Ashlie Modabber has spent most of her cheerleading career in the back of the stunt group — literally and figuratively.
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.
