Hit Zero Strategies

09/28/2026

WE ARE SO EXCITED FOR THE FORGE!!!

https://www.midwestcheerassociation.org/theforge

Registration is officially OPEN for The Forge Cheerleading Championship! 🔥

Join us February 13–14, 2027, at the St. Cloud River’s Edge Convention Center for a weekend built for competition, connection, and the next generation of champions.

Talent is born. Champions are forged.

🔗 Register your team today through the link in our bio.

09/11/2026

Today, we pause to remember September 11, 2001.

We honor the nearly 3,000 lives lost, the first responders who ran toward danger, and the countless families whose lives were forever changed.

May we never forget those we lost, those who answered the call, and those who continue to carry the weight of that day.

We remember. We honor. We will never forget.

09/08/2026

The recent decision to eliminate the cheer competition from Clerc Classic is incredibly disappointing. More than that, it sends the wrong message to athletes who have spent decades helping build this tournament’s tradition.

Cheerleaders spend their entire season showing up for everyone else. They support their schools, energize the crowd and stand behind their basketball teams through every win and loss. The cheer competition was their opportunity to step onto the floor, represent their schools and be recognized as athletes themselves. They are not just background support for someone else’s moment.

If the current format is creating problems with time, money or logistics, then let’s talk about solutions. Shorten the competition. Eliminate the individual portion. Simplify the format. Bring coaches into the conversation. Find sponsors and ask the cheer community to help. There are plenty of options between keeping everything exactly the same and eliminating the competition entirely.

The existence of the National Deaf Cheer Competition does not replace Clerc. NDCC was created as an additional opportunity for these athletes and teams! The growth of one event should never be used to justify taking another opportunity away. Some of these teams may only ever experience those 2 competitions their entire season, losing Clerc means 1 opportunity to showcase, 1 opportunity to compete.

Through Hit Zero Strategies, I have intentionally worked to make camps, choreography and other services more accessible to Deaf cheer programs. The underrepresentation is real. These teams already have fewer competitions, fewer resources and fewer opportunities than most cheer programs.

Many Deaf-school athletes also compete in multiple sports. The same student may play basketball or volleyball and then turn around and cheer for another team. These athletes are working four, five or even six days a week, multiple practices a day, throughout most of the school year. That level of dedication deserves to be celebrated, not pushed aside.

I respectfully ask Clerc Classic leadership, participating superintendents and athletic directors to reconsider this decision. Bring the coaches together, listen to the athletes and find a way forward. We should be creating more opportunities for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students, not deciding which opportunities they can afford to lose.

Please sign the petition and share it:
https://c.org/PqnWSxjmvk

Keep the Clerc Classic Cheer Competition After 25+ Years

09/06/2026

Deaf Cheer teams need more opportunities to represent their schools and to compete, not less!

I stand with the statement from National Deaf Cheer Competition and all of the coaches and athletes that decisions like these affect.

Official Statement from the National Deaf Cheer Competition

08/17/2026

Yesterday’s Pop-Up Skills Camp was a blast!!

We had a great group of athletes come in with a wide range of experience, skill levels, and goals. That gave us the chance to mix groups, rotate positions, and spend time working with athletes on what was most useful for them.

A big part of the day was stunting and technical development, with some time for jumps and athlete-choice skills as well. We also worked through different grips, techniques, and approaches to certain skills. One thing I always want athletes to understand is that there isn't always just one “right” way to get the same result in cheerleading. Sometimes a small change in grip, timing, body position, or approach is what finally makes a skill click.

One phrase we kept coming back to throughout the day was:
Own It. Fix It. Move On.

The athletes did a great job with that. They worked hard, accepted corrections, tried new approaches, and were willing to work across different skill levels while still supporting one another. That is exactly the kind of environment we want to create!

We plan to continue offering Skills Camps every 1–2 months throughout the cheer season, giving athletes, stunt groups, and teams affordable opportunities to build confidence, strengthen current skills, and keep working through progressions.

Thank you to everyone who came out and spent part of their Sunday with us. We had a great time working with you.

Follow Hit Zero Strategies for updates on future camps, private lessons, clinics, and other events.
https://www.facebook.com/HitZeroCheer

Hit Zero Strategies is a full-service consulting and creative organization serving cheerleading teams and programs across the Midwest.

07/13/2026

Hit Zero Strategies is booking skills clinics, sideline camps, choreography, and routine cleans for teams preparing for the upcoming season! Currently, there is some availability in August, September, and October! Reach out now and find a day that works for you!

An early-season camp gives athletes dedicated time to build strong fundamentals, work through safe skill progressions, improve technique, and gain confidence before the competitive season gets busy. Sideline camps can also help teams sharpen their motions, jumps, and stunts, improve crowd engagement, and develop stronger overall performance in preparation for games, community events, and other appearances.

Camps are also a great opportunity to bring a team together. Spending focused time learning, working, and having fun can help build trust, improve communication, and create stronger team chemistry.

Programs can also bring multiple teams together for a unified weekend of bonding and skill development. This gives athletes and coaches across different schools and gyms an opportunity to learn together, build consistency, and create new friendships.

I also have availability in December and January for teams interested in winter skills clinics, camps, or routine cleans.

Message me to discuss dates and what type of camp would best support your program, or check out the website for more information!

www.hitzerostrategies.com

~Coach Derek

Hit Zero Strategies is a full-service consulting and creative organization serving cheerleading teams and programs across the Midwest.

07/04/2026

Happy 250th Birthday, America!

Today we celebrate 250 years of freedom, courage, and opportunity. We're grateful for the generations who built this nation, defended our liberties, and continue to inspire the pursuit of excellence.
From all of us at Hit Zero Strategies, we wish you and your family a safe, happy, and memorable Independence Day.

God Bless America