The success of Netflix's Cheer has led to fans wanting to learn more about the athletes and the head coach, Monica Aldama. Thanks to the show, viewers know that Monica has won 14 National Cheer Association titles, along with many more. Her nurturing yet firm relationship with her team has made her beloved in the cheerleading world and with Netflix.
With only two seasons of Cheer and the focus being on the big competition in Daytona, Florida, fans of the show are curious about Monica's life outside of the gym. There are plenty of things not shown in the series. From her marriage to her activities outside of cheerleading, Monica has lived an accomplished life.
Monica Has Been The Head Coach For Decades
Monica has had incredible success over the years but it didn't come without hard work. Winning national championships has been in the works since Monica signed on as Navarro's head coach in 1995, according to Texas Exes.
As the head coach for almost 30 years, Monica has built Navarro's cheer program from the ground up and is now one of the most successful cheerleading coaches in the county, along with one of the greatest coaches on TV.
...But She Never Planned On Being A Coach
Although there's plenty more to know about Navarro's cheerleading team, fans are more interested in how Monica became a coach. Funny enough, she never planned on being a coach. After graduating college, her dream was to work on Wall Street since she had her finance degree, according to The Cut. But when she started working for a computer company after college, she realized she wanted something more.
The position at Navarro opened up, and she decided to do it for a short time until she got a handle on what she wanted to do with her degree. However, Monica fell in love with coaching and said that it was her "purpose in life."
She's A New Published Author
After two successful seasons on Netflix and a stint on Dancing With the Stars, a book was the logical next step. In January of this year, Monica released her motivational guide, Full Out: Lessons in Life and Leadership from American's Favorite Coach, which can be found on Amazon.
While some viewers may be looking for the next TV series like Cheer, Monica's book is motivational and insightful. It gives a deeper look at her coaching strategy, goals, and how it affects her home life. As of this article's publishing, her book already has 4.6 out of 5 stars on Amazon.
Monica & Co. Are Going On Tour
Fans who can't get enough of Cheer can follow the cast on Instagram or other social media handles, but it looks like now they'll get to see them perform. Monica and former assistant coach of Navarro, Any Cosferent teamed up with Rebel Athletic for Cheer Live 2022 — a tour showcasing season 2's most beloved athletes.
The cheerleaders will perform across America and try stunts that haven't been seen on camera. Famed Navarro cheerleaders like Gabi Butler, Madison Brum, Morgan Simianer will be on the mat, as well as Trinity's Angel Rice and Dee Joseph.
No, She Did Not Graduate From Navarro
Although Monica grew up in Corsicana, Texas, and has made Navarro College her home, she never attended there as a student.
The Cinemaholic noted that after high school, Monica went to Tyler Junior College, where she was also on the cheerleading team. After junior college, TV Over Mind stated that Monica graduated from the University of Texas, Austin, with a finance degree and then went to the University of Texas, Tyler, to get her Master's degree. As aforementioned, Monica got a computer position after college instead of heading to New York City's Wall Street, like she originally planned.
Monica Has Known Her Husband Since They Were Kids
Monica's home life isn't shown entirely in Cheer, however, her husband has made a few appearances. Chris Aldama and Monica have been married for over 30 years and have known each other since middle school. They started dating throughout those years before finally tying the knot in 1994, according to The Cinemaholic.
The two created a great life for themselves but got divorced for a short time in 2006 when life got too complicated. However, the two weren't ready to give up on each other got re-married, and have been together ever since, according to Monica's new book.
She Has Two Supportive Kids
Monica isn't just a mother figure to her student-athletes, she's a mother to two children, Austin and Kristian Alexandra (who goes by the nickname Ally). Austin graduated from Texas Tech University while Ally is graduating from Southern Methodist University.
Monica's personality shows that she'd be her kids' best friend, as well as their biggest cheerleader. Showbiz Corner noted that Austin goes to cheer events with his mother to show his support, and her daughter Ally is a mini-Monica following in her footsteps...
Monica's Daughter Cheered At Navarro
Navarro College is a junior college, which means it's a stepping stone to larger universities. Students can get their associate's degrees or they can continue their education by graduating and transferring to a four-year school. Considering Navarro is known for its cheer program, it makes sense that Monica's daughter Ally wanted to cheer there.
According to her Instagram, Ally cheered at Navarro back in 2018 before continuing her education at SMU. While seasons 1 and 2 of Cheer were groundbreaking, a spinoff of Monica's daughter's life in cheer would be just as interesting. In December 2020, she got engaged to her high school sweetheart on the field that she cheers at and he plays at.
She's In The Hall Of Fame
Viewers of the docuseries learned a lot about cheerleading and what the athletes go through for perfection. What the series didn't show, however, was that Monica is in Navarro's Hall of Fame. More than that, she was the inaugural inductee in 2019, according to Insider.
She told the website, "I would assume this type of honor is for people that no longer work here, however, they inducted 10 people and I was one of the very first 10 people."
Monica And Her DWTS Partner Became Close
As seen in the series, Monica took some time away from the gym and headed to Los Angeles for the dance studio as a member of season 29's Dancing With the Stars. Monica's partner was a professional dancer, Val Chmerkovskiy. And although Monica didn't take home the title and was eliminated in the seventh week, she and Chmerkovskiy became close friends.
According to The List, the two still stay in touch. Chmerkovskiy even met her cheer squad!