This week on The Cheer Dad Podcast, the dads sit down with Joey Upchurch — a single cheer dad from Wilmington, NC, girl dad to two young athletes (ages 5 & 7), and the creator of Hit Zero Dad Club.

Joey shares his journey into the cheer world, what it’s like raising two young daughters in the sport, and the tough decision to take a season off to reset, rebuild, and establish a stronger foundation for his family. Between co-parenting, school transitions, and making sure his girls have the right support, Joey opens up about choosing long-term stability over short-term pressure.

We cover:

How Joey first stepped into the cheer dad life

His experience with long seasons, competition weekends, and burnout

The reasons behind taking time off from competitive cheer

Raising independent, confident young girls

The birth of Hit Zero Dad Club: from a simple idea to a full store

Why he wanted cheer dad merch that looked cool — not cheesy

Navigating cheer, fatherhood, and life balance as a single dad

It’s real, relatable, and full of heart — the kind of conversation every cheer parent can see themselves in.

Taking care of yourself is just as important as taking care of your athletes. If life feels overwhelming — between parenting, work, schedules, and everything cheer brings — talking to someone can make all the difference.

That’s why we’re proud to partner with BetterHelp.

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