All Star Cheer Vs Gymnastics Team

[Mouey77]

Thanks so much for all of your responses. We decided to try gymnastics team, yet she does 1 hr of cheer tumbling. So far it seems gymnastics may not have been the right choice. Despite having good tumbling skills, gymnastics is less than impressed. The coaches complain a lot about her "form" and her "lack of focus." She has ADHD and is pretty hyper. The coaches did say that she has "tremendous raw talent." Some of this may be due to boredom at gymnastics. She is only 6, and she doesn't care that much about pointing her toes more, making sure hands are right by ears, etc. All they do is practice their routine on each event, and there is a lot of waiting in line. This experience has been very frustrating, and despite almost having a back tuck, they are not going to ultra in her at all. So, she would be level 1 in gymnastics but mini level 2 team in cheer. So is there some kind if way to know if the talent is better suited to cheer or gymnastics?


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[CheerBank]

Thanks so much for all of your responses. We decided to try gymnastics team, yet she does 1 hr of cheer tumbling. So far it seems gymnastics may not have been the right choice. Despite having good tumbling skills, gymnastics is less than impressed. The coaches complain a lot about her "form" and her "lack of focus." She has ADHD and is pretty hyper. The coaches did say that she has "tremendous raw talent." Some of this may be due to boredom at gymnastics. She is only 6, and she doesn't care that much about pointing her toes more, making sure hands are right by ears, etc. All they do is practice their routine on each event, and there is a lot of waiting in line. This experience has been very frustrating, and despite almost having a back tuck, they are not going to ultra in her at all. So, she would be level 1 in gymnastics but mini level 2 team in cheer. So is there some kind if way to know if the talent is better suited to cheer or gymnastics?


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Which one does she have more fun in?

 

[Mouey77]

She really loves both. She hasn't had nearly as much experience with cheer. Aside from cheer camps and tumbling, not much experience with stunting and dance. I wish there was a way to have her do both!


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[CCEreganmarie]

I was a gymnast for many years. Started at age seven and easily caught on enough to compete at what was level 4 and now would be level 3. I also did and still suffer from ADD! So I can understand yours and your daughters struggles in focusing on the more boring tight form and correct body positioning in gymnastics. I started cheering at about age 10 and took to it like water. I agree that the high intensity of the sport helped keep my focus a little better. All in all I excelled in both sports and stopped gymnastics at age 13 as a level 8 and stopped cheering my senior year due to numerous knee injuries at level 5. I now coach both sports and I can see and understand your dilemma! My advice to you would be to search for other local gyms that will let her compete at her highest skill level, not because she is inexperienced or young. You need your coaches to have faith in your daughter and to me it sounds like they are very hesitant. The more demanding the skills your daughter will be learning the easier she will stay focused and interested! It worked that way for me and I see it time and time again in my job!.- hope my rambling helped some !


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[Mouey77]

I was a gymnast for many years. Started at age seven and easily caught on enough to compete at what was level 4 and now would be level 3. I also did and still suffer from ADD! So I can understand yours and your daughters struggles in focusing on the more boring tight form and correct body positioning in gymnastics. I started cheering at about age 10 and took to it like water. I agree that the high intensity of the sport helped keep my focus a little better. All in all I excelled in both sports and stopped gymnastics at age 13 as a level 8 and stopped cheering my senior year due to numerous knee injuries at level 5. I now coach both sports and I can see and understand your dilemma! My advice to you would be to search for other local gyms that will let her compete at her highest skill level, not because she is inexperienced or young. You need your coaches to have faith in your daughter and to me it sounds like they are very hesitant. The more demanding the skills your daughter will be learning the easier she will stay focused and interested! It worked that way for me and I see it time and time again in my job!.- hope my rambling helped some !


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Great advice. I don't expect her to go elite or do this in college, but I want her to be happy and feel successful while she's doing gymnastics. It hurts my heart that this place seems to have these reservations at such a low compulsory level, whereas the cheer gym was so positive about her. I just discovered there is a 3 month spring cheer team, and I am thinking of letting her try that and then trialing a new gymnastics gym after meet season. Thanks again!!


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[Tx jenn]

Hi,
I am trying to help my just turned 6 yr old daughter make a decision between cheer and gymnastics team. She began taking gymnastics around age 3 1/2 or so. The gymnastics gym had a Preschool ages 3-5 group. She loves gymnastics, but this past year when she turned 5, I decided to let her take tumbling as well at a cheer gym across the street.

She was one of the oldest in the preschool group at gymnastics gym, and she had really pretty cartwheels, whereas some of the kids could barely do rolls. The gymnastics gym indicated she had "talent" but was unwilling to consider moving her up until she turned 6. She has loved tumbling at the cheer gym, and has made some great progress. They just moved her to level 3 tumbling.

The cheer gym is having tryouts this weekend and they really want her to try out. Meanwhile, the gymnastics gym finally offered her a spot on the competitive team, but it's level 1 (last year this was level 2, but they have a new system this year). From what I understand, the tumbling might not move as fast as she likes. I'm not even sure they do back walkovers at level 1?

So, is there any benefit to doing the gymnastics team a few years and switching to cheer, or should I let her go ahead with cheer? She thinks she is going to do both, and that is not happening.

Curious how this is going for you so far? I am in a similar situation with my 7-year old daughter. Exception - she competes level 3 gym - and would be on a level 1 cheer team (due to her age).

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

In my experience, gymnastics is very much TECHNIQUE based with tumbling. Ex: You start the season on back walkovers and you are working THAT skill all season until it is the cleanest most amazing walkover on the planet.

That aspect I respect, as sometimes, in cheer (if a gym/coaching staff doesn't value proper progressions) tumbling is like a checklist that you want to move through as quickly as possible

 

[Lmsrn]

I really think I created this dilemma by not considering that she might also get really sucked into cheerleading. I'm not sure she understands the difference since she has primarily done tumbling at the cheer gym, but she has done two cheer camps there and loved those.

She loves floor and bars, but she could probably take or leave vault and beam. My gut says she will eventually gravitate towards cheer. My sister started as a gymnast and switched to all star cheer. She insists that she will get better tumbling skills at her age through gymnastics and can switch easily to cheer when she's older? But that was 15 years ago. The cheer gym actually has gymnasts doing the tumbling coaching, so what is the big difference? Thanks!

My dtr is level 3 gymnast (old 4) and almost level 3 cheerleader. My dtr was 6 when she started competitive gymnastics and all star cheer. She liked them both. She has now done 3 years of both at same time. At lower levels, this is do-able. Not so sure at higher levels. She found she loved gymnastics because it was individual and she had control of her result. She sets goals and works hard to obtain them. At each meet, she has goals. I will say, gymnastics seems to focus on very small pieces that together build a whole. Drills, conditioning, strength training, and small skills that are a foundation for harder skills. Detail! Gymnastics isn't to be rushed. In regard to all star cheer-my dtr loves it too but for very different reasons. It is more social, it's team focused, fun! Traveling to competitions are a blast! Dinner, hotel pool with teammates etc..You get a great experience! Note- Cheerleading is a fun with hair and makeup. Gymnastics is no makeup, simple hair.
I find Cheerleading more expensive due to hotel nights etc. Look well into the gyms. Some gyms are better than others in coaching young talented athletes. Good luck!!

 

[Lmsrn]

I

at that age i don't see why she cant do both i did both for a few years and it really helped me decide and grow my knowledge of skills and technique[/QUOTE
I agree! My 8 year old has done both for last three years.