Watching a child try something new for the first time is exciting until it isn’t.

That realization came while sitting in the bleachers at my daughter Aurora’s first cheer clinic. The free event was designed to introduce girls to the program before the season begins and the expectation was exactly what most parents probably imagine: a field full of children learning together, laughing through missed motions and figuring things out as they went.

Instead, it became clear within minutes that many of the girls weren’t really beginners at all.

Some ran to hug teammates they hadn’t seen since last season. Others slipped effortlessly into conversations that had obviously been going on for years. As coaches demonstrated cheers and motions, many knew what was coming next, raising their arms before instructions were even finished.

Then there was Aurora.

Every time the coaches showed a motion, her gaze immediately shifted to the girls beside her before she raised her own arms. She wasn’t ignoring the i…