Gymnastics

These pics were taken a couple of days ago. Its winter here. Like, mid-winter. We’d been skiing a few days before. But a lovely mild 16 degree day had the kid outside playing like it was summer.

Gymnastics is the kids thing. It has been for a while but it’s definitely becoming a true passion. I think its a great sport for kids. It teaches them to be tough and determined. To set goals and develop resilience and grit.
She is not a natural born gymnast. She doesn’t have innate bravery, isn’t tiny and strong or have fast muscle twitch. But what she lacks in all those things she makes up for in dedication. She doesn’t get that from me, at her age I was definitely a quitter!

At the end of last year she got her vault that she’s competing this year. Unfortunately she nailed her foot on the beat-board quite hard and cut it at competition. She went on to do another pass and managed a score-able vault but it knocked her nerves. It’s not a particularly difficult vault, but it does requite confidence as well as technique.

For months and months she struggled. Her wonderful coach tried pushing through, breaking it down, drills, shapes, spotting. But the vault was gone. The technique was ok. The brain was not.

There is a saying in the gym. “Trust the Process”. And its hard. When you can see your child tense and scared and not quite sure how to own or overcome those feelings. The desire to dash in and ‘fix’ it is almost overwhelming. The thing is you cannot ‘fix’ mental blocks. You can only offer support and encouragement as they work through them.

Her coach took all the pressure off. We aimed to enjoy the break between terms. A chance to try parkour and flipping on mini tramps at a holiday programme. To relax for a couple of weeks with no school or commitments. She played, had fun. And at her holiday session with her awesome coach the vault was back.

Her goal for the last part of this year is to be confident, strong and tight enough to get into the higher competitive programme next year. She’s got her eye on her goal and a coach who believes in her dedication to try.

Trust the Process. I think that may be that’s a lesson for life?