New Software for a New Era of Cheerleading: How Technology Is No Longer Optional

It’s 2026, and the hottest clickbait topic of the year is Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Students are using some form of AI to muscle their way through school. Boomers think everything on the internet is real, and Millennials, like me, are fighting against the robot takeover that every early-2000s action movie projected. (I won’t even activate the Google Home system that came with my house.)

But like the rest of the world, cheerleading is quickly developing into a high-tech sport requiring cutting-edge software to maneuver event registration, gym management, scoring, streaming, and video playback.

Who knew that pom pons and thigh stands would evolve into servers and cloud storage?

From Paper and Pen to Cloud Storage

If you were born in a year that starts with a 2, you are probably already rolling your eyes. Those of us born in the 1900s, however, have endured cheerleading with paper and pen, cards, envelopes, and calculators. We have experienced hand-made schedules with errors and calculation mistakes that cause major problems with rankings and placements. We even…wait for it…competed on hard floors and mats without springs underneath.

So before you get all “it’s time to retire, Boomer” on me, just know that all of the technology you enjoy today came with a price!

Working exclusively with judging and scoring, I get invited to a lot of software demos. And to be honest, I like things about them all. Each comes from a different perspective and troubleshoots different aspects of the industry. From gym management software to live streaming, there are so many platforms designed to make our lives easier.

A Closer Look at Jump Score

It’s not often I get to write a product review, and it’s rare that anyone would ask me to review software. I’ve had the same car for four years and just learned that it has a remote starter from an app—an app I still can’t figure out how to sync with my car, so fiery hot leather seats I continue to endure.

My friends started working on Jump Score nearly two years ago, and I was asked to give an outsider’s perspective as they developed new features along the way. Maybe it’s because they’re Millennials too, but I have been shocked at how easy every feature has been for someone as non-techy as me.

From an event producer’s standpoint, creating events and schedules is a breeze. From the gym owner’s side, registering for events and uploading rosters takes minutes. Judges can navigate every scoring platform quickly and efficiently. There is even a super user-friendly spectator app with interactive schedules and live streaming.

While Jump Score is certainly not the only platform, it checks a lot of the necessary boxes and alleviates a lot of pain points for event producers, gym owners, and spectators. How nice would it be to have EVERYTHING in one place? (I even heard a Jump Score gym management platform is in the works.)

I’m not writing ads or in the marketing business, but I do tend to think a lot. I hope you’ve noticed this article wasn’t written by AI, because I don’t know how to use AI and I refuse to try it. You won’t find me on social media, and I spend more time staring at the stars in the woods than I do on my phone.

So, when technology can meet someone like me where I am while also meeting all the needs of an entire industry, someone should take note (or write an article)!

Building a Better Future for Cheerleading

Join any conversation with cheer industry people over the age of 40 and you’ll hear one recurring theme: “We’re doing this so the next generation of cheerleading has it better than we did.” I’m never more proud than I am in those conversations. Cheerleading is still an infant compared to sports like baseball, football, and soccer. Sometimes it feels like the target is always moving, and nothing is more frustrating for coaches, judges, and event producers than missing expectations that are ever-changing.

I asked one of the Jump Score developers why he had invested so much of his spare time in a new software and his answer was perfect:

“When I was growing up, cheerleading was magical. When you get into the business as an adult, it loses all of its magic. I just wanted to create something that helped adults feel the same about our sport as they did when they were kids.”

It was that quote that knocked me off of my anti-technology soapbox. Change is inevitable, so I am choosing to celebrate the growth of our industry with pride that we have evolved so quickly. I am forever impressed by the innovation and creativity of techy people that are industry-first thinkers. Whether it’s Jump Score or any other amazing cheerleading-specific technology, the forward-thinking is astonishing.

Who would expect otherwise? Cheerleaders are strong, resilient, and creative. It’s fun watching that transition from the competition floor to the business world.

If you see me this season crying in the corner of a convention center, just know I’m okay. I was probably asked to reset my email password, and I just couldn’t figure out how.