After wrapping up the regular meet season with a meet in Spokane, it was time for the Washington State meet. It was here that Alyssa would try to advance to the Regionals competition, but for Natalie it would mark the end of her season--and quite possibly the end of her gymnastics career.
Both girls went into the meet having battled intense fears. The sport of gymnastics is taxing on so many levels, but it's likely the mental battles that are the fiercest. Natalie's fear of tumbling backwards was nothing new. It's something she's struggled with off and on for quite some time.
For Alyssa, however, it came suddenly and unexpectedly. As a level 7, Alyssa was a bars state champion. In level 8, it was floor. This last season, beam had been her event. She'd just come off of a 9.55 routine in the last meet of the season. But after trying to train through a bout of illness, she sustained a couple of scary crashes on her best event. Self-doubt and painful memories of beam burns and bruises clouded her mind. For days she seemed stuck. She couldn't seem to make her self do her acro series (back handspring layout) on beam.
On the Sunday before her state meet, her heart was touched by this quote as it was shared in one of her lessons:
"In the strength of the Lord we can do and endure and overcome all things."--David A. Bednar
She printed the quote on a pieced of paper and posted it inside her gym locker. She also decorated her school binder with pictures of her teammates and a Post-it on which she wrote, "I can and I will."
Beam was her first event. It wasn't her best beam routine of the season, but it was still great and enough to earn her a bronze medal.
She placed 5th all-around with a level 9 personal best score of 37.0.
Alyssa and her teammates were level 9 state champions! Such a talented group right here:
Natalie competed the next day.
She did well on three events, placing on all of them. She didn't, however, compete floor. The fear was just too much. It was heartbreaking to witness. But her vault was likely the best I've ever seen her do. It earned her a bronze medal.
Her team was also the state championship team at level 6.
Her best gym buddy, Morgan, also succumbed to fear and only competed three events. Walking hand in hand, they left a gymnastics meet together for the last time. Morgan has moved on to cheerleading, and Natalie is currently on a break as she decides whether gymnastics is in her future.
Alyssa is adamant that gymnastics is definitely in her future and it was certainly in the immediate future as she moved on to Regionals (six states make up our region) a couple of weeks later.
The theme was "I am a champion and you're gonna hear me roar," which explains the jungle-theme decor. It's not too often that you share the podium with a giant inflatable tiger!
Alyssa started the meet with a fall on floor. But she came "roaring" back and ended up being regional beam champion! Even with the fall, she did well and easily qualified for the Western National meet.
She and her favorite gym buddies got matching hoodies:
When all was said and done, Alyssa and Natalie came home from these meets with a combined total of 12 new medals. Way to go girls!
1 comment:
Both your girls are so talented and hard workers. Whatever Nat decides, she'll always have these experiences that have helped shaped and helped her become who she is today. I would love to see Alyssa compete in college! :)
Post a Comment