Rockstar Cheer Abuse Scandal Explained

Rockstar Cheer is a cheerleading school based in South Carolina. The company was opened by Scott Foster in 2007.

Rockstar franchised the concept and licensed the name to multiple cheerleading gyms across several states.

Foster and Rockstar Cheer were accused of abusing multiple cheerleading students and covering up the alleged abuse.

Rockstar Cheer Put On Probation

Records indicate that Rockstar Cheer was disciplined by the U.S. All Star Federation. Documents reportedly showed that the company was put on probation from 2017 through 2021.

Scott Foster Death

Scott Foster, the owner and founder of Rockstar Cheer, died via suicide on August 22 2022. The coroner for Greenville County, South Carolina said Foster was found dead in a vehicle at Paris Mountain State Park.

Foster was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

Civil Lawsuit Filed Against Rockstar, Foster

A civil lawsuit was filed in Greenville County, South Carolina, against Rockstar Cheer and Dance and Scott Foster.

The suit was filed anonymously through lawyers James C. Sproat and James W. Bannister.

The suit alleged that Foster used Snapchat to send “messages of a sexual nature, nude pictures of himself and requests for nude pictures of Plaintiff.”

“Over the following year on at least ten occasions, Plaintiff was persuaded into performing various sexual acts including oral and penetrative sex with Foster. These acts occurred at Foster’s home, in Foster’s vehicle, Rockstar’s facility, at hotels during competitions, and in both South Carolina and Florida,” the suit also claimed.

Gyms Drop Rockstar Cheer Branding

As allegations surfaced against Rockstar Cheer, multiple gyms announced that they would drop branding that affiliated them with the company.

A group of gyms released a statement that said, “In recent days we have been dismayed to read reports emerging from Greenville, South Carolina, involving a suicide, as well as heinous allegations of harm to children in that cheerleading program. While the facts have yet to fully emerge, we all condemn-in the strongest possible terms-any behavior of any kind that exploits, endangers, or harms children.”

Federal Lawsuit Filed

Four girls and two boys who said they were abused by Foster and other individuals affiliated with Rockstar filed a federal lawsuit on September 1 2022.

Rockstar Cheer is named in the lawsuit, along with Varsity Brands (an operator of cheerleading competitions), the U.S. All Star Federation (the organizing and governing body for competitive cheerleading) and Bain Capital (who bought Varsity Brands in 2018).

The lawsuit alleged that there were more than 100 survivors of abuse at Rockstar Cheer. The school was accused by lawyers of being a “coven of sexual predators.”

Attorney Jessica Fickling said in a statement, “Scott Foster and his allies did their best to intimidate and isolate their targets, making these young people feel alone and somehow responsible. Well, they’re not alone anymore.”

The lawsuit alleged that multiple people knew that Foster was abusing cheer students, ignored the abuse, or did not put rules and procedures in place to prevent abuse.

The lawsuit was later amended to add six more coaches as defendants and three more accusers.

Allegations Against Rockstar Cheer

The federal lawsuit against Rockstar Cheer detailed multiple allegations of inappropriate sexual conduct.

The suit alleged that Foster and other coaches had sex with cheer students attending the school. The suit also alleged that that there were exchanges of sexually explicit photos with students via social media, and that students were given marijuana and alcohol, both at their homes and at hotel rooms during cheer competitions.

Attorney Bakari Sellers told reporters, “We have video of Scott Foster on Snapchat with beer bongs drinking with his underage cheerleaders.”

Coach Abuse Allegations

The federal lawsuit makes several allegations about a coach for Rockstar Cheer.

The suit accuses the coach of having “climbed into bed” with a 16 year old girl, alleging he “roped and fondled her, and digitally penetrated her.” The suit claims that the girl was also raped by the coach after Foster arranged a “private lesson.”

Another coach is accused of inappropriately touching a student “n a sexual and inappropriate way” and asking a girl about her “bikini area” shaving habits.

Reactions To Rockstar Cheer Allegations

The US All Star Federation for Cheer & Dance Teams said, “The US All Star Federation (USASF), a membership organization for competitive cheer and dance, is devastated to learn of allegations about potential abuse of All Star athletes in South Carolina and potentially other areas as well.”

Kathy Foster, Scott Foster’s wife, said she would cooperate and that she was “heartbroken by the recent allegations made by current and former athletes from Rockstar Cheer and other cheer gyms across our community.”

Varsity Brands President Bill Seely said, “The alleged conduct runs counter to everything the cheer and dance community is intended to represent.”

Kimberly Archie, founder of the National Cheer Safety Foundation, told a South Carolina television station that a lack of regulation for cheerleading companies puts the safety of children at risk.

“We have unregulated companies that are able to do whatever they want and slide under the radar,” Archie explained.

Rockstar Cheer Shuttered

Kathy Foster announced on September 7 2022 that Rockstar Cheerleading and Dance in Greer, South Carolina would be closing indefinitely.

“Last night I announced that Rockstar Cheerleading and Dance is closing its doors indefinitely. Although this was a difficult decision, I believe it is the best option under the circumstances,” Foster said in a statement.

Varsity Spirit/Cheer Extreme Lawsuit

A federal lawsuit was filed on October 27 2022 against Varsity Spirit in Raleigh, North Carolina.

In the claim a young athlete alleged that coaches at Cheer Extreme gyms located in the North Carolina cities of Raleigh and Kennersville committed abuse. The suit also claimed that a choreographer approved by Varsity Spirit and the U.S. All Star Federation (USASF) committed abuse.

In the suit the alleged victim claimed that the abuse was reported to coaches at Cheer Extreme Raleigh but nothing was done to stop it and police were not notified.