Monica Aldama Biography
Monica Aldama is a retired American cheerleading coach who gained fame for her incredible leadership of the co-ed cheerleading team at Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas. She kicked off her coaching journey at the college back in 1995 and dedicated nearly 30 years to transforming it into a powerhouse in the world of competitive cheerleading. After an outstanding career that lasted almost three decades, Aldama decided to retire at the close of the fall 2023 semester, signaling the end of a remarkable era for Navarro’s renowned cheerleading program.
Monica Aldama Career
Navarro College’s Bulldogs have established a national reputation for cheerleading brilliance under Aldama’s direction. Aldama’s teams have won 14 NCA National Championships in their division, as well as 5 Grand National Championships, since 2000. The team with the greatest overall score in that year’s competition receives Grand National status. Aldama’s team also owns the NCA College Nationals record for the highest score. Her cheerleading squad is known as the “dynasty,” and her athletes nickname her the “Queen.” As a result of her success, Aldama has appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Oprah’s live tour. In 2020, Aldama featured Cheer in a Netflix documentary, which focused on the 2019 Navarro College cheerleaders and served to introduce the sport.
Greg Whiteley, a documentary filmmaker who was best known for his football-related documentary Last Chance U, directed the cheer. Both shows are sympathetic to collegiate athletes who are dealing with injuries and personal problems. The story revolves around Aldama’s mentorship, which is generally supportive, even when her athletes’ ailments force her to make pragmatic decisions in order to help the team win the national title in Daytona Beach, Florida. The resulting tension is emphasized through reactions to the Aldama series. The Washington Post’s TV writer Hank Stuever characterized Aldama’s commitment as “furious” (and occasionally frightening).
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Aldama “runs the program with a dreadfully controlled manner punctuated by the flickers of maternal love,” according to The New Yorker’s Jia Tolentino. The series as a whole emphasizes Aldama’s perfectionism, which is summarized in her particular practice-related conviction: “You’re drowsy.” Aldama was revealed as a contestant in the 29th season of Star Dancing on September 2, 2020. She was eliminated in the seventh week, finishing 10th, after partnering with Val Chmerkovskiy.
Monica Aldama Age
How old is Aldama? Aldama is 56 years old as of 2026. She was born on 9 February 1970 in Corsicana, Texas, United States. She celebrates her birthday on the 9th of February every year.
Monica Aldama Education
Monica is a Corsicana High School alumnus who went on to the University of Texas at Austin and earned a B.B.A. in Finance from the McCombs School of Business. She went on to earn a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Tyler.
Monica Aldama Nationality | Ethnicity
What ethnicity is Monica? she belongs to white ethnicity/heritage. she was born and raised in Corsicana, Texas, United States, and she holds American nationality and citizenship by birth.
Monica Aldama Height
Aldama stands at an average height of 5 feet 4 inches (1.6 meters) tall.
Monica Aldama Family | Parents
she was born and raised in Corsicana, Texas, United States, apparently, she has managed to keep her personal life away from the limelight hence she has not disclosed any information about her parents. It is also not known if she has any siblings.
Monica Aldama Husband | Married | Son
she is happily married to her husband Chris Aldama. Together they are blessed with a daughter Ally and son Austin. Her daughter Ally has also followed her mother’s footsteps and is an elegant cheerleader.
Monica Aldama and Navarro College
Monica Aldama kicked off her coaching journey at Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas, back in 1995. What’s fascinating is that coaching wasn’t her first choice for a career. She actually studied finance at the University of Texas at Austin and went on to earn her MBA from the University of Texas at Tyler.
Initially, she had her sights set on a business career, but coaching turned out to be her true passion. Thanks to her guidance, Navarro’s cheerleading program gained national acclaim and racked up a whole bunch of championships.
What Is Monica Aldama Doing Now?
Monica Aldama has taken a step beyond her previous full-time coaching gig and is now diving into the world of entertainment production. One of her standout projects is a comedy series called Stumble, which focuses on the vibrant scene of junior college cheerleading.
In this series, Aldama serves as an executive producer, tapping into the competitive cheerleading backdrop that brought her into the spotlight with Cheer. This shift into production keeps her connected to the sport she loves while allowing her to explore new creative avenues behind the scenes.
Additionally, she has penned a book on leadership and personal growth. Titled Full Out: Lessons in Life and Leadership from America’s Favorite Coach, it offers insights and lessons from her journey coaching athletes and building a thriving program.
Even though she’s no longer at the helm of Navarro, Aldama continues to be a prominent figure in the world of competitive cheerleading and reality TV.
Is Monica Aldama Still at Navarro College?
Monica Aldama is no longer the head cheer coach at Navarro College. The college officially announced her departure and introduced Velazquez as the new coach in June 2024.
Throughout her time at Navarro, Aldama played a pivotal role in building the college’s national reputation, leading the team to win multiple National Cheerleaders Association championships. Her coaching journey gained international fame thanks to the Netflix documentary series Cheer, which showcased the team’s intense training and their drive for championship glory.
While her exit signifies the end of an important era in Navarro’s cheerleading legacy, the program is set to carry on under fresh leadership.
Is Monica Aldama Still Coaching?
No, she isn’t. As of October 2026, Monica Aldama has stepped down from her role as the head cheerleading coach at Navarro College. After nearly thirty years with the program, she decided to retire at the end of the fall 2023 semester.
Even though Aldama is no longer coaching, she still has a strong presence in the cheerleading community thanks to her impressive accomplishments and her involvement in the series Cheer. It’s important to note that her past coaching role is separate from her current work in television production.
Dustin Velazquez, who had been serving as the interim head coach, was officially named her successor in June 2024.
Why Did Monica Aldama Retire?
Monica Aldama made the big announcement about her retirement from coaching in December 2023, wrapping up nearly 30 years in the cheerleading world. Since 1995, she had been at the helm of the Navarro College Bulldogs, turning it into one of the most recognized collegiate cheerleading programs in the country.
Her decision to step down came during a time of heightened public scrutiny due to allegations related to Navarro’s cheerleading program. Aldama openly challenged these allegations and voiced her concerns about how USA Cheer was handling the investigation. While the timing of her retirement is significant, it wouldn’t be fair to pin it on just one issue without more clarity.
After decades filled with coaching triumphs, championship wins, and a splash of fame, Aldama concluded her impressive run at Navarro. Following her departure, the college brought in Dustin Velazquez as the new head cheer coach.
Monica Aldama Dancing with the Stars
As for her stint on Dancing with the Stars, Monica Aldama joined the show in 2020, competing in Season 29 with professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy.
This experience showcased a different facet of the renowned cheer coach. Instead of focusing on synchronized stunts and competitive routines, Aldama had to dive into the world of ballroom dancing, learn new choreography, and perform under the pressure of weekly eliminations.
She and Chmerkovskiy ended up finishing in 10th place after being eliminated in Week 7. While she didn’t take home the trophy, her time on the show certainly broadened her television presence beyond Netflix’s Cheer.
Monica Aldama Salary
How much does she earn? Her annual income as a cheering coach ranges from $22,000 to $66,000. She also has a YouTube account and earns between $781 and $12.5k each year. In addition, her typical salary as a documentary role actress is $69,500 or more.
Monica Aldama Net Worth
Monica has an estimated net worth of $1 Million which she has earned through being a Cheerleading coach and Television personality.
