A Day In The Life

What is it like to be a Miller gymnast?

Regionals

It's the day of regionals for the Noblesville gymnastics team.  It’s a cold morning. Everyone’s curled up with their little blankets as we sit on the bus. Nobody’s eating, we usually don’t until after the meet so we don’t barf, because we’re flipping through the air and food can mess up our systems. Excitement drives the chatter between teammates. Maybe we can make it to state as a team!

We arrive at Valparaiso High School, and head to the gym. Everybody is in awe about how much green is in the room! Its literally everywhere. The walls, the floor, the equipment- everything is green. People start commenting that they have headaches from seeing so much green! Our three seniors -Jenny, Constance, and Katherine- are the center of Noblesville's attention. As they warm up, they run down the floor and do amazing flips that the freshmen dream of doing. Constance runs down the floor. She performs a near perfect round-off back handspring, but the following double back tuck doesn't land quite right, and Constance collapses. The team holds in a breath, waiting for Constance to stand up and say she's okay.

She does stand, but instead of walking back to the line of gymnasts warming up, she limps to where Valpo's athletic trainer is. Worry fills the minds of the team. Will she be okay? Could she still compete? What if we can't go to state? Then guilt finds it's way in. We shouldn't be worried about the team going to state, we should make sure Constance is okay!

One of our coaches, Megan, walks up to me. "Ellie, you might be competing beam today."

"Really?"

"Constance might still be able to do it but if not, you'll get to. You up for it?"

I'm excited, and very, very nervous. I'll get to compete, at regionals!  As a freshman! But it's because Constance can't. Its her senior year, and she has to feel miserable knowing the team’s dream of going to state won’t be made possible. The three best scores for each event makes up the team score, and having one of our three best gymnasts injured will make it harder to get the scores we need. She won’t be able to compete, and at a normal meet thats disappointing. But getting hurt at regionals? That seems like the worst thing on Earth. An idea pops into my head.

"Do you think I could do my tick tock?"

A tick tock is what they call a "blind skill", and with good reason. You can't see where you land, and though it's a high level skill, saying its 'scary' is a gigantic understatement.

She raises her eyebrows in surprise "Are you sure you're up for it?"

I nod. I'm absolutely terrified to do it, but I’ll do it for Constance. To see one good thing come from this might cheer her up. Thankfully, Valpo has an extra gym. If my team wasn't competing, I was in there practicing, with Megan standing close by to help me if I fall. When I go in the first time, Constance is at the bar set, talking to one of our coaches. I walk over and ask how she's feeling.

"My foot hurts a little, but I might be able to do bars." She says

Her foot is swelling up and she limps when she walks, but she’ll do bars anyways? That’s hardcore. "Good luck!"

"Thanks. Are you going to do your tick tock?"

I look around then say "Yeah, but it's a secret."

She smiles. "Awesome! Good luck girl! You’ll rock!"

I practice. I watch the team compete vault. I practice. I watch the team compete bars. I practice. And then it's time to compete beam.

My nervousness multiplies by 100. I'm second to go, following my sister, Ronnie. We cheer for Ronnie, and it doesn't seem to take as long as usual. Oh goodness, I'm up next. I can do this. Nope, I’m going to die. I walk over to one end of the beam, waiting for the judge to tell me its time for me to perform.

"Are you doing your tick tock?" My sister, Maddie, mouths to me.

I shake my head no, trying to keep myself from laughing.

Megan walks up to me. "Ellie, don't just focus on your tick tock the whole time, okay? I'll be right there, so there is no need to get nervous."

I nod yes, but I barely register what she's saying, because I am in fact thinking about my tick tock. Megan walks away, and I stand there, my heart pounding. The judge raises a hand and calls my name, the signal for me to start. I salute, and start my routine.

Now I'm not going to lie to you and say my routine was perfect, because it was not at all. I fell three times during my routine. Three! In the gymnastics world, that's A LOT. People might fall once, maybe twice if they're nervous, and I fell THREE times.

But man, I nailed that tick tock.

As soon as I finish, the whole team erupts in excitement. They all rush over to me, and I'm engulfed in hugs from everybody. I did it! I actually did my tick tock!

How-To Do a Cartwheel

Today, The Chalk Bowl brings you..

Attention:

Do not do the cartwheel in slow motion. This is a fast paced skill, and you will not be able to complete it if it is done too slowly.

Step 1: Start in a lunge position, with your good foot in front. Your 'good foot' will be which ever one feels more natural to you, and is not always associated with being the same side as the hand you write with.

Step 2: Push off your back foot and start leaning forward. Start to turn to the side, facing outwards from the foot you're standing on. It's important to make sure that your feet go above and over your head.

Step 3: Place your hands down on the ground one at a time, starting with the hand closest to your foot. Once both hands are on the ground, you should be in a handstand position.

Step 4:  Start to bring your feet down, one after the other. You should be in a mirrored position of Step 2.

Step 5: Bring your second foot down and pull your chest up so you're in a mirrored position of Step 1.

You have now learned how to do a cartwheel!

***DISCLAIMER***

It is not guaranteed you will make a cartwheel on the first try.

Movie Review: Stick It

Stick It

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Haley Graham is a rebellious 17 year-old who is forced to return to the regimented world of gymnastics after a run-in with the law where she and two of her skateboard friends accidentally cause damage to a development house. A judge sentences Haley to her ultimate nightmare, attending an elite gymnastics academy run by legendary coach Burt Vickerman.

From http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0430634/synopsis

*****

Stick It has a witty, sarcastic attitude to it, making it an amusing movie to watch. Being the only gymnastics related movie, it is automatically a favorite for any gymnast, including myself. It's different look at gymnastics makes it amusing and fun to watch, because the main character, Haley, absolutely hates gymnastics, and gymnastics seems to hate her too.