'Cheer' Coach Monica Aldama Announces Retirement From Cheerleading

Monica Aldama is calling it a career. The Cheer coach went to Instagram on Sunday to announce her retirement from coaching. Aldama has been the cheerleading coach at Navarro College in Texas since 2000 and led the squad to 17 national championships. She and her team were featured on the Netflix documentary series Cheer for two seasons. Aldama will officially retire at the end of the semester.

"I always knew that my time coaching would eventually come to an end, and I would pursue other opportunities," Aldama, 51, wrote on Instagram. "I have prayed a lot about what direction God was leading me in, and it was that prayer that I felt the tug that God was pushing me into a different role and different purpose. I know that I can still help effectuate changes that we need in the world, and certainly in the sport of cheerleading. I felt His calling and I knew the timing was right for this to be my last season coaching," the longtime Navarro College coach continued. "He has big plans for me, and I will faithfully follow where He is leading me."

Navaro College first announced Aldama's retirement last week. "Coach Aldama's success in the sport of cheer is only surpassed by the empowering impact that she had daily with her student-athletes, the Navarro College Bulldog family, and her community of Corsicana," Dr. Kevin Fegan, District President of Navarro College, said in a statement.  "The unconditional giving of her time and talent to so many is what those closest to her value, admire, and illustrates the significance of her legacy."

The announcement comes three weeks after a lawsuit accusing Aldama of covering up one of her cheerleader's sexual assault was dismissed. In April, the cheerleader filed a civil lawsuit claiming that Aldama, former teammates and school officials discouraged them from filing a report about the alleged assault. The cheerleader accuses Aldama of saying she would helped the victim if the report wasn't filed. USA Gymnastics suspended Aldama for six months until it closed its investigation last month. 

Aldama, 51, and Navarro College rose to fame once Cheer began streaming on Netflix. The series earned multiple Emmy Awards, and Aldama made appearances on programs such as Good Morning America and Today. Aldama even appeared on Dancing with the Stars in 2020 and came in 10th place.