It was a big day for me. I was 10 years old, anxiously waiting for my first gymnastics meet to start. I was a level 5, right at the bottom of the gymnastics hierarchy. Nonetheless, this day was important to me. I finished in first place, taking home the gold all around medal. When I got home, I placed my medal on a hook of my bedroom wall. Competition after competition, my only concern became the number of gold medals I would obtain. As I grew older and progressed in gymnastics, I slowly crept down the podium. At every competition, exceptionally talented gymnasts dominated. Inspired by their effortless, beautiful routines, I went back to the gym and practiced. On a Monday afternoon, I was at gymnastics practice, where you would …show more content…
One week later, there was no sign of progress. A month followed, and another, and another. Morose and losing hope, the thought of never doing gymnastics again became a realistic fear. Day after wretched day, I laid sulking in my room, watching the medals on my shelf …show more content…
Slowly, my confidence began to develop, and I began preparing for my first level 10 competition. A once daunting routine became a casual walk in the park. A once impossible rope climb became an effortless task. When competition day eventually came, I woke up before the sun. My hair was meticulously braided into a perfectly tight ponytail, and and my warm-up jacket was lipped on without a wrinkle. Some of the most renowned gymnasts in the country filled the venue. I look around, and start to imagine myself on each of the events. I start to reminisce about the last time I was here. Two years ago, I was here, oblivious I was about to complete a meet that was thought to be my last, until today. Floor was our first rotation. Considering my last practice, I had only about a 50% chance of completing my routine with zero falls. As I tried to disregard the undesirable statistics, I solute to the judges, and I prepare for my routine. I hear the all-too-familiar beats of my music and I think about what could happen in the next few seconds. I run into my first tumbling pass, and adrenaline shoots me into the air. I land my first pass almost flawlessly. “Ok,” I thought. “Almost done.” Once again, with the help of adrenaline, I complete my second pass without a problem. “My first level 10 floor routine is almost over!” I start celebrating. I begin my third and final pass; a one and a half front twist. I prepare myself, then start
Fraser, Allen. “What a great gymnastics movie should be.” The New Yorker. conde Nast, n.d. May. 17 Feb. 2014
It started on one brisk morning that I had been waiting for throughout the entire summer. The day I will receive my first pair of pointe shoes. Today is the day I will dance en pointe for the first time. After what seemed like an eternity when we finally arrived at Patterson’s, the place where I will become a true ballerina.
“Being in such an intense sport, surrounded by people in the same boat as me, has really brought me closer to my team. We get to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses.” They push her to become the best gymnast she can be; she describes her team as a family. They cheer each other on and are the biggest support system to make her better. Being around the same group of people nearly every day through their struggles and successes has really brought the athletes of the Classic closer together.
Have you ever wanted to know what an Olympic gymnast’s life was like before all of the fame? You will now because I chose Shawn Johnson. In this paper I hope to tell you about her energetic childhood and teen years that lead her to the Olympics, the 2008 summer Olympics, and the reason she retired.
When we first arrived I’d thought we’d taken a wrong turn and went to a traveling gypsy convention by mistake. The whole field outside the school was filled with tents of various sizes and colors. 200 wrestlers, about thirty of which were girls, filtered about the area. As my soon-to-be teammates and I headed to the first practice, anxiety gnawed at my stomach like a dog with a bone (FL). I wanted to impress everybody, and prove that I could make it in this sport. Before we started, the coach patted me on the shoulder. “I’ve got your back all right.” he told me. I smiled and nodded. At least one person was looking out for me.
Then by the next morning it was back to business and all seriousness, training for the upcoming competitions, which were very competitive, everyone wanted to place that day. Which means either gold, silver or bronze
Gymnastics was first used in Ancient Greece. The ability of gymnastics was used by men to get ready for war. By using this idea to get ready for war, it facilitated the bodily development through a series of exercises (Strauss, Michael). Gymnastics was a highly valued attribute in Ancient Greece for many years. Also, it was mandatory for all students and children to learn the sport of gymnastics. Using the sport of gymnastics in gym class helped all children become more active and more fit. Eventually, gymnastics was developed into schools. It was taught and perfected to all students. This also helped young boys to get ready for when they grow up and have to use it to get ready for war.
Fourteen years of my life. Fifty two weeks of my year. Five days of my week. Four hours of my day. This is what I have given to the sport of gymnastics. Friday night football games. After school clubs. Sleeping in on the weekend. This is what I have sacrificed in pursuit of my passion. Perseverance against adversity. Dedication throughout hardships. Discipline in body and mind. These are the qualities this sport has engraved into my being. There is not a time I can remember when I was not involved in gymnastics. When I reflect on the milestones of my life I don’t reminisce on the loss of my first tooth or a move to a new house, but instead I recall my first trip to nationals and mastering my back tuck. Gymnastics is the foundation of who I
I had gone to practice, and was proud of my determination. That day, it was bitter cold and the players of all the teams were huddled together, shivering. I remember this day so vividly because it was the first time I placed in a competition. The sky was cloudy and you could sense the humidity. The ground was wet from the night before, everyone despised this setting. The booster club had brought Gatorade, water and protein bars for us and placed them in front of the bleachers. Athletes were already warming up, their faces getting red from the cold. Anxiety starts to set in but it feels good. I started killing time and hung out in the restrooms because it was warm in there. It was time. I started getting ready, put on my spikes, and ran two laps around the track. I stretched and was ready. The announcers broadcasted that the pole vaulters needed to get in place and I quickly met up with my team. I took off my sweats and revealed the skin tight uniform underneath. I was organized to be the fifth person to go. When they were ready for me, I started my routine and was impervious. I set a personal record of five feet, six inches. While that might be a small victory to others, I was on top of the world. My next goal was to beat it and eventually I
Ever since the previous season I had my standards set high. I had placed fifth, which was all right for the time being, but I knew as time went on I needed to push myself and increase my level of wrestling. I decided that I would do whatever it took, through thick and thin. I traveled to small local tournaments in Colorado, and a couple out-of-state tournaments, I even traveled to Delaware. It didn't really matter how I did at these tournaments because it was just all practice until February. So, I lifted and wrestled just about every chance I got. It was all in preparation for one match, six minutes.
The start of the 2002 track season found me concerned with how I would perform. After a disastrous bout with mononucleosis ended my freshmen track season, the fear of failure weighed heavily on my mind. I set a goal for myself in order to maintain focus and to push myself like nothing else would. My goal for my sophomore track season was to become a state champion in the 100 meter hurdles. I worked hard everyday at practice and went the extra mile, like running every Sunday, to be just that much closer to reaching my goal. The thought of standing highest on the podium in the center of the field, surrounded by hundreds of spectators, overcame my thoughts of complaining every time we had a hard workout. When I closed my eyes, I pictured myself waiting in anticipation as other competitors names were called out, one by one, until finally, the booming voice announced over the loudspeaker, "...and in first place, your 2002 100 meter hurdle champion, from Hotchkiss, Connie Dawson." It was visions like these that drove me to work harder everyday.
“Today can be the day of my first wrestling match, I absolutely hope I win , what if I don't and It's embarrassing? I’m overthinking it, I’ll be fine, I just need to use the knowledge and skills I’ve learned from the past couple months.” I thought to myself as I walked to my sixth period class which was wrestling. It was the third week into the wrestling season and the first two league duels I defaulted because there was no one in my weight class.
At last we had brought all our practicing skills into work at the final stages. After working hard for three solid months it all paid off, the competing mat was beneath our feet. It was as if I could almost hear the girl?s hearts thumping before we walked onto the mat. I couldn?t stop smiling, I had the biggest grin on my face as if I were the cat who just ate the canary. Only when I thought that was enough, my facial expressions were amazing, all the nights I spent in front of the mirror or watching my self through the reflection of the glass door in my kitchen. It?s hard to go first because watching all the other teams compete makes you think, how did I do?
The sun was bright and sunny that April morning, Florida seemed to always start spring right. It was my first time in Florida and Walt Disney World. I liked the weather and, most of all I was happy to be there to cheer. As a senior in high school, it was my last year to cheer with the girls I have cheered with since I was seven, and if that was not enough it was my last year on an all-girl team. I was going to attend Florida State University in the fall of 2004 and cheer on a co-ed team. The Florida State University coach and the high school coach were there to see me perform. By the morning of the competition, I was ready to prove myself to the coaches and my team. We crammed into an old school bus to ride us to the competition at Walt Disney World.
I am forever grateful for the lessons I learnt, the people I met, the experience I gained and I now know what true love is. Gymnastics has made me into the person I am today. When something scares me I know how to conquer my fears, I know how to set goals, to deal with disappointment and I will always keep the leotards and tracksuits as memorabilia of a very special time in my life. I am not a quitter, I have left a