I am sharing this because I just learned a gymnastics life lesson. As a parent, one of the hardest things to watch is when your child struggles. My DD moved up to L8 this last year, and boy was it rough. Her confidence was whacked, she struggled with some skills, and was the youngest on the team trying to keep up the older girls. I was really worried about her, and concerned she might lose the love of a sport that has been in her life since she was 2. Very hard for mom to watch!
Fast forward through the season - and get to state. She had a terrible state! Fell on 2 events, but somehow just barely qualified for regionals. I thought she was going to be really upset, but something happened. First, she was just thrilled she made it to regionals! And then, she tells me, "Mom, I don't have to worry about anything anymore! There is nothing after regionals so I can just have fun!" And I tell her, yep, that's right! And scratched my head at her perspective. Little did I know what this meant.
So what happened - she had her best meet of the year at regionals. Bars was her highlight - during the season she was scoring low 8's and high 7's, and fell almost every, single, darn, meet. Regionals, I didn't know who she was - she nailed it (for her), and got a 9.35. Her other events went well too. And, ever since state at practice, she is all of a sudden working her L9 upgrades on beam, bars and floor (I am still scratching my head, she wasn't even close to thinking about working upgrades 2 months ago???) She wouldn't even do a flip flip on high beam this season, but now she has it and is now working switch leap back tuck on low beam??!. She is also flipping her vault by herself into the pit and on pit mats (she did a handspring this year during season). She is happy again - I chalk this all up to no stress.
I always say what a crazy sport. I also now know, don't worry, and don't stress, and quite frankly, just sit back, she's got this. Definitely a life lesson for mom.
Fast forward through the season - and get to state. She had a terrible state! Fell on 2 events, but somehow just barely qualified for regionals. I thought she was going to be really upset, but something happened. First, she was just thrilled she made it to regionals! And then, she tells me, "Mom, I don't have to worry about anything anymore! There is nothing after regionals so I can just have fun!" And I tell her, yep, that's right! And scratched my head at her perspective. Little did I know what this meant.
So what happened - she had her best meet of the year at regionals. Bars was her highlight - during the season she was scoring low 8's and high 7's, and fell almost every, single, darn, meet. Regionals, I didn't know who she was - she nailed it (for her), and got a 9.35. Her other events went well too. And, ever since state at practice, she is all of a sudden working her L9 upgrades on beam, bars and floor (I am still scratching my head, she wasn't even close to thinking about working upgrades 2 months ago???) She wouldn't even do a flip flip on high beam this season, but now she has it and is now working switch leap back tuck on low beam??!. She is also flipping her vault by herself into the pit and on pit mats (she did a handspring this year during season). She is happy again - I chalk this all up to no stress.
I always say what a crazy sport. I also now know, don't worry, and don't stress, and quite frankly, just sit back, she's got this. Definitely a life lesson for mom.