Today we’d like to introduce you to Heidi Sears.
Heidi, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
In 2003, my daughter started cheering for the local city team. After experiencing how the program was ran and how many kids wanted to cheer but the director wouldn’t allow them to cheer without her being there. I thought that maybe getting a group together to cheer at local sporting events would be fun. Well after the first month and having 85 kids I was shocked. I contacted the cheer director from Deer Park High School, Stephanie Harrison and she asked her girls if they were wanting to coach young girls and teach them cheers. I wanted this to be something that every girl that wanted to be a cheerleader could be, no matter what size or age. I also wanted the girls to make new friends and something to keep them busy after school. I had four girls that was interested in coaching. One was Tiffany Stone, she was a sophomore cheerleader and coached for me all through her high school years and then in college would come back and coach tumbling, or private lessons or even make up routines for us. After college she became an Elementary School Teacher but also came back to coach for Starlitz. I guess you could say she has been with me for the past 15 years.
Starlitz started out as a recreational cheer team and has grown into an All-Star Prep Cheer program. We have performed at many events such as Deer Park High School Basketball Games, San Jacinto College Basketball games, Houston Rockets, and Pasadena Strawberry Festival. We now compete at cheer events around Houston, Galveston, Dallas, San Antonio and New Orleans. We have also won Grand Championship which is the highest score of our division and received $1,000 that we could donate to any charity and we chose Make a Wish Foundation.
I am very proud to say that we have won numerous jackets, banners and medals throughout the years. I have also had girls that cheered for Starlitz when they were younger and now coach for me. It is always so special when this happens. Starlitz wouldn’t be where it is today without the parents, kids that work so hard and our great coaches that put allot of work into the program. Yes the girls work hard but we try to have fun with them also. Slumber parties at the gym, Christmas and Halloween parties, we recognize every girl on their birthday month by putting them in a stunt and singing to them, perfect attendance awards, and cheerleader of the month
Has it been a smooth road?
I don’t think owning your own business is ever smooth sailing. I have had ups and downs along the way. Someone that played tennis her whole time in school and not knowing anything about cheerleading was a bit intimidating at first. We have had kids come and go and it always hurts to see kids leave and then you think will we have enough kids for a team, what do I need to do different and then we get new kids that want to join. I have met some of the nicest parents and have made some really great friends.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
We are a local cheer gym in Pasadena/Deer Park area. We teach ages 3-15 tumbling and cheer. We have all-star prep cheer teams that perform at competitions and a show team that performs as well but are not judged. Our tumbling classes are just for tumbling, they learn from the basics to elite tumbling that they would use for cheer.
I can say that I am very proud that even when the other teams were letting their girls wear skimpy uniforms and bellies showing that we were modest and have had praises from many on this.
I am also proud of the fact that my coaches are great role models. They never dress or talk inappropriate around the girls or even teach the girls routines that would be inappropriate. They always run it by me before it’s taught.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Yes I feel like this is a great city for cheerleading. It’s a great sport for kids to get involved with. Some say it’s not a sport but let them get in the gym and practice like these kids do. These kids give it all, blood, sweat and tears. It’s not only performing on the floor, they condition each practice, and work numerous hours on skills.
I would recommend them starting out at a smaller gym. This way they can decide if this is something they really like before committing to the higher price gyms. I feel like we are a family and the larger gyms you are just a number and it’s all about winning. Of course we want to win but if the kids give everything they got and still don’t win they have won in my book. To see someone learn a new skill and the excitement they get just puts tears to my eyes. Yes I am known to cry when the girls do really good. It’s funny because now after they perform they look at me to see if I am crying and if I am then they know they did good.
Pricing:
- Registration is $60
- Cheer Classes range from $75 to $125 a month
- Tumbling Classes range from $30 to $45 a month
- Private Lessons are $20.00 per half hour
Contact Info:
- Address: 5839 Red Bluff
Pasadena, Texas 77507 - Website: texasstarlitz.com
- Phone: 832-597-2614
- Email: texasstarlitz@gmail.com
- Instagram: texasstarlitzcheer
- Facebook: texasstarlitzcheer
Image Credit:
Bella Fafella Photography – Julie Zamora
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