From Episode 40 with Coach Bryce Kirkley
Are Cheer Tumbling Private Lessons Worth It? Questions Parents Can Ask
By Cheer Dads Unfiltered
A private lesson is an opportunity to focus on one athlete's development. The useful question isn't whether privates are good or bad — it's what your athlete actually gets from that time.
In Episode 40, tumbling coach Bryce Kirkley of Tumble Whisper described the value of one-on-one attention, creative drills and a coach who adapts to the athlete in front of them. Here are the questions that perspective suggests parents ask.
Ask what this lesson is for
Ask the coach what they're working on, why it fits your athlete right now, and how you'll recognize progress even if the named skill takes time.
It helps to know which kind of lesson you're paying for: cleaning a skill the athlete already has, exploring an appropriate next step, or working through a specific obstacle. And individual development is a different goal from preparing a team routine — both are valid, but they aren't the same thing.
Look for communication and adaptation
Coach Bryce encourages parents to notice whether the coach is engaged throughout, uses drills that fit the athlete, and changes the approach when something gets stuck.
Any timeframes for reassessing a skill are a coach's judgment for a specific athlete — not universal progression deadlines. A simple check-in after a few sessions keeps everyone honest:
- What has improved?
- What remains difficult?
- What will we try next?
Understand the work between lessons
Coach-assigned follow-up and filming can help an athlete see a correction they can't feel yet. Ask what's appropriate, where it should happen, and whether your athlete should share video with the coach.
The parent's role is to reinforce the agreed, safe plan — not to invent tumbling drills at home or add technical corrections of your own.
Keep the athlete in the conversation
Weigh your athlete's goals, confidence, sense of ownership and willingness alongside the family budget. More privates don't guarantee faster progress, and they don't replace a gym's team program.
Check your gym's policy on outside coaching, and keep communication between the private coach and the gym respectful so your athlete isn't caught between conflicting cues.
Hear Coach Bryce's full perspective in Episode 40, meet Coach Bryce Kirkley, or explore the Tumbling & Skills hub.
