Deciding whether to quit a sport can feel like standing at a crossroads with no clear direction.

You love the game, but the challenges keep piling up. You wonder if it’s worth the struggle or if walking away might be the best choice. Maybe you’re stuck in that indecisive place right now, unsure what to do next.

That’s exactly where Greer found herself after her freshman year as a collegiate cheerleader at Purdue University. She went from being a confident, passionate athlete to questioning everything about her sport, her coaches, and even her own future. Her story isn’t about a triumphant victory or a perfect season; it’s about the messy, complicated reality of deciding to quit when things just aren’t working anymore.

If you’ve ever felt torn between pushing through and letting go, Greer’s journey offers a raw, honest look at what it’s like to love a sport but realize it might be time to walk away. No fluff, no sugarcoating; just a real conversation about the highs, the lows, and the tough choices that come with being an athlete.

Growing Up in Sports: Finding Your Place

Greer’s story starts like many athletes’ do: with a childhood full of sports. She grew up in Ohio, and her parents kept her busy with soccer, softball, dance, and cheer. Greer describes herself as having ADHD and anxiety “to the max,” so sports were a way for her to release energy and manage those feelings.

She started cheering in fifth grade, just doing rec cheer for her basketball team, and also competed in dance until her junior year of high school. While she loved dance, she was very hard on herself and found that constant self-comparison made it less enjoyable. Cheerleading, on the other hand, was where she felt confident and successful. She says, “I knew that I was doing a good job when I was cheering, and I was getting a little more praise for cheer than I ever really got for dance.”

By her junior year, Greer decided she wanted to cheer in college. She wasn’t ready to give up sports, and cheer felt like home. Even though she only had high school cheer experience and didn’t know how to stunt or do some of the more advanced skills, she was determined to learn everything and make it work.

The Recruiting Process: How College Cheer Works

Unlike sports like basketball or volleyball, collegiate cheer recruiting works a little differently. Greer explains that to get recruited, athletes need to attend camps and clinics where coaches can see them perform. At the time Greer was going through the process, Purdue wasn’t fully recruiting yet; they still held tryouts, but you had to earn a bid by attending these camps.

She attended camps at multiple schools, learning the skills she needed along the way. What stood out to her was how much the Purdue coaches believed in her potential, even though she wasn’t perfect and had a lot to learn, especially since Ohio is a “ground bound state” and she didn’t know stunting.

The coaches’ trust meant a lot to Greer. She says, “I knew that I’ll prove myself and they believed in me.” That belief was a deciding factor in her choosing Purdue.

Freshman Year: The Highs and Lows of Collegiate Cheer

Greer’s freshman year started off well. She loved the team dynamic and felt supported by the coaches who believed in her. But just before tryouts, those coaches left Purdue for other opportunities. That was a huge blow.

She made the team with interim coaches, but they didn’t get a permanent coach until July. During the summer, upperclassmen teammates kept the team together and taught the new material, so by the time the new coaches arrived, the team already knew everything.

When the new coaches stepped on campus, things changed drastically. Greer describes it as “a completely different world.” The team dynamic fell apart. The new coaches were young, had only coached all-star cheer, and while they were amazing athletes themselves, they struggled as coaches.

Greer points out an important truth: “Amazing athletes don’t always make amazing coaches.” These coaches weren’t equipped to lead a large collegiate program, and Purdue Athletics didn’t support the team well either.

Challenges with Coaching and Team Dynamics

The new coaches created a toxic environment by pitting athletes against each other in unhealthy ways. Instead of fostering a supportive team, they encouraged competition that broke down trust and camaraderie.

They expected upperclassmen to teach new skills and allowed some teammates to show up late to game days. When athletes expressed concerns or had academic commitments, those were often dismissed. Greer emphasizes that education must come first, especially in college, because sports will eventually end.

She struggled with the power dynamic between coaches and athletes. Even though she was an adult and an employee of the team, she was often treated like a child. She shares a painful experience where coaches told her, “I’m your coach, I can say whatever I want to you,” in front of the whole team. This made her question if she was being treated like a human being.

Speaking Up and Taking Action

After enduring a lot, Greer reached a breaking point. She decided she wouldn’t allow herself to be treated that way anymore. She took action by going to the offices, speaking with the head of the spirit squad, filing a Title IX complaint, and starting to see a team psychologist.

Eventually, the problematic coaches were fired after their first year. But that meant another tryout process with uncertainty about who the next coach would be. Faced with this instability, Greer made the tough decision to focus on her wellbeing and academics instead of continuing cheer.

Reflections on Coaching and Athlete Wellbeing

Greer’s story highlights how much coaching can make or break an athlete’s experience. She says, “In my case, I got fed up with it and I was like, this is not okay.” She was away from home for the first time, struggling to keep up, but she recognized that her mental health and respect as a human being mattered most.

This is a lesson for athletes and parents alike: sometimes, walking away is the healthiest choice. It’s okay to prioritize your wellbeing, especially when the environment is toxic or unsupportive.

Final Thoughts

Greer’s journey from a young athlete finding joy in cheer to a college athlete navigating difficult coaching and team dynamics is full of valuable lessons. She reminds us that:

• It’s normal to struggle with perfectionism and self-criticism as an athlete.
• Coaches play a huge role in shaping the athlete experience, for better or worse.
• Speaking up about mistreatment is hard but necessary.
• Education and mental health should always come first.
• It’s okay to make tough decisions like quitting when it’s right for you.

Her story is a powerful reminder that athletes deserve respect, support, and a healthy environment to thrive both on and off the field.

If you’re an athlete or a parent wondering if it’s time to walk away, know that you’re not alone. Greer’s experience shows that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is put yourself first, seek help, and choose a path that honors your wellbeing.

Episode Highlights: 

[00:00] Standing at the Crossroads: To Quit or Not? Greer opens up about the difficult decision many athletes face: whether to keep going or walk away from a sport they love but that’s become challenging.

[04:15] Growing Up in Sports: Finding Confidence in Cheer. Greer shares how she balanced multiple sports growing up, ultimately finding her confidence and joy in cheerleading despite struggles with anxiety and perfectionism.

[09:30] Navigating College Cheer Recruiting. An inside look at how collegiate cheer recruiting works, including camps, tryouts, and how Purdue’s coaches saw potential in Greer even though she was still learning key skills.

[14:50] Freshman Year Highs: Support and Belonging. Greer describes the excitement of making the Purdue cheer team and feeling supported by coaches who believed in her potential.

[19:20] Freshman Year Lows: Coaching Changes and Team Turmoil. Just before tryouts, the original coaches left, and the new coaching staff struggled to lead, creating a toxic environment that fractured team dynamics.

[25:10] When Great Athletes Aren’t Great Coaches. Greer reflects on how the new coaches’ lack of experience and leadership skills negatively impacted the team culture and athlete wellbeing.

[30:45] Toxic Team Culture and Power Dynamics. Examples of how the new coaches pitted teammates against each other, dismissed academic priorities, and treated athletes disrespectfully.

[36:00] Taking a Stand: Speaking Up and Seeking Help. Greer recounts filing a Title IX complaint, seeking counseling, and advocating for herself despite the fear and uncertainty.

[41:30] Aftermath and Moving On. The problematic coaches were fired, but with ongoing instability, Greer made the difficult decision to quit cheer and focus on her mental health and academics.

[46:00] Lessons Learned: Prioritizing Wellbeing Over Sport. Greer’s final thoughts on the importance of respect, support, and knowing when walking away is the healthiest choice for an athlete’s future.

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