When Abby Ruth decided two years ago that she wanted to open an elite cheerleading gym in Dallas, she knew she wanted young women and men to learn more than just tumbling and stunting when they walked through the doors.
“I thought, ‘it would be awesome to bring a cheerleading gym closer to home that had the most talented coaches but that also really focused on developing some intangible qualities that I think this generation needs more than ever,’” Ruth says. “This was going to be a place where not only did we focus on teaching the most elite cheerleading and tumbling skills — but also another part of the mission was going to be self-esteem and character development. I hadn’t seen anybody else do that. To me, cheerleading is the perfect platform for growing these athletes beyond just skills because it offers so many opportunities to accomplish goals and build confidence.”
A year later, the embodiment of Ruth’s vision came to life. The Dallas native launched Mustang Cheer in August 2019 in a 7,500-square-foot third-floor space catty-corner from NorthPark Mall, with floor-to-ceiling windows and an expanse of blue mats — and formerly occupied by a nightclub.
“It took probably six months or more just to locate the perfect space,” she says. “I think I saw every space in Dallas, and nowhere was quite right. Then suddenly one day, this nightclub popped up. Drinks were literally still on the bars. But when I walked in, I just thought, ‘this is it.’”
If anyone could turn a dance club into a successful cheerleading gym, it’s Abby Ruth. She was captain of the cheerleaders at Highland Park High School and then at the University of Texas, and she trained high school, collegiate, and all-star teams as a head instructor with the National Cheerleaders Association for six years. She then attended SMU Dedman School of Law — where she was president of the Law Review — and worked as a litigator at a large Dallas law firm for eight years. But when her daughter began to take an interest in cheerleading, she realized there was a void of cheer gyms in Dallas proper that ticked all the boxes. So she decided to start her own.
“Since I’d never worked in a cheerleading gym before, and I’d only worked in corporate America, I really had the opportunity to make this something I wanted it to be,” Ruth says.
She wanted Mustang Cheer — named after the hometown mascot — to teach self-confidence, leadership, and teamwork alongside intricate tumbling, cheer, and fitness skills. And for more than a year now, she and her team of 25 talented coaches, four of whom are Navarro College cheerleaders (of Netflix’s Cheer fame), have done just that.
The self-confidence emphasis stems from promoting positive body image in a sport that hasn’t always been known for that. Instead of sports bras and hot pants, cheerleaders of all ages at Mustang abide by a modesty policy and standardized practice wear that consists of a full-length navy athletic tee paired with white shorts or a skort — sold at the on-site spirit shop along with other Mustang-manufactured attire. “It’s been so well embraced,” Ruth says. “The Mustang practice wear levels the appearance playing field for our athletes and just kind of takes any comparison off the table, so our athletes can get in here and get down to business. They also feel like they’re part of a team.”
With everyone on the same playing field, it’s easier to focus on the cheerleading itself — and the leadership training that Ruth and the coaches incorporate into their curriculum. They emphasize different leadership qualities throughout the classes and reward athletes for encouraging their peers and demonstrating leadership, with the goal of empowering them and building confidence.
“Anytime athletes get a new skill, they get to come and ring the bell and the whole gym stops and claps,” Ruth says. “You can see the kids start to genuinely get excited for each other. What they are learning in addition to cheerleading is all of these really important character-building skills. What an opportunity we have to really impact this next generation.”
In March of last year, the pandemic put a pause on that impact — but not for long. Mustang Cheer had to close its doors for a few months, but because Ruth and the coaches sprang into action and filmed six weeks’ worth of content, they were able to transport cheer instruction and training to athletes at home via a digital library and live Zoom classes. “It forced us to be pretty creative, and I think some of that is here to stay,” Ruth says. “We had people from all over dropping into our Zoom classes. We’ve had people from outside of Dallas who took our classes come for open gyms once we reopened. We were pretty lucky to figure out how to navigate it.”
Things may look a little different in the gym now — with masks, temperature checks, and advanced air filtration systems — but Ruth says it’s more important now than ever for Mustang Cheer to provide the same energy and escape that it always has, whether for an all-star team practice, a tumbling class, a mommy-and-me toddler class, a strength and agility training session, or a high school or collegiate tryout course.
“Especially in a pandemic, in a time when these kids are sitting a lot and staring at computer screens, to be able to get in here and do the thing they love doing and be with their friends is a huge mental and physical boost,” Ruth says. “It’s critical in a time like this for the kids to not only have physical activity, but to have the mental stimulation too.”
Thanks to supportive families and dedicated coaches, Mustang Cheer has actually grown. In August, a wall was knocked down and the space was expanded to more than 12,000 square feet to accommodate demand. Mustang was able to open several new classes and launch a sold-out all-star competitive cheer program 120 athletes strong. In Mustang’s state-of-the-art expansion, its six competitive teams can practice under competition lights and play back their routines on a massive screen again and again until they’re flawless. “It’s pretty amazing to see just how quickly the kids have progressed in a year,” Ruth says. “We’ve gone from so many beginner classes to so many upper-level classes now. We could not be prouder of their hard work.”
No matter how much Mustang Cheer grows, Ruth wants to stay committed to the mission that brought the gym into existence in the first place — “not just teaching cheerleading, but really pouring into these kids with so many important character qualities and empowering them. It has been so much fun this year to see that happen.”