All Star vs. Scholastic Cheer in Canada: A Parent's Complete Guide

If your child has expressed interest in cheerleading, you've probably already discovered that "cheer" isn't one single thing. In Canada, two distinct competitive paths exist: All Star and scholastic. They share the same sport and the same governing body, and in practice the two worlds overlap considerably — many athletes move between them at different points, or compete in both at the same time.

This guide breaks down both paths clearly so you can make a confident, informed decision.

TL;DR — All Star cheer is club-based, trains at an independent gym, and follows a structured national competitive season. Scholastic cheer is school-based and competitive in its own right, with a season aligned to the school year. Both fall under Cheer Canada, our national sport organization. Many athletes experience both paths over the course of their cheer career.

What is All Star Cheer?

All Star cheerleading is the competitive club side of the sport. Athletes train at a cheer gym (an independent facility dedicated to the sport) and compete as part of structured teams across a season that typically runs from November through May, with training beginning as early as June or July.

Teams are organized by age group (from U6 through Senior) and skill level (from Novice through Level 7), which ensures athletes compete against teams of comparable experience and that skill progression happens safely over time.

Teams typically range from 5 to 38 athletes. Training intensity scales with level: a Novice team might practice once a week, while a competitive Level 4 or 5 team trains several times a week and travels to regional, provincial, and national events. Some athletes compete on more than one team in the same season. This is called a crossover and it's fairly common.

Tryouts for All Star programs typically take place in May or June, with a routine camp or first team practice in late August or September.

Uniforms in All Star: Each athlete purchases their own uniform. Since uniforms are custom-made for the team and represent the gym's brand, they belong to the athlete at the end of the season. Athletes on crossover teams typically own two (one per team). Most gyms are upfront about this cost during registration and offer payment options.

What is Scholastic Cheer?

Scholastic cheer is school-based cheerleading, and it is a fully competitive discipline in its own right. Programs exist from primary school through collegiate level, and athletes compete in structured events throughout the school year, typically anywhere between 2 and 5 competitions per season — including friendly meets, regional events, provincial championships, and national ones.

In Quebec, one of the most established and well-organized scholastic pathways is the RSEQ, which offers a clear competitive structure for school programs at multiple levels.

Scholastic cheer has its own ruleset, its own division structure, and its own competitive identity, distinct from All Star. Routines are evaluated on their own criteria and the feel of the competition environment reflects school-based culture, familiar faces, and a season that follows the academic calendar.

Tryouts for scholastic programs typically happen in August or September, at the start of the school year.

Uniforms in Scholastic Cheer: In most school programs, uniforms are owned by the school and borrowed by athletes for the season, then returned at year's end. There is no large upfront uniform purchase, and the uniform reflects school colours and identity.

Key Differences at a Glance

A few notable rule differences: All Star routines follow IASF safety rules and are evaluated on execution, difficulty, and performance. Scholastic routines follow Cheer Canada's scholastic ruleset with its own scoring criteria and skill categories. Prop and mascot elements are permitted in scholastic competition but are not part of All Star. Crossover (competing on multiple teams in the same season) is a feature of All Star and doesn't exist in the scholastic structure the same way.

Who Governs It All?

Both pathways fall under Cheer Canada, Canada's National Sport Organization (NSO) for cheerleading. Cheer Canada is recognized by the International Cheer Union (ICU) as the official Canadian federation for athletic cheer — the body that connects Canadian cheerleading to the international stage. When Canadian athletes compete internationally, they do so under the Cheer Canada umbrella, with the credibility and governance structure that comes with full ICU recognition.

The Canadian Context: It's Not Like the U.S.

One question Canadian parents sometimes ask — especially those who've watched American cheer content online — is whether cheerleading leads to an athletic scholarship. In Canada, it doesn't. There is no NCAA equivalent here, and cheerleading is not a scholarship sport at the university level the way it can be in the United States. The pathway Cheer Canada develops is built on sport-for-life principles: age-appropriate development, safe skill progression, and long-term athletic participation.

That's not a limitation. Canadian cheer families are investing in their child's development for its own sake — and the discipline, resilience, leadership, and teamwork built along the way carry forward regardless of whether a scholarship is on the table.

The International Stage: Where Does Canada Fit?

Large All Star championships have traditionally taken place in Florida each year. Structurally, international teams don't compete in the same categories as U.S. teams at these events, even though they technically could. The competitive pathways remain largely separate.

That gap is changing in a significant way. The Association for International All Star (AIA) has been building a new competitive model designed to give international programs a truly level and inclusive stage. Every 18 months, the AIA hosts a rotating Global Tournament — welcoming every country with an All Star cheer community to meet and compete under one roof, fairly and transparently.

The inaugural AIA Global Tournament is scheduled for July 15–20, 2026, in Montreal, Quebec — making it not only a historic first, but one happening right here in Canada. The tournament features U16 through Open teams at Levels 1–7 across eight international regions, competing across five rounds. It is its own standalone event: the global summit of the AIA competitive calendar.

If you want to see the very best of international All Star cheerleading live and in person, this is the event. Get your tickets here:

Can One Path Lead to the Other?

Frequently. Many athletes start in a school program, build a genuine love for the sport along with a foundation of skills, and then move to an All Star gym for more technical depth and competitive volume. Others start in All Star and later join or return to a scholastic program. In some communities, athletes train at a cheer gym year-round while also competing with their school team during the academic year. Coaches in both streams welcome athletes who have cross-program experience. The fundamentals transfer well.

How to Choose

Neither path is better than the other. Both produce strong athletes, meaningful competitive experiences, and real personal growth. The right fit depends on your child, your family's schedule, and what's available in your community.

Is there a scholastic program at their school? Not every school has one. If there isn't, All Star is the natural starting point.

What is your family's availability? Higher-level All Star involves several practices a week and competition travel on weekends. Entry-level and Novice programs are much more accessible. Honest scheduling conversations early save a lot of friction later.

What's the realistic budget? Scholastic programs tend to have lower upfront costs given the borrowed uniform model. All Star involves uniform purchases, gym fees, and travel. Most gyms are transparent about this and offer structured payment options.

Go watch before you decide. Buy a spectator ticket for a competition in each stream if you can. Watching live will give you a far better sense of the atmosphere, the level of competition, and what your child might be stepping into than any written description can.

Try before you commit. Most All Star programs offer summer cheer camps or introductory classes before the full season begins. It's a low-stakes way for your child to get on the floor, meet coaches, and discover whether the environment clicks ... before any season commitment is made!

At Cheer Action, we work with both All Star gyms and scholastic programs across Canada.

Whether your team needs fully custom competitive uniforms or school-appropriate performance wear, we're here to help. Browse our 2026–27 catalog or get in touch to start a conversation.