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GUIDE TO GYMNASTICS: WHAT'S SO GREAT ABOUT
GYMNASTICS?
When
I was about eight years old, with a year or two of gymnastics
and ballet classes under my belt, I hit the big time and "became"
a gymnast. My rite of passage happened one blustery fall afternoon
when, bored with the conventional after-school activities, I
transformed my living room into the Olympic Gymnastics Venue.
The
wooden arm of a chair was my balance beam. I waltzed across
the carpet to the dramatic overture from Swan Lake. Another
chair served as the vaulting horse, with couch pillows acting
as the vault board. (The uneven bars were eliminated because
the dining room chandelier was insufficiently anchored.)
All
was going as planned. I won the gold on Floor and Beam. Vault
was the final event. (I hadn't heard of competition order yet.)
With all the gusto I could muster, I ran the entire length of
our living room (five steps), put my head in the seat of the
chair and kicked my feet in the air, anticipating a perfect
landing. But halfway through, I realized the vaulting horse
had wheels on it and I was sent crashing through the living
room picture window. For some Divine reason, I landed in the
front yard with only a few cuts on my heels and a stern rebuke
from my mom to keep the flipping out of the living room and
in the gym where it belonged!
That
episode, more than any, marked me: the family flipper, the child
who lived upside down, the contortionist, the one who waltzed
instead of walks. That was the day I became a Gymnast. While
my folks weren't thrilled about the broken window, they were
grateful to find a sport where their daughter could flourish.
The
childhood fun of recreational gymnastics eventually gave way
to the challenge and excitement of competition. By the time
I hung up my gym bag for good, I had traveled to the Olympics
and beyond. The journey was not without challenges and heartaches...but
no journey through adolescence is smooth sailing. And I am a
better person for taking the trip.
I
am now a mother with three children, one of whom transforms
our family room into her own gymnastics arena. (We guard the
windows.) She's done other sports, but none have captured her
passion and dedication like gymnastics. My husband and I have
joined the carpool club and I've stocked up on needlepoint projects
to relieve competition jitters (mine, not hers). Pictures of
Dominique, Kim, and Natalie are plastered all over our house;
the term "A Few Good Men" does not refer to the U.S. Marine
Corps.
While
we've tried to encourage involvement in many sports, the middle
child is drawn to gymnastics like chalk dust to a leotard. If
forced to choose, she is adamant. The tennis racket and soccer
ball play second fiddle to aerials and back flips! As I watch
my daughter literally go head over heels for gymnastics, I recall
the "teachable moments" of my Olympic journey and I'm once again
reminded of what's so great about this sport.
Study
after study confirm that kids involved in sports, including
gymnastics, are more likely to stay away from drugs, score higher
on achievement tests, stay in school, have greater self-esteem
and live a healthier lifestyle. Show me a child in a healthy
athletic environment and I'll show you a child learning motor
development, interpersonal relationship skills, perseverance,
discipline, commitment, humor, perspective, teamwork, humility
and leadership. And the kids think they're just having fun!
No
doubt about it, sport enhances life. And for those with a penchant
for variety and challenge, the local gymnastics club might be
a great place to hang out. Following are the five most important
reasons why learning a cartwheel is a valuable investment.
1. Gymnastics is a multifaceted sport.
This
is a sport that develops physical strength, speed, agility,
nerves of steel, and competitive prowess. Additionally, women
must wrap that package of athleticism in grace and personality.
Not many sports draw upon such a wide range of ability. Within
the three main gymnastics disciplines (Men's and Women's Artistic
and Rhythmic), there are as many as 15 different individual
events, each with unique challenges and thrills. Add General
Gymnastics and Trampoline and Tumbling, and opportunities in
the sport are endless.
2. Gymnastics is a challenging sport.
Walking,
let alone flipping, is hard to do on a four-inch balance beam.
It takes more than a few push-ups to master an iron cross on
the rings. Leaping through a moving hoop is not a cake walk.
Gymnastics is "difficult." But the very qualities it takes to
master these skills - courage, perseverance, risk, determination,
vision - are the qualities that foster excellence in any endeavor.
Dealing with the "difficulties" will translate into valuable
life skills and strength of character. Bolstered by unconditional
love from parents and skilled guidance from coaches, gymnasts
are better prepared to handle the "difficulties" of life because
of the challenges faced in the gym.
3. Gymnastics is a socially interactive sport.
The
unique social environment in the gym provides for healthy growth.
In gymnastics, a nine-year old trains with older and younger
athletes. Self-esteem is boosted by camaraderie with older teammates.
Maturity and perspective is nurtured as she then turns to relate
to the younger athletes on the team. Few sports provide the
opportunity for kids to work so closely with teammates of different
ages. The social maturity gained within the sport is far healthier
than the "social immaturity" forced on kids spending aimless
afternoons at the mall or watching television.
4. Gymnastics teaches individual responsibility
and courage.
Though
there is a team element, gymnastics is an individual sport.
When practice is over and the green flag is raised, the athlete
faces the apparatus alone. To execute a routine successfully,
under the scrutiny of judges, coaches and spectators, it takes
concentration, determination, endurance, and often courage.
Confidence to call upon these qualities is nurtured every time
a child attempts another routine. Life requires us to take personal
responsibility for the choices we make. Courage to take that
responsibility and make right choices is developed with each
mount and dismount.
5. Gymnastics enriches childhood.
After
my Olympic experience, I was often asked if I felt like I had
sacrificed a normal childhood for my athletic dreams. I was
always a bit confused by this question. I did gymnastics because
I wanted to. Sports was not a sacrifice, it was a choice. Granted,
that choice meant sometimes I was also choosing to forego other
activities. But thanks to guidance from my parents and coaches,
gymnastics opened doors and enriched my life. Victories, defeats,
travel, relationships and much more combined to teach me the
joys, difficulties and realities of our world.
And
I'm not alone. Traveling the country to develop the Athlete
Wellness Program for USA Gymnastics, I've had the privilege
of meeting former gymnasts who now have careers in counseling,
medicine, advertising, law, youth ministry, coaching, emergency
response, environmental engineering and parenting, to name a
few. All agree their gymnastics training better prepared them
to tackle the challenges of the adult world.
It
takes wise coaches and parents to translate gym lessons into
life lessons. But most gymnastics clubs are founded on the belief
that the sport has the potential to be a health-enhancing experience
for all who participate. If anyone is looking for fertile soil
in which to grow life's champions, you might start at your local
gymnastics club.
Nancy
Thies Marshall is a 1972 Olympian, five-time national team member,
former national Vault and Balance Beam champion, and collegiate
All-American. She is currently the developer and manager of
USA Gymnastics Athlete Wellness Program and a freelance journalist.
Nancy and her husband have three children and live in Salem,
Oregon.
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