Haley Graham is a rebellious 17-year-old who has a run-in with the law when she and two friends stage an illegal bike-race through a residential construction site in Plano, Texas.

Haley was once considered one of the most talented and promising gymnasts in the U.S.; known for her flair and raw power which enabled her to perform higher difficulty moves her fellow competitors couldn't, but was not known for her consistency.

Haley has a talk with Vickerman, who offers to handle her training until she can enter an upcoming invitational competition; she decides to use the prize money to settle the property-damage claims she owes and then retire once again.

After making a mistake in her balance-beam routine, Haley finally breaks down and - in a repeat of the World Championships a year earlier - leaves the arena before completing the competition.

However, before she leaves, she reveals to Vickerman the reason why she walked out of Worlds the first time: she had just learned of her mother’s affair with her coach, leading to a divorce and Haley losing contact with her father.

Despite giving what the commentators described as 'the performance of her life' in the all-around finals, the overly critical and harsh judging leaves her finishing in 7th place; but this does not keep her out of the individual event-finals.

When Vickerman questions the judges, he learns that Mina was penalized on the technicality of (unintentionally) showing a bra strap, leaving him and the crowd incensed.

Haley performs a powerful, highly challenging routine in which her personality shines through; and receives a standing ovation from the crowd and her fellow gymnasts, but the judges still find 0.900 worth deduction.

The site's consensus states: "Director Jessica Bendinger is unable to transfer her winning Bring It On formula to the world of gymnastics, despite Missy Peregrym's strong lead performance.

[6] Critic Nathan Lee of The New York Times gave the film a positive review, stating, "A spry teenage comedy that gets everything right, Stick It takes the usual batch of underdogs, dirt bags, mean girls and bimbos and sends them somersaulting through happy clichés and unexpected invention.