Tinies- Better To Start Early?

[123jump4!]

That is kinda sad. Where we sit, if there is yelling we can hear it and I honestly can't remember a single time where I've ever heard our coach raise his voice in anything other than excitement or to announce something.

It was sad. It was our first cheer experience and at the time I was kinda told "this is how cheer is, get used to it". Although our current gym is not perfect at least no one is yelling at my kid! A much more positive environment.

 

[cheer25mom]

I have a 5 year old who loves cheer. However, all I am allowing her to do at this point is tumble at the cheer gym. Having an older child who has been in the sport for 6 years I am very well aware of the 'burn out' factor in cheer. I will not allow my younger one to start competitive cheer before she is 8-9 at the youngest...honestly it's probably going to be more about her skill and attention level than anything else....when she has solid level 2 skills and can follow directions for 2 hours straight then I will let her try out, but not before. It's a sport that take a lot of time, energy, commitment, and MONEY. I think participating in it for 9-10 years is probably long enough...and that's assuming she loves it and decides to stay all the way through high school.

My oldest didn't start all-star until she was 8. However, 6 years in and I see signs of burn out in her. As she heads toward high school next year she is seriously thinking about taking a break from all-star and just doing high school comp and sideline cheer. It's a shame really, as she is so talented, but I think she feels like she has spent so much of her life at the gym for the last 6 years that she may be ready for a break. I will support her and help her no matter what she decides...but I believe the burn-out factor may be more of an issue the earlier they start. When I look at the group of girls she started cheering with 6 years ago...there are not a lot of them left:(

If I had required my kid to have level 2 skills before I let her try out for a team I honestly don't think she would have ever gotten them. Being on a team made such a difference in her skill progression. She is one who really has to work hard to get and perfect skills so spending 2 years on a level 1 team where she could practice and really perfect level 1 skills made a huge difference. Also, I don't think she would have been prepared for the level of intensity, focus, and performance required on level 2 if sh hadn't done level 1.

 

[cheer25mom]

The yelling: I think people have many different ideas about what "yelling" at a child is. If a coach is visibly angry with a raised voice and angry tone and dressing down a small child for something, I have a problem with that. If it is a curt "you need to start paying attention" , " you need to stop dropping your flyer", or a correction given to the whole team like "you have to stop talking while I am giving instructions" then it is appropriate in a competitive sport IMO. The gym is a loud environment when music is playing, multiple classes are going ect and sometimes coaches have to raise their voice to get the kids attention and get their point across. Kids aren't perfect so sometimes they need to be corrected. When they need to be corrected for the same thing multiple times in the same practice, the coach needs to let them know he/she is serious. They have to start learning that they are accountable, to both their coaches and their teammates, for paying attention and giving 100% in practice.

 

[123jump4!]

If I had required my kid to have level 2 skills before I let her try out for a team I honestly don't think she would have ever gotten them. Being on a team made such a difference in her skill progression. She is one who really has to work hard to get and perfect skills so spending 2 years on a level 1 team where she could practice and really perfect level 1 skills made a huge difference. Also, I don't think she would have been prepared for the level of intensity, focus, and performance required on level 2 if sh hadn't done level 1.

True... there is more to cheer than just tumbling skills. :cheering:

 

[123jump4!]

The yelling: I think people have many different ideas about what "yelling" at a child is. If a coach is visibly angry with a raised voice and angry tone and dressing down a small child for something, I have a problem with that.

You agree with me then.

 

[cheermommaRN]

Even the most strict programs don't yell at their mini teams, it's rainbows and unicorns until they hit junior age. I will say that the VERY competitive tiny teams (like IBK) have an average age of 5...you don't see very many 3 year olds on actual competitive teams out here.

 

[cheer25mom]

Even the most strict programs don't yell at their mini teams, it's rainbows and unicorns until they hit junior age. I will say that the VERY competitive tiny teams (like IBK) have an average age of 5...you don't see very many 3 year olds on actual competitive teams out here.

I beg to differ. There are lots of intense practices with youth 5 teams on video out there. I have seen coaches yelling at those kids. I don't think any of it was inappropriate, but when you are a level 5 team chasing NCA jackets or a summit title the intensity is there. Youth 2 is serious business at lots of places too.

 

[cheermommaRN]

I beg to differ. There are lots of intense practices with youth 5 teams on video out there. I have seen coaches yelling at those kids. I don't think any of it was inappropriate, but when you are a level 5 team chasing NCA jackets or a summit title the intensity is there. Youth 2 is serious business at lots of places too.

Youth 5 is a totally different ballgame. You can't compare coaching a youth 5 to a tiny 1. Youth 2 may be serious business but even the most "hardcore" gym by us does not yell at their kids and they do fine.
The take away is, if a coach is yelling AT your child, regardless of age then they A. shouldn't be a coach and B. isn't the best place for a tiny age athlete. (I capitalized AT because there is a huge difference between yelling to be heard over the yell of the team and actually singling a kid out to yell at).

 

[SL&AM]

The yelling: I think people have many different ideas about what "yelling" at a child is. If a coach is visibly angry with a raised voice and angry tone and dressing down a small child for something, I have a problem with that. If it is a curt "you need to start paying attention" , " you need to stop dropping your flyer", or a correction given to the whole team like "you have to stop talking while I am giving instructions" then it is appropriate in a competitive sport IMO. The gym is a loud environment when music is playing, multiple classes are going ect and sometimes coaches have to raise their voice to get the kids attention and get their point across. Kids aren't perfect so sometimes they need to be corrected. When they need to be corrected for the same thing multiple times in the same practice, the coach needs to let them know he/she is serious. They have to start learning that they are accountable, to both their coaches and their teammates, for paying attention and giving 100% in practice.

It's the first type you mentioned that I think of when I think 'yelling'. Calls for attention or safety? I doubt I'd even notice. But the angry screaming? Not at a Tiny level.

 

[Helen uk uni cheer]

My old gym had a mini team with mostly tiny age kids which did cheer for fun but did one "local" comp (one of the biggest competitions in the country but only a 30 drive tops for them to get to) at the end of the season. All the tiny aged kids were mainly 4 or 5 and you could tell the wanted to be there having the time of their life. The caches were calm but also if they did something abit silly they would be a bit sarcastic and silly which the kids took really well.
If there are any group cheer session in your gym maybe try them out to see how your cp goes in a group environment then decide whether she needs another year before starting tinies. As long as it is not a super competitive tiny team she should have a blast

 

[rdavis4]

Our gym had so many this year that they split; a tiny prep (with 5 and under, and one 6 year old brand new to cheer) and then their tiny 1 with 12 six year olds and one five year old; all who were in their second year of cheer. I would say that our tiny team takes it fairly seriously; they are all business but do have fun with the kids. Youth 2 practices at the same time, and while they are very competitive and very good, they also have fun with the kids. Our Y2 had several stunts that wouldn't hit. Last week their coaches had a stunt competition and the group that had the most stunts hit for that practice got to choose how the coaches dressed for this week's practice...they came dressed like Big Bird and Cookie Monster :) I haven't really been around the older teams, but I would still be shocked to hear if they get angry yelling at them. The one thing they are VERY strict on is form. Perfection over progression. They are all about doing it correctly, so that they are doing it safely!

 

[icebriana3]

my little sister started at 3, and she is 8 and on level 4. so in my opinion, it is better to start early

 

[SFlippin]

It would depend on your kiddo and her attention span. I have seen younger kids on both ends of the spectrum. Some do really well, some cannot pay attention at all. See if the gym will let her try out a practice.

 

[Forever Cheer Mom]

My daughter started early. She's 11 and in her 8th year now and still loves cheer! However, when she was on a tiny team, the expectations were different than what I see now. She had fun and it was all about developing a love for the sport. Sure, she learned bridges and did cartwheels, but we were impressed if they were close to on count! I am also a big advocate for not pushing kids up too fast through levels, so it depends on your expectations for your child :-)