08/05/2026
Tuesday at 10am was the start of a new era at Cirque Athletics.
After years of coaching athletes ages 6–16, Stephen Pepin Clegg had the chance to coach our youngest crew in the Sprouts Program. Jack, Odin, Thea, and Phoenix showed up ready to move, play, and learn.
In one class we tackled Pencil Rolls, Forward Rolls, medicine ball front squats, “Coach Says,” obstacle courses, balance challenges, running backward, and team games built around listening, communication, and coordination.
To some people it looks like play. To a coach, it’s the foundation of athleticism.
Our goal isn’t to make a 4-year-old as strong as possible. Growth will handle that. Our job is to teach our athletes how: to move, to squat well before they squat heavy, to jump, climb, balance, rotate, adapt, and solve movement problems. Most importantly, we want them to discover that movement is fun!
Games have a purpose behind them. Obstacles teaches a lesson. Great coaching isn’t about keeping kids entertained it’s about building confidence, coordination, resilience, and a lifelong love of movement.
Athletic development doesn’t start with barbells or competition. It starts with learning to move well and believing your body is capable of incredible things.
If we can help kids love movement today, we give them a better chance of becoming healthy, confident adults tomorrow.
That’s a pretty incredible responsibility to have.
