All-Star 4-year-old Cheerleader To Be...

[123jump4!]

I don't think I did. I try to be careful what I say. Ok on the vent thread I think I once said the desk staff and manager can be rude. Stuff that is said in the parents section shouldn't really be repeated here...

 

[littlestALLSTAR]

@littlestALLSTAR Wow... just wow. I'm not wishing that for my kids so don't worry!

I honestly hope your girls meet the highest potential they have in this sport, and that you enjoy every minute of it. Hope I didn't come off as snarky...it was just my 'in the moment' cautionary tale.

 

[FruityPebbles]

1. There are a very select few gyms with Y5 teams to accommodate your 8 year old should she actually get her full so young. Depending on where you live; there's nowhere for her to cheer at her level.

2. Pushing skills so early leads to burn out. If you are doing practice 2x/week, privates on non-practice days, and flyer class on weekends in FIRST GRADE, that is not making for a well-rounded life that needs to include kid things, like just coloring and doing nothing. You can also CAUSE your kid to mental block because they just become so stressed and overwhelmed that they just can't do it.

3. Not every kid is going to end up Level 5. There are kids who (gasp) age out at Senior 3 or 4. Their cheer careers are just as fulfilling as their Worlds team counterparts. Really.

4. Tumbling alone does not aLevel 5 cheerleader make! Sure, your 3rd grader has a full, but is she capable of basing or flying at that level? What about jumps? Can she perform in dance and pick up choreo like a Level 5 athlete needs to do? There are other factors to consider!

What a great post, there is much wisdom in these words. My CP made Y5 at age 8, it was hard...no, VERY hard on both her and me. The pressure can be overwhelming at times, so be careful what you wish for and choose carefully the direction you lead your child towards. My CP 'wanted' to be on this team from age 6, and worked hard to get there. That does not necessarily mean she had the emotional maturity to deal with all that comes with it. There are both tears and triumphs at every level, try and savor what is happening with your girls right now..because in our specific experience the tiny 1 through Youth 3 days were golden. This level 5 stuff is no joke...my advice is to take it slow. Like I said, be careful what you wish for.[/QUOTE]
"Girl, you have never lied about that"... When a child reached the highest level young,,, we are constantly fighting off burnout and maintain the fun for the sport for our children....At least I am...Good Luck to your little munchkin...

 

[mamabear]

I don't think I did. I try to be careful what I say. Ok on the vent thread I think I once said the desk staff and manager can be rude. Stuff that is said in the parents section shouldn't really be repeated here...

I went back and rephrased it.

And I am going to remove myself from interacting with you on this subject, because it is getting exhausting. You keep getting some very good advice. I really hope that if your cps truly love it as much as you say that they do that they get to enjoy the sport and not burn out. Wishing you and them, nothing but the best.

 

[123jump4!]

@mamabear Ok. Sorry you feel like that. I feel a little hurt that some of you think that I haven't learned anything and that I don't listen. I have learned a lot and I am grateful for the good advice and people sharing their experiences. Thank you!

 

[Official OWECheer]

My favorite video is captioned "Look at her! Only 8 and flying level 5!" (At a well-known college camp.)

Last I checked, L5 skills were not hard at all when you're under 40 lbs and performing them with SENIOR-AGED/COLLEGIATE LEVEL BOYS.

Let's get some video of her flying Level 3 with her Y3 peers and see what that technique looks like.

Don't worry. I'll wait.

 

[cheernerd5678]

Maybe it's because I'm not in the parents section, but I've been following this thread and yet I'm very confused.... Feels like I missed something...

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Thanks, guys for all of your kind words. I want to re-interate that I do not coach a L5 team, but when you consistently deal with Levels 2-3, you see a lot of the PUSH PUSH PUSH to get skills, so I spend a lot of time reminding people that it is not a race.

Another thing I have heard before (from moms of say, 2nd graders who are just now learning BWOs) is "WHAT ABOUT COLLEGE CHEER?!"

There are plenty of kids on college teams and such who have NOT been Level 5 since age 10. Relax.

There ARE, however, plenty of kids who got to middle school or HS age and decided that they wanted nothing to do with cheer because of the push, push, push push, push for L5.

Like, they got to a layout, couldn't get their full, mom pushed, pushed, pushed, pushed and bribed and yelled, and eventually, they said they wanted to do something ENTIRELY different that didn't involve privates and PUSHING. Like soccer or softball.

And really, heed the wise words of the Y5 parents in this thread.

 

[quitthedrama]

Guys, I'm not gonna lie. When I first saw the title of the thread I thought it was going to turn into another 3 Year Old BHS thread. I'm pleasantly surprised.

there are some glaring similarities....

 

[Official OWECheer]

there are some glaring similarities....

No pink font, though!

 

[Pebbles49]

So, some people are saying Tinys and Minis should have fun and there is no rush to learn skills. As long as they don't pee on the mat they're doing good.

Then other people are saying (on a different thread) that cheer is a competetive sport, everyone should be treated the same no matter what age and if you don't like it, go somewhere where there's only rainbows and butterflies.

I guess there are just different opinions then? And as a parent you have to try to find what suits your child best.

Which one do I want? I would say somewhere in the middle of the 2 statements.

I think in the other thread when posters spoke about competitive sport and Mini and Tinys should be treated the same no matter, most were addressing one of your thread that talked about the coaches approach to talking to Mini (mostly) and about there performance. I believe, many of the posters on that other thread, felt that a coach should be honest in assessing the performance of Minis, particularly, if they are on competitive teams... I believe you were complaining about the Coach telling your daughter that the team performance was "bad" and your daughter equated those words as "she was bad..." Most poster felt that Coaches should not sugar-coat performances to competitive young athletes and it helps them in my opinion to be more responsible for their own actions... Hey, I think that young children should learn that others will be judging their performance and it is better that the Coaches are doing it first, before they get in front of the judges... My sense is, 123jump4! you are pushing your daughters to go far in this sport, so they are going to have to learn and maybe, you can start telling them that when their performance is being judged, it is "solely" judging the performance and not them as individuals and they can grow by learning how to take criticism... My daughter learned this lesson at around 6 and she was performing by herself with critiques by judges that are later told to them by the Coaches... Your daughters will be performing in a team sport, a little less stressful...

 

[123jump4!]

@pebbles49 Good post and thanks for explaining to others about that other thread. Great advice about what the judges are saying!

I think maybe some people are misunderstanding me, or not hearing what I'm trying to say, possibly because of some stuff I said in my first appearance "small gym or big gym".

I actually don't wish to push my girls! Most of my worry has been about that I think or have thought that the coaches are (or will be) expecting a lot. So I have been worrying that CP6 is behind and CP4 will be pushed to quickly learn skills if she joins a team next year.

But I'm probably paranoid and I promise to try to stop worry!

 

[Just-a-Mom]

My 4yo is in a class for ages 4-7.

<gasp> I really hope this is not going to take away from her art time. I've been patiently waiting for the next in the "fat man" series. Now I know why it's not ready!

Sidenote: I also think that there is a culture in youth sports that dictates that your kid needs to start out EARLY DOING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

OMG This. At least once a day we get a phone call from someone wanting to put their one year old in ballet. Because she "really already points her toes! I am sure she's meant to dance!" It is unreal how many moms feel the need to start their kids as early as possible - and then brag about it for the next 16 years.

If I hear one more mom say "Well, she's been dancing for 10 years" about their 12-year-old, I will lose it.

I would say 90% of parents who put their kids in something at the age of 2 or 3 do it for themselves, not the kid.

 

[gofriars610]

<gasp> I really hope this is not going to take away from her art time. I've been patiently waiting for the next in the "fat man" series. Now I know why it's not ready!


OMG This. At least once a day we get a phone call from someone wanting to put their one year old in ballet. Because she "really already points her toes! I am sure she's meant to dance!" It is unreal how many moms feel the need to start their kids as early as possible - and then brag about it for the next 16 years.

If I hear one more mom say "Well, she's been dancing for 10 years" about their 12-year-old, I will lose it.

I would say 90% of parents who put their kids in something at the age of 2 or 3 do it for themselves, not the kid.

I wasn't even walking until I was like 15 months. I was 30 pounds at a year old. I started dancing at 3 (creative movement classes), competing at nine, and by junior year of high school I was burnt out big time. Stuck around for the 15 year trophy though. I wish I had done other things besides dance and school...that was a big big regret.

 

[SheCheers]

<gasp> I really hope this is not going to take away from her art time. I've been patiently waiting for the next in the "fat man" series. Now I know why it's not ready!

She actually painted three water colors today, maybe I should get her in an art class...she's SUPER talented.