Cheerleading looks like a lot of fun and all the cheerleaders seem to be enjoying themselves. However, when you look at team sports, all the cheerleaders seem to be in their teens and up to their late 20s.
That appearance may discourage some people from becoming a cheerleader or start their kids early enough to be really good by the time they reach college. However, you may be surprised at what the minimum age is to be allowed to start cheerleading.
Children can start practicing cheerleading at a young age, often around four, and many elementary schools have competitive cheer teams. Before elementary school, children may begin to learn the basics of cheer by participating in tumbling classes which will improve their dexterity.
To find out the minimum age just continue to read our article. it has the information you want to know about.
Can you start cheer at 12?
The good news here is that you can start to learn how to be a cheerleader at the age of 12. In fact, many people have written that they started doing this activity when they were 13, 14, and 15 years of age.
You are never too old to learn how to be a cheerleader. The only thing that may stop you from trying out when you get older is that you are not as flexible as you were when you were young.
Being flexible is one of the keys as you will be doing a lot of drops, jumps, twists, and other motions throughout the evening or afternoon. If you can handle that action then you can still be a cheerleader. Also, you need to build up your endurance to help you last several hours of cheering.
If you have the dedication, then there is no reason you cannot start cheerleading at the age of 12. But you have to want to be a cheerleader as it is not easy work and it takes a lot of training to be good at this activity.
How old do you have to be to start cheerleading
This may surprise you as many people think that you have to be in your teens before you can start to learn how to cheer. There actually is no real age minimum. There will be age minimums to participate in different cheer categories or divisions but not to start learning how to be a cheerleader.
There are some programs designed for those children age 6 months to 3 years of age but that may be pushing it too far too soon. The actual program only works with motions of cheerleading
Then there are programs for those children age 3 to 5 and at this stage, they are working on a mat learning how their body can twist, turn and move. These classes help them gain confidence, learn balance as well as other important motor skills.
The next group of cheerleading classes runs between the age of 8 to the age of 12. This is where the students start to really learn how to cheer, The students do tumbles, rolls, jumps, and dance routines.
Then there is the 13 to 17 age group where the skills learned at an early age are refined and expanded. This is the age group that really pushes the envelope trying to be part of the best cheer team in the nation.
Finally, there is the 18+ class and this is the class where you are never too old to learn how to cheer. Of course, different organizations across the nation will have their classes outlined differently but it is good to know you can cheerlead when you want to.
We checked with the USAF Cheer Age grid and they supported most of these age groups. The ones they did not support were the under 5 and the 17 and older ages. What this means is that you can start your child off young and help them turn into a great cheerleader by the time they are 12.
Can you still be a cheerleader with no experience?
Yes, this is also a possibility. You have to start somewhere and if you are 12, 14, or 15 and older, it is not too late to start to learn how to cheer. The key is to apply yourself and work hard. that way you can catch up with the kids your age who have been doing this activity for years.
You will be told this if you look at the different ads for the many cheerleading classes that are offered in just about every city. If you are a little older, for example after 40, you may be getting a little slower than the kids half your age but it can be done.
As long as you have a passion for cheerleading, you should be able to master the techniques, the training as well as routines. That is one of the keys to being a good cheerleader.
If you love doing it, then it will be easier for you and easier to be dedicated to the training that will help you reach your objective.
Who is the oldest cheerleader?
This is an interesting question as everyone seems to know someone who is still cheerleading in their late 30s. But unless you follow all the championships, most people will not have heard about these older active cheerleaders.
To find some of the oldest cheerleaders you have to go to the NFL. The oldest one in the league is Kristi Lewis and she made the New Orleans Saint’s cheerleading squad, the Saintsations, at the age of 40.
She was still a part of the team at age 42 but this was in 2016 and it is not known if she is still a member of the team. Laura Vickmanis did the same thing and made the Cincinnati Bengals cheer team when she was 40 but she did it 6 years earlier than Kristi Lewis.
The oldest cheerleader prior to those two women was Molly Shuttock who was 38 when she made the Baltimore Ravens Cheer squad in 2005. It has not been reported who is the current oldest cheerleader in the NFL right now.
However, the oldest cheerleader of all time may be Louise Gooche as she was a cheerleader for the Senior Durham Divas in 2020. Her age last year was 77. Finally, there was a 49-year-old doctor who has said she will continue to try out for the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders until she gets into her 60s.
That was 6 years ago and there is no word on if she ever made the team. It seems that she never gets past the first round of auditions. The oldest Dallas Cowboy cheerleader was 37.
Strange facts about cheerleading
#1. Cheerleading is not new- the first cheerleaders were organized by Joseph Campbell of the University of Minnesota. He started the first team in November of 1898.
#2. Cheerleading was an all-male activity- for the next 20 to 245 years approx., only men were allowed to be cheerleaders. Women started to join in the 1920s and now 90% or more of the cheerleaders are women
#3. The pom-pom makes its debut- unbelievable that these did not start prior to 1948 but that was the year Lawrence ‘Herkie’ Herkimer invented them. He also invented the Herkie jump
#4. There is a French Connection- the word pom-pom comes from the French word pompe meaning tuft of ribbons, They weren’t originally made from ribbon but crepe paper
#5. It took 60 years to become popular- while cheerleading was old by the time the 60s and the Dallas Cowboys came on the scene, it was their cheerleaders that finally made the activity popular
#6. All the president’s men- 3 U.S. presidents were cheerleaders when they were young- Dwight Eisenhower, FDR, and George W. Bush
#7. Celebrities got in on the act- many of the modern stars have been cheerleaders before they came to Hollywood. these include- Michael & Kirk Douglas, Samuel Jackson, Steve Martin, Jimmy Stewart, Kirstie Alley, Halle Berry. Cameron Diaz, Madonna, and Katie Couric
#8. Television came calling- In 1983 ESPN broadcast the first televised National High School Cheerleading Competition
#9. It is a risky activity- Football has been ranked as the most dangerous sport to play in high school and college. Cheerleading is has been ranked as #2.
#10. Its #1 for women- Cheerleading is ranked as the most dangerous sport for women with gymnastics at number 2 and track as number 3
#11. Cheerleading is risky- roughly 67% of all injuries in women’s sports take place in cheerleading. Yet only 3% of all women athletes are cheerleaders.
Some final words
Despite the risks involved, cheerleading remains a very popular activity. If you start your children out young, then you may be able to reduce the risks involved. A little early training goes a long way and allows children to develop their confidence and motor skills.
You are never too young and you are never too old to become a cheerleader even if you have no experience. The only thing is you may not make the NFL cheerleading squads because of your age, even though its minimum age is 18
