Off to the State Meet

This is the weekend that my gymnasts have been working towards all year – it is the state championship competition. For many of them, this will be the biggest competition they have ever been in. The competition is large and has to be held at a University so that there is ample room for parents, competitors and a generally good experience.

One of the most rewarding aspects of coaching, in my opinion, is watching these girls go from being recreational class students to “real” gymnasts in a year. They grow so much physically, mentally and in self confidence the first year that they compete. It is such a cool transformation to be a part of.

For many of the girls, this will be like a graduation ceremony of sorts as they move up to the next level after this competition. I always look at it with a tinge of sadness as I will no longer coach them. But there is always the excitement of what my next group will hold.

Here are just a few things that the girls learn the first year:

• Gymnastics is hard work
• But hard work leads to success and that is fun.
• Everyone makes mistakes
• But that is okay, because we were not born perfect.
• Sometimes you have to fall down in order to progress forward
• And you may have to fall down a lot.
• Success is more fun when you have team mates to share the experience with.
• Muscles are cool – especially when it comes to fitness testing at school and you beat all the boys in your class at chin ups.
• The more you perform, the easier it gets.

So wish us luck as we venture off to my favorite weekend of the year!

PS – Yes, that is my daughter in the photo. She is competing this weekend, too. It is a bittersweet weekend for me as this will be the last competition I coach her in. (But that is a post of its own one day)