Tinies- Better To Start Early?

[H2mom]

My daughter, who's three and wanted to start lessons, is taking private tumbling lessons at a competitive gym with all levels of all star teams. Her lesson is 30 minutes, once a week. She loves it and is doing very well, according to her coach. She really loves watching the older girls on the teams practicing. They have a tiny team, which she would be old enough for next season. Just wondering how many have started at this age and if you'd recommend waiting another year, just sticking to lessons and gaining skills. Or jump in if she wants to in the spring? Obviously, I don't have any cheer experience and don't want to overwhelm either of us!

 

[cheermomforever]

3 is a hard age for any class or sport, you never know what's going to happen! But they r so darn cute to watch on a stage. I would say let her try, see how the coaches work with this age, how old the other kids are she will b with but most Of all make sure she is having fun and of course safe at the same time. Every child is different on what they can handle.

 

[GlitterPlz]

From my own experience with a three year old tiny, and two years on a tiny team, do not go in with any expectations. Tiny teams see a huge amount of turnover and a lot of parents that are just in it for the cute factor or a fun activity so absences are the norm. I know with our tiny team, it was coached by older athletes so that can be frustrating too because it obviously isn't high on the list of teams that get a lot of extra attention.
That being said, I'd do it all over again! There is nothing cuter then those tinys!!

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

The current culture around youth sports will tell you that in order for your kid to excel at a sport, they need to start EARLY. Like, at age 2 or 3. Not true.

At this age, they're not learning a ton of skills, although the older kids are possibly working some level 1 skills, but for the youngest, the focus is on listening, standing still when necessary, following directions, etc.

Don't get me wrong, those things are important to learn, but your kid is definitely not missing a whole lot if they don't start cheer until 4 or 5.

If you do choose to have your kid start at 3, don't expect them to come out of Tinys with a BHS. Manage your expectations and be happy she can get through the routine without crying.

 

[alexacheer2010]

Try it out! I coach a tiny team and have some girls that have been cheering since age 2. They have turned into amazing young athletes at 5 and 6. Tiny teams are usually cheaper than the older teams, so it shouldn't be too expensive to try it out!


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[123jump4!]

Tiny teams used to be max age 5 (turning 6). This season it's max age 6 (turning 7). Try to get some indication later on as to what age and skill levels will be on the team and see if you think it will be a good fit for your (then 4 year old?) daughter.

If it was me I would probably do another year of tumbling class and privates. But it depends how much she wants to be on a team! Either way I think it's great that she's working on her tumbling now! My 5-year-old has just started cheer tumbling classes and I know it will help her if she wants to join a team next season.

 

[H2mom]

My expectations are pretty low. I saw the tiny team preform and was really surprised that they had higher skills than I expected. They have a large team of 15. That's another reason I was leaning toward waiting another year. At that point she'd be few months shy of 5 and if her heart was still in it, then try. I guess I'll see what happens and how she feels closer to tryout time. You all make excellent points- on both sides!

 

[Cheryl]

My daughter started on a competitive tiny 1 at 4. She was the youngest on the team and struggled with counts and timing. Most kids on the team were a whole year older than her. Since she didn't age out she did another year of tinies and had a awesome year!! Now with the ages changing to 6, maturity and being able to keep up with choreography is the biggest challenge, but tinies vary so much in skill and ages at different gyms. We we were on tinies last year every girl had a fwo/bwo at tryouts, but WE has a high level tiny team.

What I can say that those 2 years on tinies have helped my DD grow into a great little cheerleader. She went into tryouts already knowing jumps, tumbling, and motions and made a mini 2 team. I think if I would have waited and started her later she would have been placed on a tiny 1 due to lack of experience.

All you can do is prepare her and set her up for a smooth tryout. Mock tryouts are great and will help her be less nervous and know what is expected of her. Try for a backwalkover and cartwheel as they are main tiny level 1 skills.

Hope this helps and good luck!!

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[quitthedrama]

IMO the most important thing is the quality of instruction. I don't think 4 is too young, as long as they are being taught proper technique and move through the levels appropriately. The first gym we were at did not teach proper technique for tumbling or stunting and my kids have struggled to re-learn skills, and some tumbling skills aren't even possible for them to do (i.e. Arabian) without relearning their roundoff.

 

[cheermomforever]

You never know if she will like it or not. Give it a try and see, it could go either way at that age. It may be the best thing for her.

 

[driverto6]

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

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

My most talented high school kids didn't start until they were in (gasp) first grade.

And yes to the quality point. If the Tiny team at your gym is not teaching proper technique, I'd stick to privates.

 

[Mom2Cheergirls]

I think as long as you keep your expectations low and listen to your child and follow her lead to some extent. Meaning if she doesn't want to go to tumble don't make her. Sometimes though they can get a little too caught up. I have watched moms spin out of control adding in privates, and multiple tumble classes, and a tiny team and the little one is getting all this attention from mom and all is great and wonderful in the world then bam one day no more. The moms are like "Wait What??". So keeping it simple and remember this is fun and you should be okay. Also make sure she does other things as well. Best thing I can say is we required our girls when they were little to try other sports and activities and gasp would not do open gyms because we would instead have family time..... And if your little one is not the rock star of the team don't go nuts it is okay to go slow and gain skills at their pace..... what matters is if they are having fun and getting safe healthy exercise at this age.

 

[123jump4!]

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

Interesting to read your thoughts about burnout... Also, my 5yo is sensitive, I don't want her yelled at by cheer coaches. My older one (7) can handle it although I don't love it. Anyway, your post makes me feel good about not being in a rush to put my little one on a cheer team! She does tumbling which she likes and also plays soccer.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

I think as long as you keep your expectations low and listen to your child and follow her lead to some extent. Meaning if she doesn't want to go to tumble don't make her. Sometimes though they can get a little too caught up. I have watched moms spin out of control adding in privates, and multiple tumble classes, and a tiny team and the little one is getting all this attention from mom and all is great and wonderful in the world then bam one day no more. The moms are like "Wait What??". So keeping it simple and remember this is fun and you should be okay. Also make sure she does other things as well. Best thing I can say is we required our girls when they were little to try other sports and activities and gasp would not do open gyms because we would instead have family time..... And if your little one is not the rock star of the team don't go nuts it is okay to go slow and gain skills at their pace..... what matters is if they are having fun and getting safe healthy exercise at this age.

Yes. It's all about managing expectations.

Three-year-olds are subject to do just about anything. Like, one day she could just be hamming it up in privates and forward rolling all over the place to the point that you think "That's it, my kid is the next Nastia Liukin." Then the next, she acts like it never happened and is just running all over the place in between whining for mommy and asking for cupcakes (when there are none to be seen.)

Be okay with that. This is just the start and it may take another Tiny season to grow those skills.

The kids and parents who have the worst time with Tiny/Mini 1 (and the kids most likely to burn out) are those who take Tiny season so seriously that they go into it expecting to come out with a kid who is ready for Mini/Youth 2. That doesn't always happen.