The Micro-Processor: Hailey d’lynn Smith and the Science of the Stunt
Why an ‘inch of softness’ is the difference between a record and a wreck: A deep dive into the technical mastery behind Hailey D’Lynn Smith’s historic debut
If you watch Miami Metal during the Coed Endurance round, you won’t see Hailey just standing there smiling. You’ll see her mouth moving. She is vocally guiding 12-time World Champion Kollin Cockrell through the repetitions—counting, calling for “legs,” and reminding one of the strongest men in the world to engage his stabilizer muscles.
“I’m micro-reading the skill,” Hailey told me, just days after her dominant performance in Atlanta. “My job is to be perfectly rigid. If I have one inch of softness in my core, the momentum dies.”
https://youtube.com/shorts/_yrRZmU6eCo
That “rigidity” resulted in a staggering 52 popovers in 45 seconds—a record that Hailey isn’t just proud of; she’s already looking to “smash” in Houston. Which is a pretty incredible feat when you step back and realize that Miami Metal went last in Q1, had about a short break, and then Kollin and Hailey opened Q2 with Coed Endurance. The duo set a personal goal to break 60 popovers on Friday night, and are hungry for another chance to do just that.
I caught up with Kollin after the weekend to get his perspective and how the flyer makes a difference for such a physically exhaustive game.
“When people say the flyer is just 'standing there,' they don't understand the physics. If Hailey isn't perfectly rigid at the apex, it adds hundreds of pounds of 'dead weight.' Her stability allows me to aim for that spot every single time, which is the only way we maintain that cycle rate"
The Flu, The Hospital, and the “Shooting Star”
What the 10,000 fans in Atlanta didn’t see was how close that record came to never happening. While most athletes were tapering their training on Monday, Hailey was in a hospital bed battling the flu.
She didn’t step onto a mat or see her teammates until Thursday night—less than 24 hours before her pro debut. (Hailey and Josh missed the match in Indy, due to a conflict with UCA College Nationals, where they earned the title of UCA Partner Stunt National Champions)
Her longtime relationships and trust was put to the ultimate test during Quarter 1’s routine opener with Josh Hill, when they debuted what they’re calling the “Shooting Star,” a skill never before competed, or even performed by adults. The inversion entry requires such precise ground-off-force that too much power could result in a dangerous head injury. To hit that skill in the middle of a full routine, and then again in Coed Big Trick, with minimal practice reps and a lingering fever isn’t just talent; it’s professional-level muscle memory built through thousands of reps.
https://youtube.com/shorts/t3PlEUQRxi8?si=k4bwhi_GGSmoOXOO
“It was a total lack of reps,” Hailey admitted. “We started practicing for the first time Thursday night before we competed. It was honestly just a matter of trusting myself and Josh to keep me safe, given the circumstances.”
That dedication, drive, and innate athleticism was noticed by her teammates throughout the week. "Watching her go from a hospital bed to hitting a world-first skill with almost zero reps shows that her muscle memory is so deep she can do this in her sleep.” Kollin Cockrell noted “For a partner, that trust is everything. You can't throw a skill that dangerous unless you are 100% certain your partner's body will do exactly what it's trained to do".
On the “Ceiling” of the Sport
As the PCL finds its footing, the debate over “The Red Line”—the 3.5 rotation cap that disqualified Dee Joseph’s Quadruple Full—is the talk of the industry. Hailey, however, has a definitive, professional take on the matter.
“If this is meant to take the ceiling off of cheer, they need to completely legalize everything,” she says.
Her argument is grounded in the “Pro” philosophy: Unlike traditional school or all-star cheer, the PCL scoring system doesn’t force athletes to attempt dangerous skills just to stay in the running. In Match Play, you only throw what you can hit to secure the point.
Professionals can assess their own risk,” Hailey said. “The legacy of this sport will be defined by whether we allowed it to grow at the highest level — or whether we held it back when it was ready to evolve.”
“We aren’t looking at Dee and saying ‘I have to throw a quad to win.’ We’re only going to compete what we are confident in.” Which continues to drive the discussion of rules, regulations, and what the judges are ultimately looking for. While we would not want mid season changes, an open discussion on the rules and scoring of the league will need to be top of mind come April.
The Impact of the Professional
When asked to describe her first pro experience in one word, Hailey didn’t choose “exciting” or “glamorous.” She chose Impactful.
“I felt like we were actually making a difference in something for the first time in a while for cheer,” she said.
Whether she’s battling the flu on a Monday or performing never before seen skills to a sold-out crowd on a Friday, Hailey D’Lynn Smith is an iconic specialist. A micro-adjuster. A founding architect of what it means to be a professional athlete in a world that is finally starting to keep score.
The Scouting Report: Hailey D’Lynn Smith
The Signature: The “Shooting Star” (with Josh Hill).
The Metric: 52 Popovers (Current PCL Record).
The Strategy: High-frequency vocal communication and “micro-reading” stunt movements.
Status for Houston: Participation is TBD due to Weber State conflicts (along with Josh)—but the league is holding its breath to see when she returns to defend the record.
What to Watch For: "We aren't just aiming for 60; we’re training to make 60 the new floor. The extra 8 reps are in the timing. In Houston, it’s about staying calm for the first 30 seconds and letting raw grit take over for the final 15".
Chelsie Hollencamp is a sports journalist covering the inaugural season of the Pro Cheer League. Follow her for biomechanical breakdowns, locker room insights, and the stories behind the world’s first professional cheer athletes.