Personal Narrative: Gymnastics

On my way to the competition, as I always have, I inserted my earbuds into my ears and watched as our car passed hundreds of trees. Every gymnastics meet created such a sickening feeling in my stomach and made my head spin. My father asked if I felt alright. I lied and told him I felt fine. I jokingly said that I only imagined myself at the top of the podium; a first place medal around my neck. My parents tried to encourage me to accomplish this. Therefore, they promised a stuffed animal and an ice cream cone if I won. I made a half-smile because I doubted myself too much. If only I knew what would soon happen to permanently change myself as a gymnast. When I arrived, all of my teammates crowded around me and pulled me into the gymnasium. Because we were competing at our ‘home meet’, a gymnastics competition at my team’s gymnasium, I felt more comfortable. After warm-up, I went to vault. I did not feel pleased with my score, but

I completed my floor routine with ease! It showcased my best event and I nailed it; however, bars really created the pressure. My coach for the event was Coach Alex, and the determination I felt to make him proud overwhelmed me. I loved all my coaches, but he stood out as someone very special. I knew I would miss his constant nagging at me. I approached the springboard, enveloped with chalk and trembling from head to toe. I hit the springboard with such power it jumped backwards. My hands felt like fire as I spun around the bars. My hands released the low bar and after an eternity, I felt the bar again, but by that time I grasped onto the high bar. Before I knew it, I had finished my last bar routine with a successful

I wouldn’t be in this place if it weren’t for gymnastics, I highly love gymnastics and It really makes me work hard for the things I want to happen!

My head was going crazy, I could barely think straight.I was off to a great start. I has stuck all my landings and I just need one more Tumbling pass to go, and if I had stuck it then I would qualify to Nationals. My brain was rushing super fast that it felt like I was off the floor.

I landed face first. As I collected the pile of papers scattered around me, I cringed and briskly glanced at the unfamiliar faces fixated on my every move below the narrow landing of the school stair case. I briefly questioned whether I was in a cliché high school film before I was brought back to the reality of my freshman year by a stranger who yelled at me to move so she could get to class. As I fumbled back up on my feet and trudged to my sixth period class, my thoughts lingered on the unsurprising nature of this turn of events. Only two weeks earlier I tumbled to the ground in the middle of a half marathon. This clumsiness was not a new development. My evident lack of coordination had loomed over me since childhood, memorialized by the

Have you ever been bullied for doing something you like? Early February 2013 my Mom and I were looking for new sports online. Then we found Spokane gymnastic I thought to myself “Oh, that sounds fun”. My Mom said to me “Next week we can go to check it out if you want to” as soon as she finished talking I said yes. Next week we went I was so happy when we were talking to the front desk lady at Spokane gymnastics she set up an appointment to see what level I am. I ended up being a level 4, I thought that was so amazing.

Wednesday, April 7th, 1994 started out like any other day, I was attending Jr. hHigh sSchool, in St. George Utah. As a I was a young 12 year old girl that was obsessed with gymnastics, I breathed it, studied it, and lioved it. Gymnastics was my Life.! I daydreamed about competing in front of hundreds of people, lights dimmed down, the spotlight right on me as I performed each skill I worked so hard at perfecting each day at practice. I would picture myself going over my routines, every step, every pose, each body positions, how I’d present myself, f . . . . everything. I wanted to be a college gymnast.

Football season just ended, meaning I had a couple weeks to recoup until my favorite season started--wrestling. Wrestling has run in the family for decades, each generation breaking a record or making it to state. With the few weeks to recoup, I picked up some extra hours at work. I clean at the local YMCA, so I don’t have much interaction with kids or anyone really, but I like it that way.

As soon as I get home, I call a family meeting. “Guess what? Ms. Taryn is bringing a couple of students to the World Ballet Championship, and she has invited me!”

We’d arrived at the stadium and we walked inside and took our rifle places and were seated. We drank plenty of water and eaten small portions of fruits so when it was our time to take the floor, we showed up and out. Time had passed and it was my time on the balance beam and I climb aboard. I began editing my small show as I heard the crowds cheering and my teammates cheering me on.

Once the hour was up, I headed up the stairs to find my team gathered together and stretching. I sat and joined the clutter of cheerleaders to stretch myself as well so I don’t get hurt during my performance. Our coach finally showed up and ordered us to huddle up around her. “Close your eyes,” she demanded. We all new exactly what this meant. I obeyed her orders and listened for her to turn on our music for the routine. “Ding Ding. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5…” I started counting and imagining every step and motion I take in the routine we are about to perform. After the 2 minutes and 30 seconds was up, I opened my eyes, Stood up with the rest of the squad, and followed our coach down to the practice area. We waited for our turn to warm up stunts. After about 5 minutes, one of the staff members instructed us that it was our turn in the dead mat. We had 6 minutes on each floor: stunts, then tumbling, then the big floor which is where we mark and run through our entire routine. Once done with all of that, we walked over, panting, to the drinking fountain and filled our plastic cup we were given with water. I threw away my cup and walked over to my coach, still trying to catch my breathe. The others joined and she gave us a pep talk. We all bowed our heads to pray, then got in our walk-in lines. I looked at the girl next to me,” We got this. It will all hit if you just believe in yourself and everyone

I walked into the gymnastics hall feeling so amazing and filled with determination. I got all warmed up and ready to perform which for me, at the time, was the most important time of my life. I suddenly felt this spurt of energy. I present, stepping forwards raising one hand. My eyes centring on the vault blocking everyone out around me. I sprint for my life, each step representing a next step in my life. I leap onto the springboard, propelling my self up into the air, and hitting my hands off the vault and flipping over 180 degrees to land with both feet. I didn 't fall out or take a step after I landed. That was my most successful vault I had ever performed.

Using my old experience and old habits I had become just as good or even better than before. As I was on the freshman team for gymnastics, I had brushed off the rustiness from the break that I had taken. Even though the sport is as not tough and rough as club, I still felt the rush that I did before. As I take the skills and lessons that I learned from club gymnastics, I still work just as hard and have just as much fun. As freshman year continued, I started to remember the habits and the reasons why I loved this sport. With a different coach and new teammates, I still felt at home. Jumping back onto the equipment was like riding a bike, even though I was a little rusty at first, I will always remember what was taught to me. Throughout freshman year I have improved and grown potential that I hope to apply later in life and later in gymnastics. I push for new skills and moves every day, but most importantly the sport makes me feel

“I've stuck the landing!” I said to myself. This is a moment that makes me feel proud about myself. It was the middle of March my 5th grade year , and I was really dedicated to gymnastics and dance. These classes consumed a lot of my time. I had always wanted to be on the St.Amant Middle School Dance Team but didn't realize that gymnastics and dance would interfere with each other. When I told most of my friends that I wanted to try out , they warned me about the amount of practices that I will have to attend. My mom knew this and keyed telling me “You can’t do both so you'll have to choose”.

“Jazmyn, Jazmyn, it's your time to shine.My coach shouted as I walked on the stage to cheer me on. With all the courage I could muster, I climbed on the balance beam into a handstand. The audience roared with excitement. My heart is thundering in my chest feeling like it was going to burst.