I walk up to the beam. I’ve got this,in the bag! I thought. I thought. “Kelly?” The judge announces as I have a grin on my face as I salute. I get through my easy-peasy mount. Of course you make this I assumed. You always do. I step up to the end- and I whip my head back and fly off the beam like I had never even begun to train the skill before. I instantly know what the outcome will be-
A fall.
I plop off the beam- instantly getting that what-have-I-done feeling. I finished the rest of my beam routine without that passion and grin I had at first. I complete my stuck-dismount and solute the judge and walk off.
I am speechless.
“It’s ok… You couldn’t have saved it.” My coach said, trying to comfort me. I just wish I could have I said, in my head. I sat down, not able to say anything. “Get rid of the face” my coach said- as the often says to me when I get that pouty-face. I just wanted to curl into a ball and disappear.
When it all first happened, I felt such regret and hatred for myself, but now I realize falling is just all a learning experience, and it motivated me even more in the gym. I now realize that everyone makes mistakes- and I am no exeption. Since my incident, I had also wanted to win beam even more than I already did after claiming the silver medal at my first meet. This is why this is my favorite mistake.
Dearest Kelly. you have always been the best bouncer-backer I know. Your attitude is amazing! It is wise beyond your years to realize life lessons make us better at what matters to us.
Your dad and I are SO PROUD of you for who you are.
See you soon!
Love, Mom.
xoxoxooxxo
Kelly, you are a phenomenal gymnist, but maybe even a better writer. Regardless, I am so proud to call you my daughter that it’s difficult to put into words. People fall all the time. Out of love. Out of their dream world. Your fall is one that sooner or later had to happen. You do extremely risky, difficult things, and your double backflip [I know, that’s not the correct name] on the beam is not only something to visually behold, but something that probably less than one-tenth of one-tenth percent of people anywhere could even conceive, let alone do. You are wonderful, talented, and you have a life ahead of you filled with enough promise to overflow the Grand Canyon, and enough ability to conquer anything you could ever imagine. And yes, without a fall. You go girl!
I think it was a good piece and I like the detail, but I think it would have been better if there was more time of going through your head than you saying how easy it is.
Hey Kelly — back again! And it’s still snowing here. 🙂 Maybe soon you’ll have meandering tulips instead of blowing flakes.
I wrote you this poem a couple weeks back…
You know your skills.
You got the right stuff.
And whatever you do,
you’re always enough.
As to your amazing writing talent, I like how you emphasize certain points in short paragraphs, a technique that works well.
Big hugs to you now and always.
Mom
xoxo
Hi Kelly!
I’m Baylee and I’m a level 4 gymnast and I saw you post on the student blogging challenge about gymnastics mistakes and realized that I can related to what you have written about. So at my first gymnastics meet last year I got on the beam and did a great start all the way through until the very end on my dismount when I got nervous because I had recently not been doing my dismount right or accidentally doing the level 3 dismount instead! So me being wobbly went into a side handstand for my dismount and missed my far left hand on the beam and face planted right in front of the judges! It was so embarrassing! After that I quickly got right back up and stuck it the second time.
After doing that I saluted the judges acting like I was fine when really once I got to my seat with my team I felt like I wanted to cry.
What level gymnast are you?
Check out my blog where I also have posts about gymnastics at http://www.bayleehk.edublogs.org
~Baylee
Thanks Baylee for commenting on my blog first of all, it’s MUCH appreciated. Us gymnasts ESPECIALLY know the embarrassment of falling on our faces while everyone is cheering for you and watching you. Gymnastics is one of the hardest sports, and we fall pretty much every workout.
You have to have multiple skills fluently. Balance, courage, focus, endurance, strength, flexibility, are just some of the essential skills. It really is a hard sport! I know that’s is really hard falling REALLY embarrassingly when you’ve worked what feels like forever.
I had a really hard last season, because I fell on beam EVERY single time except the first meet. I even fell twice on the fourth meet! But then you look back at those times and admire how hard it was for you and how strong you were.
It’s especially hard when you haven’t been competing for very long, And trying not to cry when you feel like you’re going to explode of tears isn’t a very good experience, either… Just remember: there are always more meets ahead of you, and more chances to prove yourself!
Wishing you the best of luck, -Kelly (Level 7 BTW)