Youth teams provide excellent feeder programs for many squads across the country.  Most coaches have been around cheerleading their whole lives, which, in turn, improves their cheerleaders' levels.  In some parts of the country, cheerleading isn't even mentioned until after middle school.  But in the city of Memphis alone, there are over 700 youth cheerleaders attending Varsity camps.

"I believe feeder programs like Shelby Youth Sports, in Memphis, and other community affiliated programs are great for local junior high and high school teams," says Cordova All Stars Director Kelly Jordan.  "I think that without these programs, a lot of our strong junior high and high school teams would not be where they are today.  There are a great deal of children exiting feeder programs with so much talent, skill, and technique, and it's all due to the training they gained at the youth level."

Starting a cheerleading career at a young age can be quite beneficial.  Not only will young athletes learn the fundamentals necessary to succeed in cheerleading, but they also develop the skills to be successful in other facets of life.  Although they may not realize it at the time, being part of a team provides the opportunity for youth to gain more self-reliance and self-confidence on an individual level while learning the importance of team work.

The advantage of getting involved in a youth program is learning the fundamentals early.  When it comes to cheerleading, those fundamentals are what get them from one level to the next, and eventually, a foundation is built.  They learn basic motions and correct motion placement, rhythm to stay with the beat of music, and proper stunting and tumbling technique, which is one important element of cheerleading.  As with any activity performed at a young age, these athletes learn by memory of movement.  So if cheerleaders are taught to execute a stunt or tumbling pass the wrong way, it will be that much harder for them to retrain their muscles to do it the right way when making the transition from a youth team to a middle school team and so on.

"Cheerleading is a good activity to start at an early age as long as they are taught in the correct manner," says UCA instructor Mike Morphy.  "I think coaches should be able to teach good stunting and tumbling techniques, two big components of cheerleading, for the safety of everyone.

"If cheerleaders are taught incorrectly from the start, they will be using the wrong muscles and creating bad habits that might not be safe for their bodies.  But if they are in an environment that teaches good technique, I think it's a good way for young girls to increase strength and flexibility, self-confidence, and a great work ethic."

Along with fundamentals, there are several other skills enhanced through cheerleading.  Team work is one of those.  By being part of a team, they can improve communication skills, learn how to work with other people, set goals, and be proactive in certain situations.  Being part of a team also teaches important lessons about pride.  They not only learn to take pride in themselves, but also learn how to trust and take pride in their teammates.

Discipline is another vital element learned at the youth level.  They begin by listening, then start doing.  At this age, they are used to answering only to their parents, but now they have to listen to someone else, their coach.  It's a major adjustment, but one that if not learned now, will create major problems in the future.  After a few months, hopefully they will develop the discipline to start conditioning and strength training on their own rather than just at practice. 

Leadership skills, which are arguably the most important skills to learn, are also formed.  It's okay to sit back and follow what everyone else is doing, as there have to be both leaders and followers in order to have a successful squad.  But there is always a time to step up and effectively lead the team.

"Cheerleaders are like any other athletes," says State Director Kerry Arrington.  "The earlier you start, the better... But even if they don't pursue cheerleading at the junior high or high school level, at least they have learned discipline and coordination, among many other things, at a young age."

Varsity offers countless benefits at our new YUCA camps for those involved in youth programs.  A few of those include superior ribbons and medallions for every participant, a YUCA activity book, stickers, YUCA logo hand stamps, and other cool stuff for the youth director.  Another important reason to choose a YUCA camp this summer is for the chance to become eligible to compete at the 2006 National High School Cheerleading Championship in Orlando, Florida in the new youth/recreational categories.

Youth teams and programs are great places to start a cheerleading career.  They have the opportunity to learn the fundamentals, skills, and valuable lessons needed to succeed down the road.  For more information on youth programs and YUCA camps in your area, contact your Varsity rep.