Cheer (cheerleading) is not just a sport, it is an art form that combines dance, gymnastics, and stunts.
Is your child interested, or are you thinking of letting your child try out some cheer classes?
For those serious about going professional, it becomes a lifestyle.
And, despite the Hollywood portrayal of cheer in film and TV shows of mean girls, and queen bees, being a cheerleader is an activity that gives your child the opportunity to gain confidence, meet new friends, develop essential skills and teamwork all while enjoying a healthy lifestyle.
If you’re looking for Gymnastics places, we have some great Gymnastics picks for you!
So when and where can you enroll your child for cheer?
These are the best questions to ask
What is the best age to start cheerleading?
The best age is when your child takes an interest, and you are ready for all the responsibilities that come along with it. We came across this blog, The Best Sports for Kids at Every Age, by USASF and thought it could help you decide.
What are the classes and levels offered?
There are some cheer gyms that only offer classes for teams to take part in cheer competitions.. Make sure to check what the gym offers for beginners to advanced athletes of any age.
Are the Cheerleader coaches USASF certified?
All cheer coaches need to be USASF certified to coach cheer classes in a safe environment. USASF is the governing agency of all-star cheerleading. Therefore, this agency is responsible for ensuring cheer coaches are following applicable standards.
What is the cost of cheer classes? What other programs do they offer?
These are important questions to ask yourself because you want to ensure your child has the best experience while staying within your budget.
Some gyms offer many other children’s activities in one place to offer you value for the money and exceptional convenience.
And, some gyms also offer discounts for siblings and if you enroll in multiple programs.
Note: Being a competitive cheerleader can be very expensive. According to USASF, it is nearly impossible to give the total all-in cost for All-Star cheer, but a typical range would be from $1500 – $5000 a year depending on the age bracket and level of the cheer competition team.
“I really want a place that’s great for kids who like to move and jump!”
Deborah is looking for a place now, and says “I want a trustable place, that takes serious on safety, and not competition only style”
Is the gym clean and organized? Can we as parents watch them while they’re training?
A cheer gym should be clean and organized for the children and the parents. We suggest you visit several facilities to give you a comparison for cleanliness.
In most gyms, parents should be allowed to stay and view their child’s class (from a distance). Parents should keep their presence known to a minimum (no shouting, no suggestions, etc.)
Can boys join in for classes and teams?
Yes! 97 percent of cheerleaders who take part in the sport are female, but 50 percent of all collegiate cheerleaders are male. If you’ve watched the show on Netflix “Cheer” – you’ll see how important boys are in cheer too!
If your child wants to move into competitive cheerleading, they’ll need to demonstrate:
- Your child needs to have already mastered gymnastics and tumbling skills for several years. While children can learn these skills later, it is more difficult.
- Your child needs to have excellent upper body strength.
- Your child needs to have full confidence, determination, and commitment. It takes many guts to perform a stunt, and you need to be fearless in doing it.
- Your child has to have good sportsmanship.
- And, they need to be in excellent physical conditioning to dance, cheer, and do stunts.
When you think your child has what it takes, then they are ready for tryouts!
Here is a list of recommended places to Cheer around Collin County
Cheer Athletics
Address: 1300 E Plano Pkwy C, Plano, TX 75074
Phone: (972) 275-6781
Cheer Athletics gyms offer classes for every skill level with a wide range of dates, times, and locations for you to pick the right program easy and fun.
They also offer camps, team trainings, and private lessons. Your child can try a session for free and see if it’s right one for them.
See what local Moms have to say!
Pro Spirit Inc.
Address: 129 Aero Country Rd, McKinney, TX 75071
Phone: (972) 346-9010
Whether your child is just starting out or a veteran, they have classes to cover for all ages and abilities.
They can help train your child to achieve any goals. A free trial class is available.
Does your child want competitive or sideline cheerleading? My daughter goes to pro spirit and loves it! They have classes, teams, and tumbling.
Macauli, Plano TX
Envy Cheer
Address: 21 Prestige Cir #100, Allen, TX 75002
Phone: (214) 383-0000
Envy Cheer is a national championship program that provides exceptional, quality cheer training to children of all ages and ability levels.
You can book a trial class for free.
We are at Envy Cheer in Allen and love it.
Cecilia, Allen TX
We did Envy Cheer in Allen for years 🙂 we just swapped to tumbling only and doing middle school cheer now.
Amanda, Plano TX
Texas Dynamix Gymnastics (Previously known as Infinite Bounds)
Address: 1901 Preston Park Blvd, Plano, TX 75093
Phone: (972) 491-1916
Texas Dynamix Cheer classes teach the foundational progressions of the skills necessary to your athlete’s cheerleading development. You can call them for a free trial.
Express Cheer
Address: 9550 John W. Elliott Dr #104, Frisco, TX 75034
Phone: (972) 731-5888
Colbi has been at Express Cheer going on her 3rd year now and we love it.
We tried 3 other gyms before selecting them.
Wendy – Plano, TX
Texas Cheer Allstars
Address: 1214 Metro Park Blvd Suite 203, Lewisville, TX 75057
Phone: (214) 940-9478
Texas Cheer All Stars has a place athletes of all skill levels, and they pledge to make every athlete feel empowered and valued.
Year 2 at Texas Cheer Allstars !
Our gym has 2 novice teams which is an introduction to all star cheer they compete just not as much! It’s the best way to try it out Texas Cheer Allstars
Kristina, Plano TX
Plano Sports Authority
Address: 6500 Preston Meadow Dr, Plano, TX 75024
Phone: (972) 208-5437
Melissa Perley Land
We did the dance team through PSA last season and my daughter loved it. They “cheered and danced” for flag football and basketball games. Then, if you want a quality cheer gym but a smaller feel I would look at Cheer Athletics Frisco.
They field fewer teams than the Plano gym and depending on where in Plano you live it isn’t that much farther.
Melissa, Allen TX
PSA cheer is volunteer driven by a parent. I did it for my girls’ PSA cheer team a few years ago.
Mandy, Plano TX
More Cheer Gyms in Collin County
Address: 718 S Greenville Ave Suite 150, Allen, TX 75002
Phone: (972) 332-1812
Address: 15222 King Rd #303, Frisco, TX 75034
Phone: (972) 464-1834
Address: 4505 McEwen Rd, Dallas, TX 75244
Phone: (214) 635-4772
Address: 6510 Abrams Rd Suite 100, Dallas, TX 75231
Phone: (214) 445-8833
Related Links
- PSA vs PYSA – which one should I choose?
- Recommended Dance classes for kids
- The Best Places to do Gymnastics for Kids in Collin County