Social Skills and Personal Goals

Hey everyone,
So today we experienced a first in our home. The Munchkin Princess brought home a friend from school. Okay, don't get me wrong, it's not like she has never had friends at the house before. She just has never really sought out other kids to bring them home on her own. Usually the socializing in our home is at the hands of birthday parties or other such events. Before gymnastics when she was around 5 or 6 she had a tendency to become "friends" with the girls in class who more or less told her that they were friends. You know the sassy pants, bossy, almost mean girls. (They were still too young to really be mean) I worried that she would get pushed around or negatively influenced by the girls she kept ending up friends with at school. But after joining gymnastics and becoming more and more self-assured she has become rather discerning in her selection of people that she actually calls her friends. Now The Munchkin Princess is expressing desires for a...wait for it......Best friend. (I blame too many B.F.F. Disney movies, but I digress) This is a lot of pressure for me because I know that we have at least one more move before our family really sets roots and settles in somewhere and children often gain friends through their parent's friends and that just hasn't been possible for our daughter. You see, being an only child to young parents kind of puts you in an isolated demographic, especially in our area of town. I am grateful that gymnastics has really ushered her into herself by socially grooming her for peer interaction and giving her the platform that she needs to continue to grow into the little butterfly that she has always been. Just generally  in life I know she will...
Fly High and Stick It

...It's like conducting an orchestra

Hi everyone,
So the last couple of weeks I have been trying to balance being present for The Munchkin Princess' practices, but still taking the time that I need for myself and getting in a workout. Boy I tell you, this is definitely a balancing act. But so far so good; that is, until her Summer training schedule starts. I don't even know how I'm going to get her to the gym on time all four days out of the week, let alone how I'm going to weasel my own time in there. But a way is always made for us, especially when it's the agenda of The Munchkin Princess. So mentally I am preparing for 16 hours a week to become our routine.

The Word/Phrase of the day:
Carpool - An arrangement among people to make a regular journey in a single vehicle, typically with each person taking turns to drive the others.

Maybe we can find someone to help ease each others transportation burdens. Until next time....
Fly High & Stick It Ya'll

Leveling Up?

Happy Monday Ya'll!
So today I had a meeting with The Munchkin Princess' new coaches for the Summer. She has been selected to train wit the next level above her in preparation for training at a higher level in the Fall. Just to explain things a little there are some level name changes happening this Fall during competition season nationally. So all of the girls currently training on the Level 4 team will be competing on the "new" Level 3 come Fall. It will still be all the same skills expected of the old Level 4 but because USAG is doing away with Level 1 all of the other skill levels and being bumped down a level in terms of their names.
So, The Munchkin Princess is being groomed to skip competing at Level 3 in the Fall and jump right into Level 4 competitions. This is really exciting for all of us. It also will be a big adjustment for all of us. This level increase will demand more time, money, and energy from the whole family. But I know we will make it happen and our little star is going to shine. I am beyond proud and I know that even though being put into the new training group for the Summer doesn't guarantee she will actually end up competing at Level 4 in the Fall; she will be step up to the challenge and do beautifully. Because after all it's her love and she has nothing else expected of her but to do her best and her best has prove to be amazing. Here's to recognized talent and being given the chance to grow.
Fly High and Stick It Ya'll

Your word/phrase of the day (this one The Munchkin Princess is working on):
Kip - a kip is a basic skill on the women's uneven bars. The kip is an important skill that is used as both a mount and an element or connecting skill in a bar routine. The kip allows the gymnast to swing below the bar to arrive in a front support on the bar. From the front support, the gymnast may then perform any number of skills. The glide kip is the most commonly used mount on the women's uneven bars.

She says it's her job....

Back from the weekend and I'm excited to report that the Summer training schedule will be out in a few days. This means a LOT to parents (and grandparents) because it allows us to begin planning. Almost certainly means longer hours in the gym for The Munchkin Princess and fewer days with the grandparents over the break. Sad for the grandparents but this is the nature of the beast if she is going to compete. Maybe grandparents will come visit us for a couple of weeks during the Summers instead so that they can spend time together without her missing training. Honestly, that may workout to be the best bet for us after this Summer. 

Amazingly enough The Munchkin Princess has little complaints about having to cut her visits short. She has just made extensive lists of things to do in a condensed span of time. Her approach is, "Gymnastics is my job, just like school. I love gymnastics and it is going to make us rich one day. So, I don't mind working hard at it." These are the words of my 9 year old child and if more adults (myself included) had her focus and drive this world (My world) would be so different. Well if her job is to succeed at school and gymnastics then my job is to lay the pavement for her to travel as smoothly along as possible. With my baby being awarded Gymnast of the Month for March and now being evaluated to potentially move up to Level 5 I will strive to make her only worries be how to master her next skill. 

Out of the mouth of babes the truth shall be spoken, Fly High and Stick It!

Your gymnastics word/phrase for today:

Balance Beam - (This event gives me the most anxiety at the moment)

ust four inches wide, the balance beam challenges gymnasts because they must execute routines that give the impression that they are performing on the floor. The world’s best seem to “attack” the beam and are very confident while demonstrating excellent height, flexibility and power.

New skills Unfolding!

Happy Monday All,
So last week The Munchkin Princess officially acquired a new skill. I am so excited for her, she was absolutely beaming after "proving" her punch front. When a gymnast has a new skill, before they can have it officially recognized they practice it a few times and then they ring the bell. When the new skill bell is rang the whole gym stops moving and all of the gymnasts chant "Hey hey what do you have today?" the gymnast with the new skill responds (in this case) "Punch Front" then the gym responds "Prove it!" and the gymnasts shows their new skill. And my baby did it, she threw that Punch Front big and with confidence and beamed a great grin when she stuck it. Unfortunately I missed her prove it moment (toddler parents and tiny gymnasts in the way) but I did see her Punch Front today and it was exactly the same way that her coach described it to me. Her coach and I were discussing how before that day she had never even really given a that particular skill a solid try, but she some how managed to make it powerful and as large as if she had been practicing it for months. I think she has the same physical abilities as her father, to slow movements down in her mind until she is able to analyse them well enough to understand how they relate to her own body. Gymnastics is her physical gift just as stepping, popping and locking are her father's physical gift. How amazing are they and how fortunate am I?

Your  Gymnastics Term for the week:
Punch Front - A front flip with take-off from two feet. Usually done out of other tumbling elements Forward moving flip punching off both feet.
(The first move in this clip is a the actual punch front, I keep trying to get decent video here but the view is rarely ever clear)

Gymnast of the Month!!

Happy Monday!
So my daughter's coach approached me after practice today and told me that The Munchkin Princess has been selected as gymnast of the month for March! I am so proud, because this is not one of those "everyone gets a turn" awards. These girls have to earn this honor with their work ethic, dedication, positive attitudes, sense of team and sportsmanship. Again, I say that I try my best to be realistic and objective when it comes to my child so that I don't place unattainable expectations on her. So when I said before that she amazed me with her passion and drive; apparently I was not the only one noticing. She doesn't know that she is getting this award yet. Her coach is planning on surprising her with it. I have to send a picture to the gym on Wednesday and fill out a little personal survey about her for the poster. When she receives her award I will post her picture and share her reactions. I truly am so blessed to have such an amazing little person. And to think half of her is Me... well maybe a little more than half. Haha

I'm off to find the perfect little picture to give the coach for her poster. Fly high and Stick it Ya'll!

Summer Camps & Sleepaway

Happy Monday...I Guess,
So with the end of the school year quickly approaching we are quickly making plans for Summer vacation arrangements. This will be the first year in awhile that The Munchkin Princess will have to cut her grandparent visits short. Mostly because she is expected to be back in the gym training at least a couple of weeks before her competitions begin in August. So June will be dedicated to grandparents and July will be dedicated to training as much as possible without going overboard. But then that brings to question gymnastics camps. There is an overnight camp that a few of the girls on her team will be attending, but they will all be going during the last week of June (grandparents' time) and I am a bit apprehensive about leaving The Munchkin Princess at an old ranch that doesn't allow parents to see practices. She maybe ready, but I am not. Plus the camp that these girls are planning on attending is the Karolyis Camp in Houston and yes he is a world renowned gymnastics coach who has trained amazing athletes, but I am not a fan of his technique. And I am not keen on the idea of paying for a camp with his name on it and he won't even be on the ranch grounds. I would much rather start with day camps in search of facilities that trust and then move into overnight camps rather than pick one with a "Big Coach's" name attached to it and drop her off hoping it's worth the time and money. Don't get me wrong I think overnight camp will really pay off for her and relatively soon. but this year is not the year. I need more time to do more research in order to really understand what is actually worth $500-$1500 for 3-7 days of intensive workshops. I also know that I am a little envious at the thought that my child will eventually be attending sleep away camps like I always wanted to as a child. I am so proud that my husband and I work together as a team to be able to provide the things that we always dreamed about as children, praised to The Most High.

Your Gymnastics Terminology for today's post is:
WOGA - World Olympic Gymnastics Academy
This is a training facility located in Frisco, TX that offers recreational and competitive training camps for children.

Show and Tell

Last week was fairly uneventful, aside from a little fall that resulted in a tender shoulder for about 24 hours. I think the biggest moment was the realization that my husband does not get the chance to see the new skills that The Munchkin Princess gains each week as she works so hard. He works into the evenings and goes to school afterward in the middle of the week. So the only time he is able to observe training is on Fridays, but those are conditioning days so nothing spectacular happens for my husband to see. With the way that the gym is set up I can't even take home clear video for him to see the new skills that are developing. But her skills are indeed coming along wonderfully. We now have a solid front flip dismount off the balance beam, back walk-over on the balance beam, and an ever improving back tuck from a back hand-spring. Blisters, rips, scraped toes, bruised shoulders, and sore legs The Munchkin Princess pushes through day after day ready to work. Rarely asking for time off and always ready to sweat as long as she knows she gets to eat afterwards. Haha
I feel privileged to be able to watch her Fly High and Stick It, even if my view is obstructed at times.

Your word for the day:
DismountTo leave an apparatus at the end of a routine; usually done with a difficult twist or salto. 

Feeding the Beast

Hey Ya'll,
Spring Break is over and we are back to our regularly scheduled programs here in our home. Having The Munchkin Princess home everyday really shed light on just how much this child of mine eats these days. Of course I knew that on average she eats practically on a schedule, I mean I pack her lunch bag full everyday for goodness sake. But to watch her actually eat every 2-3 hours as long as she is awake is just short of amazing. Fortunately for all of us I am not afraid of my kitchen. I love to cook and believe in feeding my child homemade meals much more often than anything else. I had to make sure that there were easy to reach wholesome snacks ready for her at all times. Though, at one point I desperately needed to go grocery shopping and you would have thought I was killing the child because her options were limited. It seemed the days after training she was at her most ravenous, demolishing as much as she could reach, in between handstands and extended wheel poses of course. All of the fruit in our house didn't even last the week before I had to purchase another week's worth. Good thing I don't buy many processed foods to keep about the house or she would have given herself a stomach ache, an eczema flare, and a heavy butt to boot.
According to the Children's Nutrition Research Center because The Munchkin Princess is so active she requires nearly 2300 calories in order to maintain optimal energy levels. That is nearly twice as much as I am consuming right now as I try to shed some pounds. Sweet baby Jesus in the manger! No wonder this kid of mine is always hungry. Do you know how much a person has to eat (in clean whole food) in order to meet the type of caloric demand? Basically, my child should be eating as much as her adult father to stay well fueled. Wow, with that the word for the day is:

Meal-Planning:
Grocery shopping with complete meals in mind. Spending a single day chopping and organizing meals to have available for quick assembly on at time of planned consumption. It's the only way that I am able to meet the demands of the beastly belly that is my child's stomach.

Injuries & Boo Boos

Hey out there!
This week is Spring Break for us and that translates into more gym time. Which I am not absolutely confined to a desk in order to work. So 4 by 3 it is this week (4 hours 3 days a week). Monday The Munchkin Princess showed me her hand after practice and of course there was a fairly large (maybe the size of a bean), very red blister at the top of the palm of her hand. This is not uncommon for gymnasts, unfortunately the uneven bars are not very kind to tender fleshed hands. I have not decided what tactic I am going to take with this specific injury but another parent was telling me that they choose to vigorously rub the blister with a alcohol soaked cotton ball to encourage it to burst and then heal more quickly. This approach creates callouses, which does mean that blisters are less likely to occur in the area. But it also means that the hands will feel as though you grew up slapping bricks for fun. Hmm, what is more important though hands worth holding or blisters that won't so readily return? But even beyond that, I don't know if I have the heart to cause more pain than necessary to my child. Think about it: an already tender wound being forcibly scoured with rubbing alcohol? I can just see my child crying and not wanting to talk to me for the rest of the evening. I am  more than sure that she would tell my parents on me. And that would open up a whole other point of pain. LOL
I am sure that there has to be a more....humane way of handling palm blisters training the skin to "toughen" up a bit. According to this article on blisters and rips, tea tree oil helps heal and I should decide is I want to let it heal on its own or drain it. That I am sure I can handle. It's not that I am squeamish about injuries or my child being in pain, but I definitely don't want to cause her any unnecessary amount pain just because I was too lazy to research a better way. Old school isn't always the best school. I do have tea tree oil and coated gauze pads at home so tonight we shall play medic and it the boo boo better.
Take care of any wounds quickly and carefully so you can fly high and stick it ya'll

Word for today:
Rip - The partial or complete tearing of the skin on the palms of the hands. Rips are different from blisters in that, blisters are not yet open wounds and are filled with fluid. These wounds most often come from an increase in bar practice or improper care of old callouses.  

Back in Action!

Thank goodness!
Everyone is feeling better, kicking butt, and taking names this week. Apparently it was nothing serious for The Munchkin Princess just a unruly case of allergies. Got to love Austin the allergy riddled live-music capital of the world. So I'm thinking I have passed on my specific allergies to the little one. Oops. Well, now I know what to expect at different times of the year and how to help the lovely survive. Hmm, maybe living by the ocean will help us out...Yea, in my dreams.

This week in the wonderful world of gymnastics we are preparing for Spring Break next week. It looks like the girls will be adding 3 extra hours to their regimen next week to take full advantage to not having school to slow them down. So during the break we will be in the gym 3 days out of the week for 4 hours each day. I'm sure The Munchkin Princess will love it, but I may have to take breaks and leave the building because my behind cannot take 4 straight hours in these terrible metal folding chairs.

As I sit here watching my daughter learn basic form for the vault I find myself wondering "Just how quickly do these girls generally tend to progress?" and "How far behind is she really?" From what I have learned it is common for gymnasts to have to repeat a level for another year based on the coach's evaluation of their strengths and weaknesses, just like in school. Even Jordyn Wieber 2012 Olympic gymnast stayed in Level 5 for an extra season according to her mother. So how does a gymnast stay on track and progress appropriately without being rushed and potentially injured? Also, looking at the USA Gymnastics guidelines and age requirements makes me feel as though there are thousands of children in this country beginning their competitive careers as gymnasts very early. There is a Talent Opportunity Program specifically designed to scout girls between the ages of 7-10 years old. This is done on a state wide level initially and then can progress to a national training camp opportunity. Which leads me to wonder even more "Exactly what skills are expected of a 7 year old gymnast so that she may be invited to a national training camp?" Are we behind the curve in this sport to make it to the Elite team by high school? Or maybe now that her training regimen is designed for competitive progression she will steadily climb the ranks? Either way I do know that the Elite team and in particular the Olympic team are not the be all and end all of gymnastics. There are a number of highly prestigious universities with amazing gymnastics programs that actually offer full scholarships. There are always options and I intend to keep as many of them open for my baby for as long as possible.

Our word(s) for tonight:
TOPs Physical Ability requirements - Gymnasts must be able to complete the rope climb with legs held straight out, complete press handstand, leg lifts, demonstrate leg flexibility, and hold handstands for a minimum of 30 seconds. 7-10 year old girls

With the right direction and drive anything can be done, so I'm going to sit and watch The Munchkin Princess fly high and stick in her dream. Night all

Even When in Beast Mode Getting Sick is Possible

Hey Everyone,
The Munchkin Princess isn't feeling all that well today so she opted to not go to practice. Which translates into she REALLY isn't feeling well.
But she did manage to work in a Floor/Tumbling clinic this past Saturday and successfully threw her back handspring into a handstand and back tuck. (That is what she was working on with the props in the video)
She landed it without a spot and on the mats instead of on the trampoline. Unfortunately they were practicing on the other side of the gym from where I was so no pictures or video this time. The new gym is set-up where the younger gymnasts practice up front near the observation windows for the parents to have a good view. But what that means for me is that my Munchkin Princess practices further away from where I can get a clear view of her while she trains, but I'm hoping to be able to get some good footage soon. Even if it is just a quick moment of her throwing a new stunt.
Since 2/3 of the family are not feeling well I will keep this post short and call it a night early.

Your word for today is:
CompositionThe structure of a gymnastics routine. Each individual movement or skill is a building block; the arrangement of the moves in the exercise is called the composition of the routine.

Proper Attire

Well Hello,
Okay, just to bring you all up to speed....every team in the gym has their own "Communication Box". This is where the coaches/office/etc leave notes in the folder labeled with your gymnast's name in a box labeled for the team your gymnast is on. Well last week there was a note in everyone's folder reminding parents (and gymnasts) that trunks are required to be worn under leotards at all times. This is required for both practice and competition. The first time (this Fall before leveling up) my daughter mentioned her coach saying she needed some trunks my first question was, "What in the world are trunks?" Apparently they are what I used to call bloomers. You know, the little matching underpants for cheerleaders and dancers? Well unbeknownst to me gymnasts wear these under their leotards as well. It seems as though the ones worn by gymnasts tend to be made with more spandex and less material overall than cheerleader bloomers. I get it, they should wear undergarments and in a time of competition they should all be uniform. But during practice can't I just get her to wear black panties and keep it moving? Dang! I have to pay anywhere from $6 (on clearance) to $18 (in the gym shop) for a single pair of trunks to be worn in practice! No one has made any mention of color restrictions as of yet and online there is an entire rainbow of assorted trunk colors. However, since the gym shop only sells Black and Nude I chose to bulk purchase a stack of black and nude trunks online (on clearance...score!) in hopes that they are at least similar to the ones sold in the gym.
When the Fall comes around and it's time for the team to compete, I will gladly purchase the exact pair of trunks assigned to match her team leotards, but until then.... It's just practice and as long as she is comfortable there shouldn't be a problem.


Our word/phase for today is: Training Camp
Training camp is presented as an intensive training opportunity to focus on a specific skill of a set amount of time. Shorter training sessions are often called clinics.

This coming weekend we will be taking part in a Balance Beam Clinic. It's going to be great fun and quite interesting. Thank you for letting me share my experiences here and hopefully some other new tumble family will feel prepared for their child's journey by my written out findings here. Until next time ya'll, fly high and stick it!

The Funny Thing About Instincts...

Is that most of the time instincts are spot on. I'm sure if you read my post last week you remember my concerns about The Munchkin Princess not progressing at a steady enough pace for my liking. By the end of my post I talked myself down and put my trust back into the coach. Well, amazingly enough about 30 minutes after posting, as soon as practice was over, the team's coach approached me and strongly recommended that I send my daughter to the Level 4 team because she realized that the challenge wasn't great enough to keep Anaya's progression going on the right track. Now, don't get me wrong I fully believe that the coach of the Xcel team has the ability to challenge my daughter on her own. That was not the question for me. What was up for question was the level of performance and training of the team as a whole. If she was the only one performing at a certain level I did not expect for her to be given special attention so that she can be adequately trained when there is already a team in place that could do that for her. So what I have learned about the Xcel program is that it is really designed for those children who are working towards the skill level for compulsory competition rather than optional. I would like to say, I do my best to be as realistic about my child's abilities as possible, that includes academics as well as athletics. So when I mention inadequacies in regards to instruction that she is receiving I am only doing so with as objective an eye as  a parent can possibly have. Fortunately for us, the professionals whose hands we place our daughter in did not hesitate to help her get to where she needed to be; this only solidifies my satisfaction with the facility that we chose for her to train.
After the recommendation we chose to visit the Level 4 team across town for a trial run. Everything worked out just fine, as we thought it would, and now we are officially part of the Junior Olympic Level 4 competitive team at our gym. I'm still just as excited as I was when she started the Xcel Program. Only now, since she gets to train in the same gym as the Elite team and be inspired even more everyday her excitement level actually matches mine. In the end, I still don't feel that our time in the Xcel Program was wasted because I feel as though it gave me greater perspective into the sport as a parent, maybe I was the one who needed to be eased into the competitive world rather than my daughter. Either way I think we're all ready now and it's a good thing because the train is out of the station.


Today we have two words:
Compulsory and Optional
Compulsory in gymnastics means that a restricted, set standard of skills that must be displayed in order to advance in levels.
Optional in gymnastics means that the gymnast gets to pick and choose which skills they would like to display for judging in their level. There may be difficulty restrictions depended upon what level they are, but they may choose any skills to display within their difficulty restrictions.
Apparently, as a member of the Junior Olympic Program you do not get to choose your skills until your are an advanced gymnast (level 7-10). However, as an Xcel Program participant you start out choosing your until you are able to perform all basic skills.

That's all for today folks, we're on a new team on a new side of town with new rules and new skills. But we're ready to Fly High and Stick It.  

Over / Under

I'm sitting in the lobby of the gym, watching another training session, and I find myself wondering if I underestimated my daughter's ability to adjust to the life and training of a competitive team? Would it have just been better to toss her in and let her sink or swim? I know that's when I tend to shine best; when I'm thrown to the wolves. But I feared that she may have been overwhelmed with a new gym location, a new coach, a new team, a new training regimen, new expectations in performance, and newly competing. I was afraid with all of that Level 4 may have been her last advancement even though she loves gymnastics so much. But there I go again, probably underestimating her. If I know deep down how much she loves her sport, why would I think that such things would deter her from continuing? Maybe I try to keep her as the reserved little one that she was before gymnastics, but in the gym she is in her element. She is her most true self and has her whole world open, accepting, and performing for all to see with no inhibitions.
I also fear that I may have overestimated the competitive nature of this particular program. I guess my understanding of "easing into competition" and the coach's understanding are two different things. I feel as though things are going in slow motion with the training and skill advancement on this team. But I think I'm just so anxious to see The Munchkin Princess actually compete that I'm forgetting it has only been a month since she joined the team and the coach did in fact say that the first month would consist primarily of strength & conditioning and that they wouldn't really work on skills much until the second month. The whole idea of watching my child win or lose makes my antsy. Even if it were softball or track I would still be super wound up about her showing what she's got as long as she was happy doing so. I think I'm just so proud to see her grow and mature that in my head she's already at the next stage. But this is really spilling over from life altogether for me not just in gymnastics. "Deep breaths Mom, slow down or it will all pass you by"

The word for today is: Tuck

A position in which the knees and hips are bent and drawn into the chest; the body is folded at the waist.

The Munchkin Princess briefly began working on this skill last week; to be more specific she started working on a handstand into a back tuck. She caught me off guard with the few attempts that she made at this skill that I didn't catch it on video, but I did manage to get her tuck set up training.

Let's hope this time the video plays for everyone. Thanks for joining me, fly high and stick it...but don't rush it ya'll. 

Exhaust Your Joy

Hey there everyone,
So last time I posted a video from my phone on the blog and apparently it only likes to play if you are watching from a computer rather than your phone. I apologize for that, if I can figure out how to rectify that then I will do so.

On another note,
A couple weeks ago, I learned of the Teen Choice Live show that was supposed to be touring the country. There were going to be a number of Olympic gymnasts performing, some music artists, and a few other acts. I was contemplating taking The Munchkin Princess to see the three members of the Fierce Five who were headlining the tour. But since then the tour has been cancelled due to "scheduling conflicts" and this makes me wonder.... "What kind of life are these children having now that they are gold medal carrying Olympic gymnasts? I understand that leading up to the Olympics their lives were spent in the gym so much so that after a certain point home-school was the only logical choice for them, in order to meet their training needs. And I understand, with that would also come quite a bit of traveling to meets near and far at local, state, regional, national, world, levels. But after evaluating the schedule for this year's higher level competitions, most of these appear to happen during the summer time. Which in my mind allows the athletes a chance to rest, train, and regroup. I get that there is a huge appeal to winning the Olympics and being blessed with the subsequent endorsements, tours, (and pay checks) that follow. But I wonder how long do the grueling schedules last for these girls? And of course they have to find the time to get into the gym still. Between exhibition performances and keeping themselves in the running for the next Olympic season, I'm exhausted for them.

But I can see how actually living your dream can fuel your fire even through the most taxing of days and nights until it's all over. In fact I'm a little envious of these young ladies who are so young yet knew so early in their lives what their biggest passions were and had the drive, skill, and support to pursue that dream all the way. As an adult woman living "free" I cannot say that I know exactly what my passion is, let alone how to achieve the highest successes in that passion. Yet another reason why I am so in awe of The Munchkin Princess, my very own flesh and blood, actually being self aware enough to recognize what brings her joy and manage to place goals around what she loves all on her own.

Okay, so in the spirit of keeping this a learning blog I am choosing to add a definition and a visual of the skills/terms that I am learning the deeper we get into this. Tonight's word is:
Flic-FlacAlso known as a flip-flop or back handspring. Take off on one or two feet, jump backwards onto hands and land on feet. This element is used in a majority of tumbling passes on the floor exercise. It’s also used a great deal on the balance beam.

Image found at http://www.ivencia.com/dynamicarts/images/groundwork/flicflac.gif

What is your passion in life? What are you willing to do to life your passion and achieve success through your joy? Fly high and Stick It....whatever IT is for you. 

Learning Curves

Hey Ya'll,

So we had our first parent/coach meeting on Friday and it turned out to feel more like a parent/child meet and greet. Now don't get me wrong it is nice to know who is on your child's team and who those children belong to, but I was expecting something a little more substantial. I seemed to be the only parent who had any questions related to the kid's competing levels and advancement opportunities. All in all, like I determined during my research, this Xcel program is nice to introduce The Munchkin Princess to competition but I don't believe we will remain in this sector for more than the year. She may not go to the Olympics, but she will be given every opportunity to determine if that's is actually her dream and if so how to make it real. 

Although, at this stage it's still really fun to watch her try to acquire new skills. Albeit she catches on quick, but that initial learning curve cracks me up every time. I know she will hate me for this in about 10 years, but I thought it was so cute watching her try for the first time to execute her back bend on the balance beam. I'm going to share this with you, but just so you know she did have it by the time they were finished. My baby is in full Beast Mode at all times when it comes to the gym. She is in the black leotard on this day. 

After a full evening of training she still wants to go home and improve on her splits, strengthen her wrists, and strengthen the ligaments in her feet before bed. I have never been so proud to witness anyone's work ethic has I am of my own child. While the other children at any given time during training may piddle around and goof off she simply laughs at their jokes then keeps it moving; as opposed to joining in on the slacking. She gives her all because she truly loves what she is doing here and she inspires me to get up get out and get some. Maybe she will inspire one of you as well. 

Fly High and Stick It fans. 

So Much Information

Okay,
So I have been doing some research and there is just so much to learn about this sport that I found myself on overload a few times. It became too easy to try and learn about one thing and then inadvertently learn 4 other things instead. I am taking in as much as I can in increments. I am also more than sure that I will read and re-read the same bits of information over and over again as I claw my way through all of these rules, regulations, program overviews, age requirements, skill requirements, and costs. The bits I made an attempt to understand this past week were the differences between the Xcel Program and the standard leveled Junior Olympics Program. From what I gathered the largest difference is that the Xcel Program is supposed to be designed for affordability in an attempt to diversify the sport. I guess ultimately the USAGymnastics is looking for talent in groups of children that they don't typically get to see because of the expense associated with competing in their programs. I do wonder just how many kids are out there with amazing untapped talent that the world will never witness in our major competitions of the world all because they can't afford it. So, I do hope that this program accomplishes it's mission.
As far as the skill levels being adequately met, apparently the leveling system in the Xcel Program is "comparable" to Levels 1-7 of the Junior Olympic Program. My primary concern with this at the moment is that the Xcel Program is fairly new and just barely beginning to spread across the states so when competing, how long will it take for these children to really be challenged? Right now I am perfectly fine with the lower numbers of competitors because this is my daughter's first experience with competing in gymnastics and I don't want to scare her off. I'm looking at this program as a way to ease her into "the system". Then maybe she will stay with it longer. One can only hope, right? But at the end of the competing year I will have to re-evaluate just how long she should remain in this program and when to switch her over to the standard program. But we shall cross that bridge when we get to it. Until then...we learn.
The most amazing part of the competing world that I have found are the age limits. Children are really competing (or compulsory, a term I need to research further) as young as 4 years old. Now I guess there are PeeWee leagues of basketball, football, and tee-ball that start around that age. So, I'm not really sure why the gymnastics ages surprised me. Maybe it's because when I think about putting a child in a gymnastics meet I think about the hours of warming up, completing events, waiting for awards, and following dozens or rules all in just a single meet. If any of you know, or have, a 4 year old this is a lot to deal with in one day. And the idea of watching my 7 year old perform some of the skills necessary to compete at Level 7 would give me a heart attack every time. But I guess if the child has the skill and the drive and the parent has a cast iron stomach and the money, then it's all worth a try, right? To each his own, as the saying goes. I feel confident in the stages at which we are progressing, and I know my daughter is pushed appropriately outside of her comfort zone in her training. I think this will prove to be a successful year and we both will gain a much broader understanding of what to expect should she choose to continue.
I know I'm not supposed to, but in my head/heart I keep hearing "Olympics 2020 here we come" LOL
Oh well, Fly and Stick It Munchkin Princess!

Marathon Gymnastics

With the holiday season leaving tons of time to spend relaxing with the kiddo and Netflix offering television series to watch from beginning to end. The Munchkin and I ended up having a four day marathon of the ABC Family show Make It or Break It

Now, I know this show is designed for teenagers, but it is the only show that makes an attempt at depicting the life of a committed gymnast and my daughter was eager to watch it. If I am honest with myself I was eager to see what this show had to offer as well. So I made a deal with her, I stated that we would watch the show together and if there was anything that I was not comfortable with her seeing then we would turn it off. Now if you are ultra conservative with what you choose to discuss with your children, then this show is definitely for older viewers. I on the other hand choose to be very open and honest with my daughter about life and all of the challenges that are presented to us at varying stages. She has known exactly where babies come from since pre-school and we are currently going through the many conversations about puberty and what to expect as her body changes. I have no fear of discussing sex and the truths associated with the topic. I am not a fear monger nor do I encourage irresponsibility. I choose to be honest and in that I expect honesty from my daughter. This relationship that I am creating with her leads me to hope that once the difficult situations in her life arise she will trust me enough to not "lose it" on her and be the reasonable and understanding voice that she will need in that time.

Don't get me wrong, this show isn't grossly inappropriate or anything. It's just that I know some people are sensitive about subjects like sex, drugs, alcohol, lying, and cheating. But I find these topics necessary to address on a regular basis before they become common place in or children's lives. This series created some really intense relationships between the gymnasts, the parents, the coaches, doctors, and nutritionists everyone spent so much time together 5 sometimes 6 days out of the week that their lives all intersected and blended together. 

At some point the parents of the gymnasts in these stories made the decisions to move their families to an Elite Training Facility to allow their daughters to become full time gymnasts. These girls trained 8 hours a day, were home-schooled, and fund-raised to finance their dreams of making the Olympic team. Through all of the intensity of their training lives they still have to find their way out of the everyday drama of teenage life (with some self inflicted pain thrown in of course). Through our marathon so many questions, as a parent, came to mind that I am going to have to research to prepare myself accordingly. When will I be expected to make the decision about committing our lives, as a family, to her training? If this show is any indication of the time frame in which this decision is made, then I have maybe 3 years tops to choose whether or not we are all in, no holds bare on this. By middle school these girls know what they are working for and what they need to get there. 

Does the gym where she trains really make such a difference or if she has the skill will that carry her through most of the earlier levels in performance? If the gym that she trains in really is as important as it seems, then where are the best gyms? And how does one go about being accepted into one of these programs? When will the decision to home school need to be made? Just how much fundraising will be needed in order to finance our daughter's dream? Are the "politics" of gymnastics as frustrating to navigate as any other organization? If I am going to help The Munchkin Princess meet her goal of Olympics 2020 then I will need to find the answer to these questions so that I can plan accordingly with her. What I do know today is that she has her very first official practice on a competing team starting tomorrow and I am so excited to see her grow in her art. I'm ready to see her fly high and stick it!