Watch for Texas Tech Cheerleaders on Netflix Documentary ‘Cheer’
The Texas Tech connections in Netflix's hit show run deep.
If you haven't seen the Netflix series Cheer, you might want to give it a shot. The program is about Navarro Junior College and its domination of the National Cheer Championships. The filmmakers do a great job of sucking you into the main storyline, as well as the storylines of some of the individuals who came into cheer from troubled pasts.
Figuring out the Texas Tech connections has been interesting. In the very first episode, you'll see a brief glance of some Texas Tech cheerleaders, and in episode five, you'll briefly see the whole squad and Raider Red.
Then there's commentator Billy Smith, who runs "Billy Smith Cheer."
I reached out to Billy and got his Texas Tech credentials. It reads like this: Texas Tech Cheerleader 78-80; 83-84, Raider Red ‘81, Saddle Tramp 80-84, NCA Staff 1980-86, Spirit Celebration 1998-2018.
Smith goes deep with the Texas Tech love, too. He has tattoos of a Double T, the Masked Rider, and Raider Red. He also works with establishing Alumni support for the various cheer-related groups at the school.
Want another connection? Apparently "Sherbs," who is featured in the series is currently on the Texas Tech squad. Austin from the show is also at Texas Tech, and Smith informed me that there are a lot of Navarro and Trinity Valley Cheerleaders who make Texas Tech their home. There's also a couple of other shots of cheer squad members wearing Texas Tech shirts.
What can I say? I watched this show because a friend told me about the program working with some troubled kids, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't exciting when the team finally gets to compete.
The only downside to all of this? There may not be a season two because of the mob-like behavior of one of the organizations involved (you'll see that in episode 6).