I love that video and watch it almost every time I go to rewatch a routine and it pops up. My favorite part is when she tilts her little head about halfway through the run like “ugh, the run is soooo long!” Thank you for sharing this story with me!!
We smiled at that little head tilt too. My daughter is a tiny blond muscle baby too and so she could really see herself in that video. The runway is so long for those littles! I’m so glad you kept snd shared that sweet moment.
Yes, I feel this so deeply. It's the constant stress of "will she move up?" after every season, the drive home from practice where she breaks down every skill and exactly how it's going so that now I'm feeling the anxiety she has over the pirouette shootover or whatever, to issues with a coach and the knowledge that in no other area would I allow someone to treat my kid this way but she won't leave the gym, to worries about injuries and illness, to nerves with every meet, and knowing how much she wants it, but recognizing NCAA gymnastics might not be a possibility, and on and on. I'm sure parents experience stress and anxiety over other sports, but the high hours, year round nature of gymnastics, combined with the high levels of physical, mental, and emotional stress get to me as I watch her go through this. If I could go back in time, I doubt I'd ever sign her up for a rec class, but she has said repeatedly that she would choose this 100 times over. Sigh.We smiled at that little head tilt too. My daughter is a tiny blond muscle baby too and so she could really see herself in that video. The runway is so long for those littles! I’m so glad you kept snd shared that sweet moment.
I have nowhere near the experience in this sport that you do and who knows how long my DD’s journey will be but I already have a love/hate relationship with gymnastics. I love the sport itself but I find my daughter’s involvement to be stressful and overwhelming; getting skills in time, getting over fears, performing well at the right time…I feel like no other sport has so many facets that can cause anxiety and burn out. Just more reassurance that not all gym moms just adore the whole experience.
I completely agree with this. My daughter (almost 13, xcel gymnast) absolutely loves watching your daughter compete (and any other video of her that we come across). Her joy in the sport is so infectious, and she is really my daughter's role model. Rarely a day goes by when her name does not cross my daughter's lips!
So so true! She really radiates joy for her sport and respect for all that went into her success.I completely agree with this. My daughter (almost 13, xcel gymnast) absolutely loves watching your daughter compete (and any other video of her that we come across). Her joy in the sport is so infectious, and she is really my daughter's role model. Rarely a day goes by when her name does not cross my daughter's lips!
We recently watched the interview/podcast she did at Arkansas, and I was so impressed with her thoughtful answers to the questions and her ability to articulate her feelings and describe her journey. But most importantly, I really appreciated how she clearly recognized and acknowledged the immense struggles and sacrifices that you and other members of your family have had to make for her.
All that to say, you may not love the sport right now, but you have done an amazing job raising your daughter not only to be a fantastic gymnast but also a wonderful and inspirational human being. Thank you for that.
I have been in your "blah place" after my daughter had a very successful JO career and maybe because she had such a kind and knowledgeable coach who didn't coach by insults and intimidation, I was unprepared for the behaviors of her college coach (who totally bamboozled us before she got there) ....it was when she competed D1, I found it to be THE most stressful and (for me, at least) unenjoyable time of her gymnastics career....and she made line ups and competed 3 events all 4 years so it wasn't that she didn't compete.
Thank you, but truth be told, that’s all her. We’re complete opposites. She thrives on order and discipline while I find comfort in chaos and get claustrophobic with tight schedules. She would prefer to set the tempo while I just go with the flow, lol! The only thing I ever really impressed upon her was that it’s ok to be yourself even if someone doesn’t like you. That it’s always best to be genuine. But other than that, not much else outside of cliched words of wisdom. I do appreciate the notion though, lol!I completely agree with this. My daughter (almost 13, xcel gymnast) absolutely loves watching your daughter compete (and any other video of her that we come across). Her joy in the sport is so infectious, and she is really my daughter's role model. Rarely a day goes by when her name does not cross my daughter's lips!
We recently watched the interview/podcast she did at Arkansas, and I was so impressed with her thoughtful answers to the questions and her ability to articulate her feelings and describe her journey. But most importantly, I really appreciated how she clearly recognized and acknowledged the immense struggles and sacrifices that you and other members of your family have had to make for her.
All that to say, you may not love the sport right now, but you have done an amazing job raising your daughter not only to be a fantastic gymnast but also a wonderful and inspirational human being. Thank you for that.
She definitely inspires me to be a better adult!!
I promise that during my tenure as an NCAA mom, I will make any necessary effort to keep the sport moving towards positivity!!! I’m so sorry for these experiences and happy to hear that she was able to overcome it!!
It sounds like you are at a big transition in life in many ways and are having all the emotions that come with change and perceived endings; worry, sadness, exhaustion, nostalgia.
You and your family are very lucky
! I think that your daughter is just that much younger than mine that the sport had that big awakening of “we can’t always abuse athletes verbally , physically , whatever and say that that’s normal”. My daughter competed when Jordyn competed so that was the era of you know anything goes and now fortunately coaches hopefully do not behave like that anymore, especially in the NCAA setting where there’s no real checks and balances type of system except when people transfer… when you’re in club, you could go elsewhere but in college it’s much more difficult. So I’m glad Jordyn has been the coach that I wish my daughter had had.
