The Life of a Gymnast

I remember walking into the gym club and looking through the window at these girls wearing bright coloured gym suits, up high on this balance beam flipping and flipping, turning and turning, leaping to the ceiling with grace and determination.

Eleven and a half years later, that girl was me. Gymnastics was something I fell in love with. It was my life. Gymnastics helped to shape me into the person that I am today. My coaches, teammates, every sore muscle, rip and routine taught me how to persevere, how to win, how to lose, how to listen, focus, set goals, and most of all be confident in my abilities. Gymnastics gave me the opportunity to laugh, cry and is where I met some of my closest friends. Through positive thinking and encouragement, I achieved everything I ever wanted in my gymnastics career. 

Although, I haven’t done a backhandspring in over five years, it is something I think about daily and who knows where I would be without it. A few years ago I had the opportunity to become a gymnastics coach; coaching kids of all ages and levels. Coaching has been one of my most rewarding experiences. Motivating, challenging, and supporting young gymnasts in achieving their dreams is a fantastic part of this job, but most of all just keeping kids active and ensuring that they are having fun is the key to success for building a solid foundation for any young individual.  

By: Laura M.