On Jan. 8, Netflix released a unique TV show that caught the attention of different viewers. ‘Cheer” is the ultimate combination of episodes about the Navarro College cheerleading team and its season toward another championship title in Daytona, Fla.

This six-part series was released to show the struggles cheerleaders face on their journey toward a championship win. Under the direction of Head Coach Monica Aldama, the team strives to achieve Aldama’s dream of creating the best cheer team in the nation.

With this goal, Aldama has led the team to fourteen NCA National Championship wins in the junior college division. The team also has achieved five “Grand Nationals” for the highest score of all teams in the competition.

As a cheerleader, I enjoyed seeing the sport represented to the world at large. Many people don’t understand all the factors, such as the time, physical strength and mental stamina, which contribute to the athleticism of the sport.

In addition to exemplifying the hardships of many cheerleaders, the show specifically included the personal struggles of particular members on the 40-person cheer team.

For example, the show included stories about Morgan Simianer, Lexi Brumback, Jerry Harris and La’Darius Marshall. Each of these individuals share how the Navarro cheer team saved their lives after going through many childhood struggles.

These struggles ranged from family problems to drug and alcohol abuse, childhood abuse and bullying. As they continued to face some of these problems, Coach Aldama was one of the first people they sought for help in fighting these battles.

Besides addressing the struggles outside of their cheer lives, the show also highlights the struggles related to a sport dominating most of their time, despite being in college. As a result, the athletes talked about the challenges of balancing school and cheer at the same time.

One key message of the show focused on the loyalty the members have to the sport; every person on the mat is crucial to the team.

As the season continued, the team members encountered injuries that led to many changes within the routine, which added stressors to an already stressful situation. An unexpected injury even occurred during their NCA championship performance.

As the team faced these obstacles, the show displayed the courage and risk needed to be a successful cheerleading team.

Shortly after the show’s release, many viewers were already talking about the intensity created by the show. These viewers ranged from teenagers to adults– all intrigued by how accurate the show revealed the realities of cheerleading.

Many cheerleaders, specifically, were ecstatic that their sport was being appreciated for what it entails because non-cheerleader viewers expressed shock at how harsh cheerleading can be—just like other sports.

While the episodes did draw viewers into the harsh conditions of cheerleading, viewers stayed loyal to the show because of the family atmosphere created by the Navarro cheer squad. The show also describes the sportsmanship one must have as a cheerleader or as any athlete.

The Netflix original is highly recommended to everyone, cheerleaders and non-cheerleaders alike, waiting for a series full of nail-biting and eye-opening moments. It is the perfect combination of athletic experiences and emotional standpoints, which is the best way to keep one informed and intrigued about the sport of cheerleading.