When parents think about their child moving up a cheerleading level, it’s natural to wonder: “Why does this take so long?” The truth is, preparing to join a new level often takes more than just one season, it can take a year (or more) of focused training.

At Infinity, we want children to enter their new level already confident with their tumbling and with an understanding of the new stunts they’ll be competing. This preparation not only helps them succeed but also ensures the whole team can progress safely and consistently.

Why Stunt Preparation Matters

Stunts are one of the most exciting (and challenging) parts of cheerleading. To help athletes be ready, there are two main pathways:

Academy Teams – Our Academy program gives athletes a full year to learn the basic grips, positions, and concepts of the next level. By the time they move up, they already have a strong foundation.
Becoming Reliable in Their Current Team – If Academy isn’t an option, the best preparation is being a dependable stunter in their current level. That means being the flyer, base, or backspot who always knows their grips and counts and can be trusted to keep stunts in the air. Parents can support this by encouraging attendance at Open Gyms and workshops, where athletes get more practice and exposure to new skills.

Why Tumbling Takes Time

Tumbling is the most individual part of cheerleading, but it’s also essential for the success of the team. By the time athletes move up, they need to be able to perform the required tumbling with:

Strong technique and confidence
Good timing with music and counts
The ability to stay in sync with their group on the competition floor

Our tumbling classes are carefully structured so each level builds on the last. Skipping steps can create “gaps” in an athlete’s progression, which eventually leads to frustration or even roadblocks in learning more advanced skills.

What If My Child Isn’t Ready Yet?

Don’t worry, progress looks different for every athlete, and there’s still time. Parents can support their child by encouraging:

Private lessons and Tumble Club for focused, individual progress
Mastering current skills before moving up, rather than rushing ahead

Every skill is like a puzzle piece, and missing one can make it harder to complete the picture later. Our approach ensures athletes build the full puzzle piece by piece, which prevents setbacks and burnout.

How You Can Track Progress

We offer Tumble Assessment Days each term. These provide a detailed report card showing exactly what skills an athlete needs to move up.

If you can’t make the scheduled day, or want feedback sooner, you can request a written Tumble Assessment Report during a private lesson with Lauren, Caitlyn, or Emma. This way, you’ll always know what your child should be focusing on next.

At the end of this blog, we’ve included:

A list of the skills required to pass each Tumble Class Level
A list of the tumbling requirements for Elite Team Levels

The Bottom Line for Parents

Moving up a cheerleading level is a journey, not a sprint. It’s normal for this process to take more than a year. By focusing on foundations, consistency, and gradual skill-building, your child will not only reach their goals but also develop confidence, resilience, and a love for the sport that lasts.

Here’s some quick points that summarise how you can best support your child through the process:

Be patient with progress – Moving up takes time, and that’s normal.
Encourage consistency – Regular class attendance, plus Open Gyms or workshops, makes a big difference.
Focus on foundations – Celebrate the small wins like perfecting grips, counts, or a clean tumbling pass.
Consider extras – Privates and Tumble Club can give your child an extra boost.
Stay informed – Use Tumble Assessment Days (or written reports) to clearly understand what skills your child is working toward.

Your support and encouragement are what help athletes thrive, not just in cheer, but in confidence and resilience too.

We hope this blogs help you understand better as to what our expectations are and how you can align and achieve your goals. If you have any questions at all, please reach out to your child’s coach.