Parents Help with DDs school project

[thefellowsmom]

Hi everyone. My daughter is working on a project for school where they are to create a presentation about their passion. Mine, of course, chose gymnastics. I was very proud of her approach though and told her that I would reach out to you guys for some help.

She has chosen to focus on how gymnastics benefits those who do it and those around them. Basically, why is it that they choose to do what they do with all the commitment, time, sacrifice and pain. She has chosen some historical antidotes and will discuss the normal "this is how gymnastics benefits people" stuff about discipline and courage and pushing past fears and blocks and how that translates into the real world.

She is also going to share how gymnastics has changed her for the better, how she has grown as a person and how she feels about herself. Gymnastics has made her more confident both in the gym and out, given her strength and courage beyond words and she believes is making her into the person she will become for her life. She connects with this in a deep way and wants people to see that part of gymnastics as well. Mom's pretty proud right now.

Here is where I need your help. She is hoping that some of you might be willing to share some quotes, anecdotes or stories about how gymnastics has benefited, changed and encouraged growth in your own gymnasts both in and out of the gym. These would then be shared in her project but will only be viewed by her class and teacher.

Thank you so much to anyone who might be willing to support my amazing kiddo with her project.

 

[my4buffaloes]

We have a saying at our house - you have to want it more than you are afraid of it. It helps my girls push through minor fears. And it leaves them in control of when they do something. It might take weeks or months to reach the point of wanting it more than they are afraid of it. And that is ok realize that about yourself - that you need time to mentally and emotionally process through big things like gymnastics requires and reach the point of pushing through and succeeding.

 

[htimcj]

A quote we say around here when skills get "lost" is" If you've done it once you can do it again." Takes some of the frustration out of it.

 

[GYM0M]

"Start strong, finish stronger." DD goes to camps and sometimes she gets homesick on the last day or so. This quote has helped her push through those last few days. She also says she has thought about it during tests for school and other strenuous activities.

Another one of her favs, "Be so good they can't ignore you!" Steve Martin.

 

[raenndrops]

On August 20, 2012, at 10.5 years old, my OG decided to QUIT gymnastics because people had convinced her that it took up too much of her time (FYI - 7.5 hours of practice a week, 2.5 - 3 hours of commuting, and 7 meets a year, most of them 1.5 - 2 hours away and a meet weekend would involve all day Saturday, plus staying at my house or a hotel Friday night... and back to my house Saturday night... so a total of MAYBE 800 hours out of 8760 hours in a year)...
Fast forward to November 9, 2012 (11.5 weeks later... OG now 11 years old) and she messaged me the following: "i had to make this one mistake on quitting gym that ruined my life" and " i didnt think that gymnastics kept my life together. but now i know that it keeps my together it what i do and i stopped myself so i want to go back and just have my old life and just be normal and not this big ball of craziness."

From the time she quit, I could tell that she regretted it. She was avoiding me and sad every time I saw her (especially when I would drop YG off after gym... which is why YG was pressured to quit and DID quit around October 20,2012... a week before the first meet of the year!) The girls both returned to gym November 12, 2012.

 

[Committed]

DD and I talk a lot about that famous quote....
"Whether you think you can, or think you can't.... you're right."

So much of gymnastics is scary!! A positive outlook can make all the difference: in gym and in life.
DD is usually freaks out in the middle of a skill, not before it. Let's just say, she's had some dynamic falls. She's been working on trusting herself and trusting that her coaches will not ask her to do something she can't do.
I'm thrilled that she's growing up to be such a strong, confident young lady.

 

[Ali'sMom]

When my daughter was in pre-team in a "mini meet", she was quite scared. Cried/sobbed, off & on for the hour before. Nana told her "When you get out there, just count in your head, so you can't think to be scared".
She did great, so Nana asked her "See how well you did? how high did you count?"
Answer: You know what, Nana, I started counting. Then I realized, forget counting, I kept saying "I want the gold!".

My daughter has learned to dream big and not sell herself short.

 

[thefellowsmom]

Thank you everyone for your replies! DD's project is really looking good.

 

[aksaunders]

She might also want to look at some of what our more famous gymnasts have accomplished after retiring. The sport teaches many skills that translate into real life: discipline, perseverance, mental strength, fearlessness, networking skills (my 9 DD is friends with many of the girls she competes against), and many more.

 

[Another Gym Dad]

Ok, so I am going to respond with a story instead of a quote. 5 (my DD) is 12 years old and she is currently training 7/8.

I am a competitive pistol shooter, and have been working on getting better. One of the books that was recommended to me by one of my mentors is "With Winning in Mind" by Lanny Basham. And one of the things it talks about is visualization from a shooters perspective, and that when you think something like, "Don't miss" what your brain often picks up is "miss."

That got me thinking about 5 and beam. One thing she never does at a meet is fall. But so many of her teammates do fall, and I hear them all the time telling themselves "whatever you do, don't fall." Now, based on the book you can probably see my conclusion right?

So I asked 5 what she thinks about on beam. Her response floored me. She always thinks, "feet and hands go in the middle." Big difference between "don't fall" and how she approaches it, and it really reinforced the other things I was learning from that book.

Now, when people ask what my secret is for my massive improvement in the last year I mention the book, but also how I learned a lot from my then 11 year old gymnast.

 

[NMNorskie]

One thing I've noticed is that my daughter, in spite of my best efforts, was developing the idea that a thin body is a good body. Now that she's in gymnastics and sees the older team girls, she now believes that a STRONG body is a good body. Our higher level girls aren't supermodel thin--they're athlete thin. They could bench press a supermodel or two.

In fact, to be honest, it's been kind of inspiring for me to watch those girls. They work hard at being strong, not skinny. It's a much healthier mindset.