All-Star Average Age To Start All-star Cheer?

[CookieMomster]

We have quite a few athletes that joined our gym when they were older 12-14 but had very strong gymnastics backgrounds. Beautiful tumbling and they picked up the stunting very quickly. Many are on our Worlds teams now. There's no right or wrong age, just what works best for your family and your child.

ETA: some of those cheer moms are crazy scary. Feel free to join us on the parent board here. We don't bite and enjoy a good cheer mom story. lol

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

People will tell you earlier is better with cheer and that kids who start earlier progress better but that is not always so.

I know kids who started out taking 2 classes a week and being on Tiny 1 the minute they were age eligible who are now 14, headed for HS and struggling with skills that are Level 2 in cheer levels.


I also know kids who had never cheered before 6th grade (like never, not school, rec, nothing) who are basing and tumbling Level 4 now as HS seniors.

Depends on the kid.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

It is also easier to take that gymnastics tumbling over to cheer and learn how to base or fly.

 

[cheermommaRN]

@cheer25mom

It's not a "true" usag level but a great way to hook kids in early. Back when my now 15 year old did gymnastics there were no lower level teams, preteam was levels 2/3 and then you got on the competition team at level 4.
Our gym was great about having showcases for the younger ones to "compete" without charging competition team prices.

 

[OldskoolKYcheercoach]

Just let your daughter do whatever makes her happy (within the confines of the family financials of course). I can assure you that there's no pressure to start cheerleading early. I can also assure you that you'll never get a positive return on your investment (strictly financially speaking) on either endeavor. So if she becomes a happy mediocre gymnast, a happy mediocre cheerleader, a happy elite gymnast, or a happy elite cheerleader; as long as she's happy that, and a few life lessons, is all you're ever going to get for your money.

 

[cheermomforever]

Just let your daughter do whatever makes her happy (within the confines of the family financials of course). I can assure you that there's no pressure to start cheerleading early. I can also assure you that you'll never get a positive return on your investment (strictly financially speaking) on either endeavor. So if she becomes a happy mediocre gymnast, a happy mediocre cheerleader, a happy elite gymnast, or a happy elite cheerleader; as long as she's happy that, and a few life lessons, is all you're ever going to get for your money.

There's always more scholarships for gymnastics

 

[OldskoolKYcheercoach]

There's always more scholarships for gymnastics

I agree

But you'd have to get a scholarship to Harvard to equal what you would pay in monthly fees alone over 12 years (6-18) at our local gymnastics facility.

Maybe they're just really proud of their service and I don't realize that it's much cheaper elsewhere.

 

[AScheer]

Thanks for all the responses. We'll stick with competitive gymnastics and rec cheer for now. That's what I was thinking originally, but all those cheer moms made me second guess myself. They were all quite intense! Ha! I really appreciate all the comments.

Ok parents, someone needs to share the post that listed how the cheer moms are based on how many years in the sport!

Go with your gut. She's 6, nothing in her life as far as cheer goes is going to be that important. Don't let the other parents influence what is right for your child. No child should have to have a serious talk regarding a choice for only 1 sport at that age.

 

[OldskoolKYcheercoach]

Ok parents, someone needs to share the post that listed how the cheer moms are based on how many years in the sport!

Go with your gut. She's 6, nothing in her life as far as cheer goes is going to be that important. Don't let the other parents influence what is right for your child. No child should have to have a serious talk regarding a choice for only 1 sport at that age.

Yes, please, I haven't seen that post myself

 

[MyGirlCheers]

Here it is. I don't know who started it and I know there are versions where more years have been added, but this is what I had saved.
-------------------

First year: first year cp is clueless, and mom is clueless. It's all fun and games. The novelty comes from wearing a cheerleading uniform at a young age and getting to wear big glittery bows and glittery makeup with bright lipstick. Mom has no clue about the sport, has no concept of what a scoresheet is, what level play is, what body positions are, and is pretty oblivious to other gyms in the area because she chose the one right down the street from her house. The focus is not on winning at all.....all concern is placed on her own cp and whether or not she will make it through the routine without running off the floor crying or having to go pee pee.

Second year: cp has gained some skills, and mom is starting to learn a little. Mom understands a little about level play and is so tickled that her cp has learned some skill. However, all cp's friends are learning some skill too and the worry sets in about her cp keeping up, or falling behind. Mom also starts to notice that other gyms in the area might have teams that are good and starts to question whether or not this gym is the BEST gym around. She now knows cp will make it through a routine, and starts to crave winning.

Third year: PEAK PYSCHO YEAR: cp has gained more skills, and mom is excited but still nervous because some of cp's friends have gained more skills. Mom gets hard on cp, putting pressure on her to "get better" tumbling, jumps, body positions, etc. Mom is starting to understand score sheets, now knows how to look up performance orders like a pro, stalk you tube and picture websites to see what her cp's team is up against. She is full flegged into having her cp be on a winning team! Now the mom knows all the weaknesses of her cp's gym, and will take every opportunity to point out those weaknesses!! Talk about changing gyms is rampant, unless cp's gym has a winning record. Even if it does there will still be issues mom needs to complain about and the thoughts about whether the grass is greener at the other gyms sometimes wins out and they move. Complaints about other kids, coaches, methods, other parents, etc is at it's peak!!!

Fourth year: Mom is still psycho, but cp is progressing even more and that is enough to keep mom happy, especially if there was a gym change. Mom is into full flegged cheer mania!! She wants that win bad!!! Relationships with other cheer moms have developed, even moms from other gyms. She may still be putting tons of pressure on cp to fix this and that, get this and that etc.

Fifth year: Mom still has hidden anxiety but has stopped telling everyone about it. She has met some other 3rd year psycho moms and realize how insanely idiotic they act. She has come to terms with her own cp's level and has started taking away the pressures, but still quietly encourages improvement. She enjoys some quiet conversation with other 4+ year cheer moms. She fully understands by now what it takes to win, and has accepted that kids develop in different stages. She also understands now that kids will have strengths and weaknesses, including her own cp, and they can all contribute to a team beautifully.

Sixth year: Mom has settled nicely into a happy group of other veteran moms and laughs out loud at the 3rd year moms. She still wants the win bad, but she realizes now that winning is not everything. She has found a peace with her cp, and gives her the tools she needs to succeed, but no longer pushes so hard. This peace continues through the rest of cp's cheer career.

Now obviously there are exceptions, and lots of them. But I have seen this pattern from soooo many moms.

 

[mecheermom]

My CP was a gymnast from 3-7yo then switched to cheer as a level 5 gymnast with a solid BHS. This made it easier for her to cheer. 2 years later she was a level 5 cheerleader. I don't think it's a mistake at all to stay with gymnastics- as long as she enjoys it.


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[Jolette]

My daughter started gymnastics at 2 or 3 and cheer at 5 (6 in cheer years, so she never got to be a tiny). We are just finishing up our 5th year and I have always tried to keep a gym class in her schedule everything from tumbling classes, rec classes and even a year on a competitive team. Cheer is her love but I keep her at the gym mostly because it's so much closer to our house but also I see the value in it.

I can see now that my reasons for switching to cheer were actually silly in hindsight but it was the right path for us.

 

[cheerisloving]

I was a dance girl, taking studio classes for years while doing rec cheer through my private school/whatever rec program my brother was playing in. I always loved routines and cheer. When I was 10 turning 11 my mom put me in a gymnastic class to learn tumbling but the gym had all star. By the time my class was over my mom had me signed up for AS and the rest is history.

I learned more tumbling in 4 months of AS cheer than most do in gym. I was working on back handsprings at the first open gym while I was doing cartwheels at the gym class. I was working a standing tuck by the end of the first season. But I know my technique was not up to par and if I did more time in gym my tumbling would've been better.

The beauty with stunting is the basics are pretty basic when you're learning and most every level spends time 'learning' how to base the level appropriate elite stunt. She's young so she has time. Do what works for you. Nothing is wrong with getting some quality tumble instruction and if she really loves cheer she'll find a way back to it, even if it's down the line in school cheer.

 

[cheermomforever]

I was a dance girl, taking studio classes for years while doing rec cheer through my private school/whatever rec program my brother was playing in. I always loved routines and cheer. When I was 10 turning 11 my mom put me in a gymnastic class to learn tumbling but the gym had all star. By the time my class was over my mom had me signed up for AS and the rest is history.

I learned more tumbling in 4 months of AS cheer than most do in gym. I was working on back handsprings at the first open gym while I was doing cartwheels at the gym class. I was working a standing tuck by the end of the first season. But I know my technique was not up to par and if I did more time in gym my tumbling would've been better.

The beauty with stunting is the basics are pretty basic when you're learning and most every level spends time 'learning' how to base the level appropriate elite stunt. She's young so she has time. Do what works for you. Nothing is wrong with getting some quality tumble instruction and if she really loves cheer she'll find a way back to it, even if it's down the line in school cheer.

Can't compare tumbling progression between gymnastics and cheer. Gymnastics is big time progression/form/ and doing a full year or 2 or more at same level. Cheer u can just throw it without thinking about form... I think doing gymnastics before cheer can b beneficial.

 

[cheerisloving]

Can't compare tumbling progression between gymnastics and cheer. Gymnastics is big time progression/form/ and doing a full year or 2 or more at same level. Cheer u can just throw it without thinking about form... I think doing gymnastics before cheer can b beneficial.

I agree. I should point out I wasn't on the track for competitive gymnastics, but I wanted gymnastics tumbling instruction.

I wish I stayed on that side for the progression, and technique. Staying in gym and really getting skills can be so helpful even if you don't learn all your tumbling, when you make the switch you'll have the mechanics and some technique.