Kriti Mehrotra
As the title suggests, ‘Cheer’ is a Netflix original documentary series that introduces us to the incredibly mesmerizing world of stunting, tumbling, basket tossing, and more by following the top cheerleading programs in the nation. They are, of course, the long-term rivals Navarro College and Trinity Valley Community College, with the latter taking center stage after only being briefly mentioned in season 1. In other words, here, we get to see the hard-working and all-passionate coaches and athletes in their element as they highlight why cheer is so influential.
Throughout the production, the camera focuses upon the two squads as they prepare to compete in the annual National Cheerleading Championship under the guidance of coaches who are just as competitive as them. That means aspects like teamwork, perseverance, loss, and triumph are at the front and center, even while the student cheerleaders describe how the sport actually saved them. Now, if you’re curious to know more about the series’ overall behind-the-scenes setting and where exactly its filming takes place, we’ve got those details for you.
Cheer Filming Locations
Created by Greg Whiteley (‘Last Chance U‘), while season 1 of ‘Cheer’ was filmed mainly in Texas and Florida back in 2019, season 2 started shooting in secret as early as January 2020, shortly after the show’s Netflix debut. However, production halted in March 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic, only to resume in September and culminate with the updates for the conclusion around Summer 2021. Like the first installment, season 2 was shot largely in Texas and Florida — at the two colleges and the fixed location of the cheer competition.
Corsicana, Texas
The primary filming spot for ‘Cheer’ is, without a doubt, the gym at Navarro Community College, where the team trains day in and day out under Head Coach Monica Aldama. The exact address of the institution is 3200 West 7th Avenue, Corsicana, in Navarro County. A few other places like the private homes of the athletes or coaches, along with local Corsicana cheer gyms and stores like the famed Collin Street Bakery, also make an appearance in the docuseries.
Athens, Texas
Navarro’s rival, Trinity Valley Community College, located at 100 Cardinal Drive, Athens in Henderson County, is the other top shooting location. Again, local Athens establishments, eateries, and golf courses, along with private homes, are featured in the docuseries as well. It’s imperative to mention that these two schools are just 37 miles away from each other, which is roughly a 45-minute drive, and they are both situated southeast of Dallas, Texas.
Daytona Beach, Florida
The NCA & NDA Collegiate Cheer and Dance Championship takes place on a bandshell in and around a convention center named Ocean Center at North Atlantic Avenue in Daytona Beach, Florida, so even that is a significant production site. Hence, hotels like Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort and Hampton Inn by Hilton, where the college teams stay during the competition, also end up appearing in the Netflix original.
Apart from all the aforementioned locations, ‘Cheer’ briefly features cities like Houston in Texas, Pensacola in Florida, Boca Raton in Florida, Osage in Wyoming, Naperville in Illinois, Dracut in Massachusetts, and Riverdale in Georgia because they are the places the star athletes of Navarro and Trinity are from.
Read More: Is Cheer Real or Scripted?
