt completely supported, challenged, and celebrated while also growing up and finding myself all at the same time,” she said. “After 12 years, it’s more than a program to me. It’s the people, the culture, and the feeling of walking into the gym and knowing you’re exactly where you’re meant to be.”
That loyalty wasn’t passive. It was formative.
Under coaches like Mandy Morgan, John Neville, Allison Klesczewski, and Kylie Saunders, Ashlie learned what high standards actually look like and how to hold them without losing the joy. She learned how to be firm when her flyers needed correction, and how to be the calm voice when chaos hit mid-routine.
“Neon didn’t just teach me skills,” she said. “It helped me find my voice, my work ethic, my love for the sport, and my spark.”
And once a NEON baddie, always a NEON baddie. #BGFLF2.
The Backspot Philosophy: Strength, Instinct, and a Little Bit of “I Got You”
Backspots rarely get photo moments. They don’t get center stage. Half the time, you can’t even see their faces in a stunt.
But anyone who’s ever stood under a skill knows the truth: the backspot determines whether the routine lives or dies.
Ashlie’s approach to backspotting is as tactical as it is intuitive. She’s the one reading body weight before it shifts. She’s the one calling counts so the group stays synced. She’s the one flyers look for when they need to know what’s happening next.
“As a backspot, you are the one people look for to know what’s going on in the routine and for counts,” she explained. “My flyer always knows where to go or what’s happening as long as they can find me.”
But here’s the thing, Ashlie isn’t just a safety net. She’s the standard-setter.
“I can be firm and tough and focused, especially when we’re learning new skills, because I want them to understand how important their technique and timing and execution is for hitting any stunt,” she said. “But everything I do comes from a place of love and respect. I want my flyers to know that I’m always there for them.”
That balance — between being supportive and holding the line — is what makes her the kind of backspot coaches build entire programs around.
California Built: Precision, Discipline, and a Little Extra Sparkle
Ashlie’s cheer journey started in North Carolina at age three, but California shaped her into the athlete she is now.
West Coast cheer culture is sharp, technical, and detail-obsessed. It’s precision with personality. It’s confidence with flair. And it demands that every single rep — not just the performance — matters.
“From a young age, I learned that technique isn’t just part of the sport, it’s the foundation,” she said. “My coaches pushed me to master the basics, focus on precision, and carry myself with confidence in every rep, not just the performance.”
That discipline became instinct. That instinct became reputation.
Ashlie didn’t just train in California. She built her career there: 12 years on NEON, college cheer at CSUN, and over 12 years working with UCA under Katie Bowers, Travis Neese, and Bill Seely, some of the most respected names in cheer. From All Star, she gained difficulty, performance stamina, and elite stunt IQ. From UCA, she gained leadership, communication, and the ability to command a room.
Now, stepping into Golden State Grit, she’s bringing all of it.
Why Grit, Why Now, and What It Means to Represent the West Coast
Golden State Grit is unmistakably California: bright, sharp, expressive, and unapologetically confident.
Ashlie fits seamlessly.
“The energy inside Golden State Grit is honestly unmatched,” she said. “It’s this amazing mix of intensity, professionalism, family vibes, and that little California sparkle you can’t fake.”
Under the leadership of manager Tannaz Kirichkow and coaches Brandon and Didi Madsen, Grit is building something that feels both elite and electric. And Ashlie’s role isn’t just to anchor stunts, it’s to anchor culture.
“I’m super talkative, super social, and I genuinely love being surrounded by a big group of teammates,” she said. “I’m the person hyping people up in warmups, checking in on everyone, making sure the vibes stay positive, and keeping the team connected.”
But when it’s time to lock in? She locks in.
Being part of the Pro Cheer League’s inaugural season feels monumental to her. Not just because it’s historic, but because it proves the sport is evolving.
“To me, it’s more than just performing,” she said. “It’s about showing the rest of the country what West Coast athletes are capable of. Our strength, precision, energy, and Cali pride all wrapped together.”
And at 33, she’s doing it on her own terms.
Longevity, Leadership, and What She Wants Younger Backspots to Know
Ashlie’s career has been built on one quiet, powerful truth: dependability is a superpower.
“I hope younger backspots look at my journey and see that you can build an amazing career in this sport by being strong, smart, reliable, and confident,” she said. “You don’t have to be the person in the air to make a huge impact.”
She’s living proof that you can be firm and kind, technical and fun, serious and joyful. All at once. That backspots can be bubbly and powerful. That you can love this sport for 20+ years and still have more to give.
“To me, cheerleading is more of a personality trait than a hobby at this point,” she said. “And I wouldn’t change any of it.”
Fearless, Electric, United
When asked to describe Golden State Grit in three words, Ashlie didn’t hesitate:
Fearless. Electric. United.
“Fearless, because this team steps into every challenge with absolute conviction. We don’t hesitate. We don’t hold back.
Electric, because our presence is undeniable. The second Grit walks into a room, you feel the spark.
United, because at the end of the day, our connection is our superpower. We support each other, we trust each other, and we show up for one another in a way that feels like family.”
She paused, then added: “Those three words are more than a description. They’re a promise. They’re who we are when we hit the floor, and who we’ll continue to be as we take Golden State Grit into the national spotlight.”
My Take — What Modabber Represents
The Pro Cheer League is going to be defined by its stars: the athletes who tumble, fly, and command attention the second they step on the floor.
But it will be built by athletes like Ashlie Modabber.
Backspots don’t get the photo moments. They don’t get the viral clips. Half the time, the audience can’t even see their faces. But every coach, judge, and athlete in this sport knows the truth: the backspot is the reason the stunt happens at all.
What makes Ashlie exceptional isn’t just her strength or her technical precision. It’s her consistency. The fact that flyers trust her completely. The fact that at 33, she’s not only still competing, she’s anchoring a professional franchise.
Golden State Grit is fearless, electric, and united, and Ashlie is the embodiment of all three. She brings the California sharpness, the West Coast confidence, and the kind of leadership that doesn’t need an announcement. She’s the athlete who lifts the room simply by being in it.
If the Pro Cheer League wants to prove that this sport values all positions and all contributions, then athletes like Ashlie Modabber need to be front and center.
Not because she’s chasing recognition. But because she’s spent her entire career earning it.
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