CheerBank
Cheer Parent
- May 7, 2012
- 8,209
- 17,372
I feel like you see that in a lot of youth sports. With the exception of the truly elite athletes, many kids catch up to their more-advanced-at-an-earlier-age peers. Someone who had their back tuck at 7 isn't the only one anymore at 10 or 11. I see that in soccer with my son. He was always a bigger kid. He didn't have a low center of gravity like some of the munchkins on his team, his fine motor coordination and foot skills were not as refined, and the only thing he had going for him was that he was fast and not afraid to be physical. Now at 10 1/2 he is still tall, still fast and has caught up to the foot skills of many of his peers who are still short and now overpowered by the bigger more physical players. The kids who had the skills younger and are not as unique when they get a little older also tend to be the ones who burn out at a younger age. I will take slow and steady development of skills anytime if it means longevity in a sport they love.I have seen kids as old as 8-9 come in brand new to an activity and catch up or even pass up kids who have been in that gym or dance studio since they were 2 w/in 2 years time - multiple times I have seen this. Yeah, a kid that starts something after age 11-12 will likely have a hard time catching up to those who have been doing something for years, especially in a fear provoking activity like cheer or gymnastics, but before 10 I think talent and the child's desire to catch up/get ahead can produce significant progress in a short amount of time.