.
all: Daytona! Daytona!
Daytona!
- Look how happy they all are.
all: Daytona!
- It's 'cause I haven't broken their hearts yet.
Only 16 can make mat at Daytona.
That means compete.
So one of them will not get to perform,
and they will just go as an alternate.
So like any good family dinner,
this one will come with a side of trauma.
But like my meemaw said, the best way to remove a Band-Aid,
you should just rip it right off.
Okay, okay.
All right, y'all. [glass clinking]
I would like a few words.
- I'll go first.
Even though this isn't the best team I've been on--
it is the worst--
it also feels the most like family.
I love all of you, even the ones I don't know yet.
Right, Mark?
- Seriously?
I've been here since the beginning, like before you.
- Mark, let somebody else talk. - I actually had something--
- Actually, I'd like to say a few words, if don't mind.
I wrote it down just so I don't get emotional.
Sally...
[voice breaking] You are the best thing
that has happened...
nope. - All right.
- Nope. - Almost got through it.
- So what I would like to say-- - Oh, over here.
- Oh, okay.
- I just wanted to say that you guys
are not my biggest family by far.
But you are my biggest family that hasn't been on "Dateline."
- Aw. [chuckling]
- What I need to say is--
- When I say, "Courteney," you say, "what?"
Courteney.
- What?
all: Daytona!
- I'ma leave this Band-Aid on just for one more day.
If I'm being honest, Meemaw was kind of a [bleep].
[gasps] I'm sorry.
- ♪ Okay, let's go, okay, let's go ♪
♪ Okay, let's go, five, six, seven, eight ♪
- I can't put it off any longer.
I need to pick my team.
I mean, am I looking forward to it?
No, I never am, especially not with the team
I've gotten incredibly close to.
But Daytona is about winning.
So I'd actually be doing them a disservice
if I didn't put my best possible team on that map.
That's why I got a lead with my head over my heart.
Take emotion out of it.
And they are athletes,
so I know they're going to understand.
- I don't understand.
You told us that we were all making mat.
- You told us you'd never lie to us--
unless you were lying about that.
- Yeah. - When I said it, it was true.
Okay, but since then, we have picked up more cheerleaders.
- Okay, but, Coach, I'm just spitballing here,
but maybe one of the new cheerleaders
shouldn't make the cut?
- Yeah, there's no way I'm giving up my spot
to Jackass in the Box.
- Oh, my God, rude.
- We are one team who will be competing against each other
as individuals, as a team.
[bleep] Ouch!
Good morning.
Welcome to day one of mat tryouts.
I will be judging on a point system.
- My first time around, I didn't make mat.
And now I'm 16 years older.
And let's face it, there's not a lot of 40-somethings
in college cheer.
So I probably have about seven, maybe eight years left
before things start to get sad.
Nine?
- Everyone starts at zero.
Now, that seems like a lot of pressure.
It's because it is a lot of pressure.
- Yeah, well, you know what?
Not for us. - Nope.
- Because the OG Buttons have decided to unionize.
Yeah, we either all make mat, or none of us do.
We are a chain that cannot be broken.
- All I have to do is find the weakest link.
I break that person, the chain falls apart.
- Unity is power.
Buttons on three. all: Buttons!
- Buttons. I didn't--okay.
- I do have a working theory as to who that person might be.
This is a shame, Steven.
I just--you know, I figured, like,
since you're the most senior cheerleader,
you'd just be a shoo-in.
- Whoo! I'm in. Good luck, guys.
[overlapping arguing] - What the [bleep]?
- That is such a Mark move.
[booing] - [bleep].
- I'm 37.
- Okay, time to separate the wheat from the chaff.
We will be starting the day with jumps.
Seph here is gonna be helping me keep score.
- I have a system.
- All right, let's start with Peaches.
- Come on, Peaches! [cheers and applause]
- I always wanted to go to Daytona.
My sister went to Daytona,
and she said the girls go wild there.
I'll fit right in.
[cheers and applause]
- Yeah!
[bleep] me in the back of my [bleep] wagon!
- Okay. - She's terrifying.
- All right. DiMarcus.
- All right, baby! Let's go, let's go!
- That's my best friend!
- Back up, Mark. - Got you.
- [claps, grunts]
[cheers and applause]
- Always solid. Always. - Raw talent.
- Hildebunch.
[clapping]
[percussive music]
[clapping]
Smile, dear.
- This is smile.
- Sally.
- Yes! Sally!
all: Sally! Sally! Sally!
- Obviously, I have a special place for Sally
in my heart, which is why I use my head.
- You got it.
[cheers and applause]
- That's my girl, Sally.
Giddy up.
- Day one went pretty much as expected.
There's nothing really sticking out.
- Strong disagree.
- Ooh, Seph!
Don't ever lick a part of your body
and then put it on my body.
- Yes, ma'am. - Here you are.
- Baby, you know you don't have to eat all those, right?
They sell just the sticks at the store.
- No, I know. I'm just stress eating.
But I'll tell you what, if it's this stressful for me,
I can't imagine how hard it is on these kids.
- Better they find out now than at Daytona.
You remember that flyer I had
that got the yips right after the toss?
Completely forgot how to land?
- So she just, like, flew up to space?
- No, there was still gravity.
- Of course.
Uh, baby, why is popsicle Sally
off to the side and not with the others?
- Boonie, you know that's not how this works.
I love Sally, but you and I both know
she's not my strongest cheerleader, yeah?
We have partner stunts tomorrow.
She could prove me wrong.
I mean, anything could happen. Krystal, yeah.
- Obvi. - Okay.
Well, I didn't want to have to do this,
but I'm ready to resort to threats.
If this sweet angel does not make mat,
then all of this...
Is off limits.
♪ ♪
.
- All right, first up, Krystal and Kyle.
Teddy, you spot.
[cheers and applause]
- This is the first time I've ever had to--
what did you call it, try on?
- Try out.
- Try out for Daytona.
I'm feeling something unfamiliar.
Is this nervousness?
My mouth is so dry.
There it is. There it is. Lock in.
There we go. There we go.
- Yeah! - There it is.
[cheers and applause]
[percussive music]
- No, I was just thirsty.
Krystal's Liquid Water.
[chimes ring]
- Marvin and Peaches. - All right.
- Are you serious?
I'm not doing a stunt with the masked virgin.
- Peaches, let's just give it a go, honey.
- All right, Peaches. - Come on, Peaches.
- Peaches! - Give 'em hell, Peaches.
[clapping]
There it is!
[cheers and applause]
- Well, she's gone and stole my heart.
- Peaches! Let's go!
- Next up, Hildebang and Mark.
- It's Hildebunch.
- Yeah, and it's still Steven, so.
- I thought it was Mark. - No, it's Steven.
Am I playing favorites? No.
Someone has to be paired with my worst base,
and it might as well be Hildebunch,
who I really hope doesn't make mat.
- Five, six, seven, eight.
- Wow.
- [grunts, exhales]
[cheers and applause]
- Damn it, she's good.
- I don't mind Herr Mark.
He is like sad clown.
- And if Sally wants to make mat,
she's gonna have to do it with my best base.
- I'm totally ready for Daytona.
Before cheer,
DiMarcus always had to be the center of attention,
but Coach taught me to not show off.
- Fine, I do want Sally to succeed,
but there's nothing wrong with that.
It comes from my head, not my heart.
DiMarcus, you're with Sally.
- Go, Sally! - Go, Sally.
- All right, Sally!
- You got this, Sally! Come on!
[applause] - All right.
Lock it in. Come on.
- Yeah, show 'em.
- She really needs to nail this.
- Yeah, tell me about it, sister.
- Yep, yep, yep!
[cheers and applause]
- Yeah, Sally!
[ohhing]
- There we go. Okay. Yeah.
[cheers and applause]
- Whoo! - Yikes.
- Telling a cheerleader
that they're not gonna make mat is difficult.
Telling a cheer parent
that their child is not gonna make mat is even harder.
Telling someone who thinks they are a cheer parent
is next to impossible.
That's why I need to tell Boon in a space
where he cannot overreact.
all: ♪ Praising my savior ♪
- It's not fair.
- We are in God's house right now,
so if you have a problem, take it up with him.
- Dear Lord, please help my wife see the error of her ways.
- Amen. all: Amen.
- Please, be seated.
We come now to a time of prayer,
and we lift up the concerns of our church family.
We pray for Courteney Potter,
who, though she has brought shame to the community
and to our congregation with her foul language...
- I'm about to go San Antonio on these [bleep].
Rat [bleep]!
Forget the [bleep] battery dropper.
We're gonna cut all the potty words out of this, right?
I just--I feel like people in my church may watch.
- Has inspired us to have a forgiving spirit.
And we pray for her as she takes her team to Daytona.
- Thank you, Pastor Salid.
- Amen. all: Amen.
- Pastor Salid, I would like to ask that we pray for Sally,
our little girl, who I just found out might not make it.
[crowd murmuring]
- Sally is a young and healthy cheerleader
with her whole life ahead of her.
She just probably won't make mat.
- Oh. - Okay.
- She also lived in her car, and one time,
she had to wash her cheer bloomers in our kitchen sink.
[crowd murmuring]
- Boon, I want Sally to make it just as much as you do.
But it is a point system.
- Then give Sally another way to make points!
- The only other way to make points is baskets.
And she has only ever done the most basic one.
- It is never too late.
Remember, Jesus let Lazarus try out for life again.
- Oh, my God. - Mm-hmm.
- It does seem like it would be appropriate to offer
this young girl the same grace you have been granted.
[organ music playing]
♪ ♪
- Fine.
I will give her another try, but this is her last shot.
- Hallelujah! She has risen!
[bright organ music playing]
[cheers and applause]
Anybody else got anything?
.
[cheers and applause]
- Sally, you're on deck, hon.
- Daytona obviously would be amazing.
I've never been to Florida before.
Wait. No, that's not true.
I lived on an alligator farm when I was 13.
But this time feels different, you know?
No one is told to call an 800 number if they see me.
God!
Guys, I don't know why I'm so nervous.
I just--I feel like I've done all the basics.
I just need to add the spin.
- Probably because if they drop you, you could die.
- I was nervous my first time too.
But just think of everything that's ever made you mad.
Use that rage.
- I just don't have, like, a lot of that,
so I'm just sort of saving it for if I ever get deployed.
- Guys, honestly, I don't think that's helping.
There's a lot of pressure.
And if you don't do this, it's over.
- Yeah, for some reason, that's not helping.
- I know. - Can I try?
If you don't do this basket, I will steal your boyfriend.
- Oh. - Holden, think fast.
[smooching]
- What do I do with these? - Just drop them.
Drop them all.
- What about something sad that you've overcome
that's given you power?
- If I'm not back in five minutes...
- Just wait longer.
[soft music]
♪ ♪
- Okay.
I got something. - Let's go.
- All right, Sally! - Come on, Sally!
- Mat tryouts are as much a stress test
as they are a skills test.
I have had elite cheerleaders not make it.
I have had bench warmers surprise me.
And that's why I'm head over heart.
- You got this, honey. - Okay, okay.
- Get up quick. You got it.
[percussive music]
- Let's go! - Yes!
- Yes, ma'am.
[cheers and applause]
- Yeah, my baby did that!
Coming through. Cheer dad coming through.
Yes, she did! Yes, she did!
I'm all heart and no head, and I own it.
That's my popsicle stick! Whoo!
Good job. Good job. Thank you. Thank you.
- Sally executing her basket complicates things.
I just asked Jesus to make my decision obvious,
even though Jesus has never been to Daytona,
despite what my husband claims.
All right. Can I have Asian Eric?
- Yes! Whoo!
- [softly] What is that?
- Yeah! Whoo!
Yeah!
- Oh! [clattering]
Oh, God. - Jesus.
- He's hard to control, but he's good.
- Yeah! - Next up, Madonna!
- Let's go, Madonna!
- I'm the OG cheer team.
I founded it.
I'm not saying I'm George Washington,
but if there was cheer money, I'd be on the dollar bill.
Anyway, I'm really excited to be
going to Daytona with my best friends,
my boyfriend, and Mark.
- Come on, Madonna, you got this.
- Cue music.
- Watch this girl.
- ♪ The way my style switch up ♪
♪ Money in the dress, and no ♪
♪ I don't need no mista ♪
♪ Waiting on my pickup, Cybertruck Tesla ♪
- You okay, babe?
- Yeah, I'm fine, I just--
I just got distracted or something.
- It's all good, baby. You got this. You got this.
- Let's go, Madonna. Let's get them.
- Cue music.
- ♪ Don't get it messed up ♪
♪ The way my style switch up ♪
♪ Money in the dress, and no ♪
♪ I don't need no-- ♪
[all gasping] - What happened?
- Oh, no.
- Uh-- - You good?
- Uh...
- What's going on? - [whispering] I don't know.
I just got really nervous all of a sudden.
- Okay, so just don't be nervous.
- Thank you. All better.
- Yeah, I really thought that would work.
- Okay, clear out. I got this.
[applause]
[cheering]
- [clears throat] Cue music.
- ♪ Don't get it messed up ♪
♪ The way my style switch up ♪
♪ Money in the dress, and no ♪
♪ I don't need no mista ♪
♪ Waiting on my pickup, Cybertruck Tesla ♪
♪ Chop, chop, chop it ♪
♪ Chop it like a pair of scissors ♪
- Sorry.
- [sighs] Oh, no.
- Madonna!
- She got the yips.
.
- I don't see a scenario where Silent Mike doesn't make it.
He is a strong base.
Steven had his best tryouts ever.
And we know DiMarcus is a sure thing.
[phone chimes]
- You have 43 unanswered emails?
You need to prune your inbox like your closet.
- First off, you better not be going through my closet.
The emails are just from the kids.
They're trying to curry favor,
but I'm not even gonna look at them until I've set mat.
I can, I will, I must go with my head over my heart.
What are you thinking?
- I'm thinking I'm really worried about Daytona.
I mean, I know how much product Courteney uses
on her hair to get it to look like this in zero humidity.
I think Florida is going to be a disaster for her.
- Seph, I know you're not in my bedroom right now!
- Oh, I was just looking for the bathroom!
- Baby, you can't be in here right now.
I told you that. - I didn't see you were there.
I'm just crossing through to get a snack, all right?
Carry on with your business.
- He's obsessed with you.
- I can't believe I'm saying this,
but I guess it's gonna come down between the Button Mascot,
Hildebunch, and Madonna. - Yes!
Lord, you have never forsaken me.
- Permission to speak honestly? - Is it about my appearance?
- No. - Then yes.
- I love Madonna.
I mean, I would be Madonna if the technology was available.
But if we're just going on her mat tryout,
I don't think she's in the mix. - But we're going by points.
And there's much more than tumbling on the score sheet,
such as the way you present.
She has the best smile of anybody on the mat.
Look at that.
Hildebunch has never smiled.
I don't even know if she has teeth.
- Mm, she does. She bit me.
- This guy smiles all the time,
but in a way that keeps me up at night.
Don't cock your head like that.
I am not making excuses for her.
I truly believe that the judges would love Madonna.
- But what if she gets the yips in Daytona?
- And what if she doesn't?
- Okay, I'm gonna talk to you for a second,
not as your choreographer, but as your stalker.
- Okay.
- As someone who's just read through all of your diaries,
you're not afraid to make the hard choice.
- I'm gonna need you to leave my house right now.
- See?
That's what I'm talking about.
[percussive music]
Heading out, Boon. - See you, Seph.
- First of all, I want to say,
you all showed tremendous heart on the mat.
And whoever didn't make it is still gonna go as an alternate.
Now, I usually make this announcement
in front of everyone, but that's when
half the team isn't making mat.
So I do think it's best if you each come
individually into my office,
and that way, nobody's embarrassed.
- Uh, Coach, no one is embarrassed, all right?
Look, each and every one of you has something to be proud of.
- Shut up, Mark! - Copy that. No, copy that.
- Walk to the side, buddy.
Look, we are all a team,
so we would like to hear together who made it.
[curious music]
- Okay.
♪ ♪
Madonna--
[cheers and applause]
Let me finish. Hey! Hey!
- Hold on. - Let me finish.
I'm sorry, honey.
- Wait. What?
- What's going on?
- Um, no, it's okay. It's okay.
It's more than okay. It's more...
uh, when I say "Daytona," you say "what?"
Daytona.
- What?
[soft music]
♪ ♪
- Hey, baby. - Hiya.
- Why are you still stress-eating popsicles?
Sally made the team. - I'm not.
I'm happy eating popsicles.
Turns out I just like popsicles.
- Okay. - I bet you could use one.
Couldn't have been easy telling Madonna.
- No, I'm good. I mean, it wasn't, but...
you know what? They're athletes.
And at the end of the day, they know you don't always win.
- Mm-hmm.
- I mean, I do wish they didn't have to compete
against each other after getting so close.
- Yeah, it always does get a little "Lord of the Flies"-y
this time of year, doesn't it? - Yeah. Yeah.
- So did they turn on each other?
- Should we read some of those emails and see?
I bet it gets pretty cutthroat.
All right.
From Krystal, "15% off my website until midnight."
- That's a good deal.
- "Also, Madonna should make mat."
Okay, all right, all right. Let's try Steven.
"Hey, Coach, I think Madonna should make the team.
"I have at least seven years left.
She could take my spot."
Okay.
Okay, Peaches-- this'll be a good one.
"Don't be a [bleep].
Just put Madonna on the team."
Okay, well, you can see.
You get the point. - Mm-hmm.
- Honey.
- No, you've done a real good job.
- [scoffs] - They love each other.
No, I'm just saying. What? What?
You should be crying.
- You are being such a softie right now.
- I know. Mm.
- I know you are not this emotional when you're coaching.
- That's football. - Okay. All right.
You want to see what Madonna wrote?
- [inhales] - Okay.
- [exhales]
Put on your big boy pants.
This might get rough.
Oh, it's a video. - Hey, Coach.
I know you have to make a hard choice,
but no matter what happens, I just really want
to let you know how much you mean to me.
- That's an athlete right there.
She gets it.
- And as the original cheer team...
- [chuckles]
- I'm not going anywhere.
- Oh, is she gonna sing?
- ♪ I was just one B-U-T-T-O-N ♪
♪ Cheering, go, fight, and win ♪
♪ When I stumbled upon ♪
♪ A group of unlikely friends ♪
♪ There's this coach lady ♪
♪ That brought us all together ♪
♪ ♪
♪ Mm, mm, yeah, I know that ♪
♪ I can't fall asleep sometimes ♪
♪ But I know I can count on you ♪
♪ To fill the lines ♪
Daytona.
Daytona. Come on, guys.
Come on. Daytona.
You got it. You made mat.
I'm so proud.
♪ You know ♪
♪ You stumbled right into my heart ♪
♪ You stumbled right into ♪
♪ My heart ♪
♪ I guess it's fine if you stay awhile ♪
- [sobbing]
- Bye, Coach.
- Oh, no!
[crying]
I think I do need a popsicle.
[sighs]
- I ate them all.
- [crying] - I'm so sorry.
[both sob]
- Oh, no.