Get to Know: Debi Larson

Posted July 1, 2021 in All Star

Get to know Debi Larson, Director of All Star Experience in the Southeast Region!

What is your favorite thing about your job?

The most favorite part of my job is all of the opportunities I have to talk with all my friends/customers in the Southeast. I love talking with people and hearing all of the success stories, helping them problem solve, and watching their business flourish. I also love getting to see them thrive in an environment they put their blood, sweat, and tears into. Watching them coach while visiting them in their gyms and at events brings joy to my heart.

When did you first get in to the all star cheer and dance community?

I began cheering at the age of 5. I was the mascot for my older sister’s team. I cheered all through grade school to college. After college, I got married had children, and thought my cheer days were over. My oldest daughter Nicole came to me at the age of 6 and said she wanted to be a cheerleader, little did I know this was the start of my cheer career. I took her down to the local Recreation Department to sign her up but was told she wasn’t old enough to cheer. I explained to the director how ridiculous that rule was and he suggested I go get my background check and come run the Cheer Department for the Recreation League. That was 25 years ago and I am still involved in cheer.

Who is your hero and why?

I have 2 Heroes. I couldn’t narrow this down to just 1 person. My husband and my Mom are my Heroes!

My husband, Jim is a very kind, strong, and loving man. I admire him for the integrity and the pride he has in everything he does. He is the most dependable person I know of. If you ask him for help he is the first person to step up. He won’t do things for you but he will assist you with the task at hand. No matter what the tasks may be; work, t-ball, school, or projects around the house. We are a blended family with 4 children, 2 sons-in-law, 5 grandchildren, 1 dog, and 2 granddogs. He is the “Rock” of our family and is very supportive to all of us.

My Mom, Ann McSpadden raised 4 children while my Dad worked (he traveled Monday-Thursday for his job). Mom also worked later in life when my older sister began college. My Mom is a very loving lady who sacrificed many things over the years for her children, grandchildren, and my Dad. She taught me the joy of playing tennis, sewing, gardening, and preparing huge family dinners. She played all sports in school and continues to play Pickleball and Golf at the young age of 82. She continues to encourage me in my career with Varsity as well as a wife, a mom, a friend, and now a grandmother.

If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would you do?

If I could choose to do anything for a day I would love to go back to a time when my Grandfather (Boppa McSpadden) was alive and spend the day with him, introduce him to my family and have my Dad with me to see the joy in my Dad’s eyes. He died when I was 6 years old so I never really got to know him.

What is one thing that motivates you the most?

The thing that motivates me the most is my passion for all things I put my heart into. This past year has been difficult for my family and our Cheer Industry. My passion for the athletes, my friends who own gyms, who coach, and my fellow workers have been well worth the long hours. Seeing the joy and excitement in everyone’s faces when we opened “live” cheerleading events in Georgia was priceless. I love my job and I love what I do. It is easy to stay motivated when you love going to work each day. I am also very passionate when it comes to my family. Family is everything, I am fortunate that I get to end every day with family and that keeps me motivated!

What are your hobbies, and how did you get into them?

Tennis, Sewing, and Gardening are just a few of my hobbies. I began playing tennis after my mom bought me a tennis racket for my 30^th birthday. Sewing became a hobby after my children bought me a sewing machine. My Mombet (my Grandmother) had the prettiest flowers and a huge garden. I fell in love with gardening at a young age while visiting her in the summers and helping her in the Greenhouse.

What is one piece of advice you would have for your younger self?

The piece of advice I would give to my younger self is to listen to that inner voice you hear in your head. Trust and believe in that inner voice. Believe in yourself and your abilities.