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Looking for a fun and fabulous team sport for kids? 5 Minutes for Mom co-founder, Janice Croze, shares why her daughter is cheering for cheerleading…
The Perfect Sport for Her
It never would have occurred to me to sign up my six year old daughter in cheerleading.
When I was growing up, there were no cheerleading gyms for kids. Cheerleading seemed to be reserved for girls in high school and even then it was only a team designed to cheer on the sidelines at the boys’ rugby games.
But in recent years, the popularity of all-star cheerleading has exploded, fortunately hitting us up here in Canada as well. (All-star squads are not associated with a school or sports team. Instead of cheering for a team, they work to develop routines to compete at cheerleading competitions.)
One day last spring, as my daughter and I were out for a walk in the neighbourhood, she spotted a flyer advertising a cheerleading gym.
She stopped at the sign, stared at it, and announced, “Mom — I want to do THAT!”
I looked at her, thought for a moment myself, and replied, “Olivia, that is PERFECT for you!”
My energetic, can’t-stop-moving daughter had been in dance since she was three. But as much as she loved the costumes in the end of the year productions, the truth was, she wasn’t in love with the classes. She just wanted to cartwheel.
So, a sport where my Livvie could tumble, dance and cheer, while performing with a team of girls? That was exactly what she needed.
Within minutes of her first class, Olivia and I both knew cheer was the sport for her.
Cheering for Cheerleading
Olivia has been in cheer, 2-3 days a week, for a year. Her coaches and teammates at her gym, Peace Arch Champion Cheerleading, are fantastic.
I am just so grateful that Olivia happened to spot that flyer and we found a perfect match for her.
After seeing all the fun Olivia has had cheerleading over the last year, Susan’s daughter Julia has just signed up as well. Now we will have two cheerleaders in the family.
It is remarkable how many options our kids have nowadays for sport and recreation. It does mean a lot of extra driving and costs for us parents, but I appreciate that I get to give my kids opportunities to challenge themselves and learn new skills.
If you have ever wondered if cheerleading was a sport you might want to consider for your kids (boys and girls,) or if you didn’t even know it was a team sport, here are my top five reasons why cheer is a fabulous sport for kids.
1. Cheerleading builds self esteem
I bet you don’t even need to close your eyes to imagine how incredible it would feel to tumble across a gym floor, a blur of flexibility and power, showing off moves most people will never get the chance to learn.
My seven year old beams every time she practices her cheer moves. And since Olivia is constantly practicing her one handed cartwheels and round offs, (seriously, she cartwheels even when she is crossing the street!) she spends a lot of time grinning with positivity.
When I was a kid, I never even mastered a simple cartwheel, let alone all the skills my daughter can already do.
Life is tough — kids need as much inner strength as they can get to stand up to everything they will face. I want to help empower my kids as much as I can. And when it comes to cheer, I can literally watch as mastering new skills builds my daughter’s self esteem as much as it builds her muscles.
2. Cheerleading builds performance skills
I am pretty darn sure that getting on a stage and dancing their hearts out in front of hundreds of people is going to help most cheerleading children grow into teenagers and adults who are more prepared to stand up and face whatever assignments, presentations, and public speaking that come in their lives.
I have been public speaking since I was in my late teens, and I know first hand that every time I get in front of a crowd of people, I grow stronger and more confident.
I am grateful that I never have to shy away from an opportunity to be in the spotlight. I don’t think my daughter will either.
It is wonderful to see that at seven years old, she can get on stage, flash her beautiful smile, and fly through her routine with all the belief in herself that a little girl should have.
3. Cheerleading is incredible exercise and increases flexibility, balance, endurance, and more.
Our kids need exercise. Tons of it.
With limited P.E. time at school and barely any “tear around the neighbourhood unfettered” time, we have to build exercise into our kids’ schedules.
During Olivia’s cheer practices, she gets a thorough work out while she also increases her flexibility, balance, strength, and more.
4. Cheerleading is a TEAM sport
My mom was a competitive figure skater who competed until her second year of university. After the years of pressure and stress from competing, she never wanted her kids to pursue figure skating competitively.
With the costs of figure skating so high, I haven’t pushed Olivia to compete as a skater either. She has been in figure skating since she was three, but just recreationally.
But Olivia loves to perform. She wants to get out there and show the world what she can do.
With cheerleading, I love that she is sharing the stage – and the pressure – with a team.
As well, the kids learn to be responsible to their teammates. They can’t skip practices or competitions and let down their teammates.
They work together, compete together, and celebrate together.
I am not putting down individual competition, but there are some great benefits to being part of a team.
5. Cheerleading is FUN
Kids just wanna have fun. And they should!
They work hard, they push themselves, they learn new skills, but at the heart of it all, cheer is about celebrating life and having fun together.
What sports and activities do your kids enjoy? Do you have any cheerleaders in your family?
Written and photographed by Janice Croze, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom and owner of Janice Croze Photography.
Talk with me: @5minutesformom and Facebook.com/5minutesformom
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Janice says
Oh thank you Liz! I really appreciate the feedback!
Dawn says
I coached for a number of Yrs for my daughter an between cheer an Girl Scouts she is just amazingly well rounded she is college for culinary arts and her ability to learn with constructive criticism an grow as well as thrive is from cheer. There no doubt her stamina, teamwork and leadership skills from both are now part of who she is today and will stay with her for a lifetime.
Janice says
Thanks for sharing Dawn!
Yes, indeed, cheer is great for building stamina, teamwork, and leadership skills. This is why I am so dedicated to having my kids in team sports — it prepares them to be better, stronger people. 🙂
Apryl says
This is a link to a Night line documentary. It’s 15 minutes long but take the time to watch it. It will make you understand a little better.
Apryl says
https://youtu.be/00AiHXj4pDc
Kathy says
i just can’t see how cheerleading falls in the same bucket as soccer, basketball, softball, etc. It isn’t a sport to most people.
Apryl says
Then you have never been involved with All Star Cheer. These kids are in a gym up to 5 days a week. Let me ask you this, do you consider gymnastics a sport? Do you consider weight lifting an athletic activity? How about running? How about catching things that are your weight or heavier? All Star Cheerleaders do ALL of these things including dancing. They practice for hours daily to get down everything they do. They lift girls, that are just as big as they are, into the air. Sometimes those girls in the air flip and twist before the girls on the ground have to catch them again. At our high school, the cheerleaders invite the senior football players to stunt with them at the last pep rally of the year. Each year the boys can’t believe how difficult cheerleading really is. Each year the new seniors gain much respect for the cheerleaders and it makes them closer as a unit. When any person says that cheerleading isn’t a sport, I tell them to come to my practice and then make an educated opinion.
PS Cheerleading is 100% participation. There is no bench to sit on. If ONE child is missing, a pyramid doesn’t work. I urge you to use you tube and look up teams like Smoed or World Cup Odyssey or Top Gun. These are all level 5 teams that will make your jaw drop. Check it out then go to a cheer gym and see how you fair out during their practice.
Kathy says
Not only was I involved with it, I was one. It falls too much in the dance/performance category to me. Not athletics. Just my opinion 🙂
Nicole says
As someone who has been competing in the SPORT of all-star cheerleading for 11 years it is very frustrating when people who are uneducated about the sport speak out against it. When someone says all-star cheerleading isn’t a sport it is obvious that they have not been exposed to the sport. Anyone who has been to an an all-star cheerleading competition is able to see the athleticism, dedication, strength, skill, and hard-work that is necessary in order to compete an all-star cheerleading routine. We stunt, tumble, jump, and dance. My team practices 4 times a week for 2 1/2 hours perfecting our skills. The definition of sport is: an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment. I would say that tumbling involves physical exertion and skill. Can you throw a roundoff backhandspring double full at the end of a 2 minute and thirty second routine? Can you perform a thirty second stunt sequence lifting, throwing, and catching girls in the air multiple times? Can you toe touch to a standing full? Do you even know what any of these terms mean? Please do me a favor and youtube: Top Gun Large Coed worlds 2015. You will be able to see the skill, physical exertion, and entertainment value of cheer.
Marie says
Oh my goodness, it bothers me so much when uninformed people say that cheer is not a sport!! Excuse me but if some things like golf, bowling and swimming are considered sport than cheer most definitely is. Not only that but it is the true epitome of TEAM sport because unlike soccer, basketball ,softball, if even ONE person is missing than the routine can not be done. There is usually no alternatives sitting on the bench waiting to come in. All 3 of my girls do cheer, my oldest has been doing it for nearly 10 years now. Let me tell you that all of them practice for hours a week, they do cardio, conditioning (push ups, ab exercises, etc.), they dance, they have to be able to flip through the air relying on people to catch them. They have suffered injuries and pushed through them. I challenge you to find a cheer gym and go give it a try for a day. See how “easy” it is to lift a girl, catch her, tumble, fly or contort your body and dance. See the hard work that goes into it and then tell me that Cheer is not a Sport!
Kathy says
Uninformed would be someone who does not know about the subject. As a former competitive cheerleader I don’t fall in that category 🙂
Janice says
Lots of great feedback in this thread supporting the sport of cheer. Yes, indeed, it is a real and tough sport. Cheerleaders are pushing their bodies to the max, and accomplishing incredible, athletic feats.
They train hard and they compete hard. They need to be strong, flexible, and well conditioned. It is great exercise and very physically challenging. I can’t imagine being able to do what these athletes do.
Kathy says
I definitely give them credit! Takes a lot of strength and guts. I cheered competitively. I just put it more in the performance category than I do athletics.
Elaine says
boys do cheer to! My son is 10 and been doing it for nearly 4 years along side my daughter, then my 4 year is about to compete in her 3rd comp, I am also a cheer mum, of 4 years, I had a year off to have my fourth baby, but was supported and encouraged every step of the way by my cheer family and am going to be competing next weekend. I love that my whole family are involved we get each other’s nerves and excitement. A family who cheers together stays together! Best thing ever xx
Janice says
I think it is fabulous when boys join in. I keep telling my son he should try it too. But gosh – his schedule is already too packed with hockey, soccer, and lacrosse.
Thanks for your feedback! 🙂
Melissa Hullihen says
My daughter is in her first year of cheer at 10 years old. She has been doing soccer for 3 years now but has chosen to widen her abilities. I am so very proud of her. She has never done anything remotely close to what they do at practice and in a few short months is up to speed with the other girls 🙂
Janice says
Good for her! So great that she is challenging herself with something new – and working hard to get up to speed. 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing!
Sarah says
hi I’m all the way for England my daughters do cheerleading + as you said it’s the best thing they have ever started + it’s like having an extended family + nos my son who is 8yrs old has just signed up to yes it is expensive but my kids really live it x
Janice says
Thanks for your perspective Sarah — all the way from England. 🙂
So fun that your son is getting involved too. It is expensive but so worth it. 🙂
Renae says
Not only does being involved in activities like cheerleading promote the things you discussed in this post, but educationally, extracurriculars make a big difference for kids later in life! They give your children a chance to show innovation and passion at an early age, which in the future, (thinking long-term here) will cause colleges to be more interested in them.
This is just another thing Livvie can look forward to, so kudos for supporting her! 🙂
Janice says
Yes – for sure Renae! I love that Livvie is getting a chance to expand her horizons, challenge herself, and have different experiences. Thanks so much for your feedback. 🙂
Bethany @ Online Therapy and Coaching says
Excellent points! Cheerleading is an excellent non-competitive (for the most part) sport that really helps girls to build comraderie and team skills.
Alexa says
Actually, this cheerleading (all star cheerleading) IS competitive. The entire sport is about competing. It is not the sideline cheer of yesteryear! I have been in the all star cheer world for a while and it does everything Janice says and more! The people you cheer with will be your friends for life. And a lot of it comes from pulling together as a team to win those competitions!
Marie says
I am sorry to say but I would have to disagree with you saying that cheer is a non-competitive sport. It is very competitive! It’s not cheering for a team on the sidelines. It is going out there and competiting against other teams. It is training for hours a week, putting blood, sweat and tears into these routines. It is being able to dance, tumble, catch girls, fly through the air, all while smiling. They are not going out there to just perform, they fo out there to show who is the best! My daughter last month competed at the Cheerleading Worlds where she competed against teams from all over the world. Please look into the hard work that is put into this sport before saying it is not competitive! Sorry if this seems defensive I just get tired of the misconceptions of Cheer as a Sport. 🙂
Patti says
Oh its competitive!!! I’ve played softball, cheer, diving/swimming, and soccer in growing up and in high school. This by far is more competitive than any of those on that level. My daughter loves it! This will be our 5th season and I don’t see it ending any time soon!
Janice says
Thanks for your comments!
Yes, cheer is a “competitive sport.” I refer to all-star cheerleading as “competitive cheerleading” when I explain to my friends what sport my daughter does. Perhaps Bethany was referring to all of cheerleading and including cheer teams that are associated with teams and cheering only at sporting events.
Even though competitive cheerleading is focused on competitions rather than cheering at sporting events, I have found that the environment at the competitions to be, overall, fun, supportive, and positive. The girls train and work hard. But they also support each other well and seem to have good sportsmanship and are positive to fellow teams at competitions. Obviously, this isn’t always true. But in my experience so far, and at our team gym, I have been really happy with the attitude and positivity.
No sport and no organization will be perfect. We are all humans and inevitable we will always make mistakes and hurt ourselves and one another.
And of course, there will always be injuries in sports. Cheer definitely brings the chance of injury too.
But, if you find a great gym, coaches, and team, competitive cheer can be an awesome experience for kids.