It all started with a cartwheel
We started my daughter in Gymnastics "late". Having grown up figure skating I knew how involved certain sports were. She's always been flexible but it was watching her at a friend's wedding jumping from an outdoor bench to swing on a branch that really cemented it for me. She looked like she was using it as a gymnast would use bars.
The start was just terrible, she was in tears almost every week because all the other girls knew how to do handstands, somersaults, and cartwheels while she was just learning. She wanted to know why I hadn't taken her when she was little, the way everyone else was. Talk about guilt as a Mom! So we practiced. We were very fortunate to have enrolled her in the same class as a friend from school and although she was in a different level than what my daughter should have been, the teacher saw that she needed a friend. The first weeks she just stood and watched, then she would practice at home on her own. We spent time doing forward rolls on the couch for extra cushioning and had a friend of ours come over to help her learn cartwheels outside. Gradually she started participating, and what's more, she was catching up.
It was a stunning transformation, from a girl who wouldn't even try tasks to being the only one to attempt jumping from the low to the high bar at the end of the season, and what's more, make it. She was asked to try out for the JO team at the end of that year but upon finding out her class time would go from one hour to 14, we knew that wasn't right for our family, so we did another year of "rec" classes, just an hour a week. This past June, everything changed. She was asked to join the Xcel program and ten minutes into the first class I knew it was the right fit.
She didn't stand out in this group, she was perfectly at home. Its been a wonderful experience watching her grow with this group of girls. Her entire posture is different, she is aware of her feet and hands and she has terrific teammates who, no matter their level, cheer each other on as they work and compete. None of these girls are on track to be Olympians. Its funny, when I tell people that she does gymnastics, its the first thing they ask. There are lots of families who are on that track who probably don't see the value or point to this other program but for us it is absolutely perfect. She can learn skills, set goals and compete all while having the time to play violin, draw, do after school activities, and above all, be a kid.
We are selling "April Madness" calendars to offset next season's competition expenses. If you would like to purchase a calendar for $10,
100% of the sales will go directly to Sienna. You will be able to enter your address and phone number and I will send you a pdf of the calendar. There are 30 cash prizes ranging from $40-$350 and will be drawn on April 1st.
Please do not feel obligated, I'm just as happy to have an opportunity to share her progress with you all!
