So, Little Z's third competition was on our home turf. We were hosting the competition, the parents and kids had spent the evening the night before getting the gym converted to host a meet (removing equipment, laying down plastic sheeting, bringing in chairs, etc.). Z was excited! It was even more exciting because her old gym was coming to compete, including one of her best friends from school. It was fun for me because I had gotten to know the girls on the other team and it would be the first time that I had seen them since we had left.
The best part about this meet? Z's dad was going to be there! All the other meets are pretty far away (three or more hours) and Z's older sister is a cheerleader who has football games on weekends. As a result, I'm the one that drives with Z and dad stays and drives her sister.
We got to the gym plenty early and the girls from Z's old gym all ran up and gave us hugs. A few asked why she wasn't there anymore, and we just said that she had chosen to move. Luckily, there wasn't a lot of time to talk before the meet began.
Since we were the home team, we got to do the traditional rotation of vault, bars, beam and then floor. Normally vault is a pretty good event for Z, but she had had problems at the last meet. I was a bit concerned as to how she would do. Unfortunately, the first vault was not good--apparently her hands slipped on the mat and she came down hard on her stomach. I could see tears in her eyes, but she got back up and did her second vault. She scored an 8.650, which was her lowest score on vault yet. I was truly hoping that she would brush it off and be able to move on without dwelling on it.
Bars was next. Zienna loves bars and had done really well at her first meet. Of course, this event was the one that didn't video tape and I truly regret it. She was fabulous! She got a 9.400, which ended up being her highest score all season. She even stuck the landing.
Beam was next. Her nemesis. She had fallen at each of the last two meets, on different skills and never on the one skill she was always nervous about. I was a bundle of nerves, but again, she impressed me to pieces. She scored a 9.100--again, a score that would end up being her highest for the season and no falls.
Finally we were on floor. She is so pretty and graceful on floor. I love to watch her. Sometimes it is hard to remember that she is only 8 when she is out there. She pulled off an almost flawless routine (from my perspective) and scored a 9.250. That meant her all around score was a 36.400. Her highest yet. She ended up placing third on floor, and first on bars, beam and all around. She didn't place on vault, but that was ok.
Z had a great time sharing her day with her dad. I loved that he was able to see her compete and see her excel and get her medals. The rest of the day, the level 3 girls got to help out with the Level 4 & 5 competition. At the end they helped hand out the medals, which she loved to do.
Friday, February 27, 2015
Thursday, February 26, 2015
You know you have a great coach when . . .
So, after Z's last meet, she was down and a bit dejected. We had two weeks to prepare for her next competition, which was being hosted at our gym. I know she was very nervous, especially since her old team mates from her old gym would be coming to this competition.
Z normally had practice on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Occasionally, if she needed to make up a class, she would go on Thursdays. We had done that after she took a week off for camp during the summer.
In any event, the week before the competition, when I picked her up on Tuesday, she seemed really down. I asked what was wrong and she said that she wasn't ready for competition and really wanted another day of practice. I told her that we could ask the coach, but it was really up to her. So we went and met with the coach.
When I asked if she could squeeze in another day of practice, the coach asked if we needed to make up a practice and I said no, it was just that Z didn't feel ready. At that point, the coach got down on Z's level and told her that she believed that she was ready. While she agreed that she picks on her a bit and has her do things over and over, it is only because she knows that Z is capable of doing the skill. She told Z that she wouldn't work her as hard as she does if she didn't feel that Z could do it. The coach also brought up her first meet and how well she had done. She then asked how she had done last season, and I explained that she hadn't actually competed the prior season, that she had only had the two meets. The coach then told Z that what she did at her first competition was amazing--especially since it was her first. Z then said that she didn't do as well at the second competition. I pointed out that the all around score was not that different, but that Z only placed in three events and lost some of her confidence.
The coach then took Z over to the Level 6-9 girls and asked them to stop practicing for a minute. She asked Z if she thought these girls were good gymnasts and Z nodded her head. She then asked the girls how many of them had had an off meet. They all raised their hands. She then asked how many of them had had more off meets than on meets. They again all raised their hands. She then asked them what they did when they had an off meet. They said that they looked at what went wrong and tried to work on those corrections. The coach then asked Z if she thought any less of the girls now that she knew they don't always have great meets. Z said no. She also reminded Z that there are gymnasts at the Olympics who fall or have bad meets. It happens and you need to learn from it, forget the bad meet and move on. She said that meet is over and now you need to look forward for the next meet and what you need to do.
She ended the meeting by telling Z that she is a great gymnast and has a lot of potential. She said that she didn't see any need for another practice, the things that she has been working on are little corrections and that she would be fine.
After the meeting, Z seemed to be in better spirits. What I loved is that the coach took the time to get down on Z's level--looking her in the eyes. She involved the older, more experienced girls, and told Z how well she is doing. I felt better, Z felt better, and I could see her confidence growing again.
Z normally had practice on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Occasionally, if she needed to make up a class, she would go on Thursdays. We had done that after she took a week off for camp during the summer.
In any event, the week before the competition, when I picked her up on Tuesday, she seemed really down. I asked what was wrong and she said that she wasn't ready for competition and really wanted another day of practice. I told her that we could ask the coach, but it was really up to her. So we went and met with the coach.
When I asked if she could squeeze in another day of practice, the coach asked if we needed to make up a practice and I said no, it was just that Z didn't feel ready. At that point, the coach got down on Z's level and told her that she believed that she was ready. While she agreed that she picks on her a bit and has her do things over and over, it is only because she knows that Z is capable of doing the skill. She told Z that she wouldn't work her as hard as she does if she didn't feel that Z could do it. The coach also brought up her first meet and how well she had done. She then asked how she had done last season, and I explained that she hadn't actually competed the prior season, that she had only had the two meets. The coach then told Z that what she did at her first competition was amazing--especially since it was her first. Z then said that she didn't do as well at the second competition. I pointed out that the all around score was not that different, but that Z only placed in three events and lost some of her confidence.
The coach then took Z over to the Level 6-9 girls and asked them to stop practicing for a minute. She asked Z if she thought these girls were good gymnasts and Z nodded her head. She then asked the girls how many of them had had an off meet. They all raised their hands. She then asked how many of them had had more off meets than on meets. They again all raised their hands. She then asked them what they did when they had an off meet. They said that they looked at what went wrong and tried to work on those corrections. The coach then asked Z if she thought any less of the girls now that she knew they don't always have great meets. Z said no. She also reminded Z that there are gymnasts at the Olympics who fall or have bad meets. It happens and you need to learn from it, forget the bad meet and move on. She said that meet is over and now you need to look forward for the next meet and what you need to do.
She ended the meeting by telling Z that she is a great gymnast and has a lot of potential. She said that she didn't see any need for another practice, the things that she has been working on are little corrections and that she would be fine.
After the meeting, Z seemed to be in better spirits. What I loved is that the coach took the time to get down on Z's level--looking her in the eyes. She involved the older, more experienced girls, and told Z how well she is doing. I felt better, Z felt better, and I could see her confidence growing again.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Competition # 2 . . . Go Green
So, it's been awhile, but I want to get back and try to "recreate" what I should have been blogging about last year.
Z's second competition was a lot different from her first. It was in a larger Bay Area gym, with bigger teams competing. My sister-in-law came to meet us and watch. The environment was even a bit different. Z immediately started looking at the leos that were for sale and asked if she could get one (not "meet" leos, just regular ones). I said if she did well, we could ask her dad. Once again, we did her hair and sent her on her way with her team.
Her first event this time was vault. Unfortunately, on her first vault she got stuck in her handstand and fell. Even though I was a lot farther away, I could see that she was upset. She went back and did her second vault and scored an 8.750. Definitely not the score she was wanting.
As they walked to the bars, I could see that she was feeling dejected. Unfortunately, I couldn't talk to her and couldn't get to her coaches to try to talk to her. She normally loves bars, but again, she just had some small issues and scored an 8.825. Not that much lower than the meet before, but again she didn't seem happy. The rest of her team were all talking together and she was just sitting, hugging her knees.
Beam was the next event. She had fallen at the last meet and I know she was afraid that she would fall again. Unfortunately, I think she jinxed herself. She decided to go big on her split leap and just completely lost her balance and fell. At least it was not on the same element that she had fallen on before, but still, you could see it in her eyes. Her score was an 8.150, which was exactly the same as the last meet.
Finally on floor she seemed to get her groove back. She scored a 9.400, less than one of her teammates, but still really good. Her all around score was a 35.125, just 0.150 less than the last meet.
But . . . unlike the last meet, while her AA score qualified for State, she was competing against girls who were just a bit better. She placed in three events--4th on floor, 7th on bars and 6th for the all around. You could see in her body that she was truly upset with her results.
After her aunt left and we started to the car, she started crying. At first I thought it was because we didn't buy a leo, but then she said it was because she felt she didn't do well. I asked if she had tried her best and she said yes, and I said that was all I could ask. I told her that her all around score still would have qualified for State and that seemed to make her feel a bit better, but she cried for about 45 minutes until we got to where we were stopping for dinner. I had already planned a Build-a-Bear stop (I had some free coupons that would cover a bear), and that cheered her up a bit.
I did have to worry a bit that this was going to affect her for the rest of her competitions. I didn't want her to be completely demoralized, but I also felt that it was good for her to not win all the time. She needed to learn about defeat as well as victory since she wouldn't always be at the top of the podium.
I think that's a hard lesson for an 8-year old.
Z's second competition was a lot different from her first. It was in a larger Bay Area gym, with bigger teams competing. My sister-in-law came to meet us and watch. The environment was even a bit different. Z immediately started looking at the leos that were for sale and asked if she could get one (not "meet" leos, just regular ones). I said if she did well, we could ask her dad. Once again, we did her hair and sent her on her way with her team.
Her first event this time was vault. Unfortunately, on her first vault she got stuck in her handstand and fell. Even though I was a lot farther away, I could see that she was upset. She went back and did her second vault and scored an 8.750. Definitely not the score she was wanting.
As they walked to the bars, I could see that she was feeling dejected. Unfortunately, I couldn't talk to her and couldn't get to her coaches to try to talk to her. She normally loves bars, but again, she just had some small issues and scored an 8.825. Not that much lower than the meet before, but again she didn't seem happy. The rest of her team were all talking together and she was just sitting, hugging her knees.
Beam was the next event. She had fallen at the last meet and I know she was afraid that she would fall again. Unfortunately, I think she jinxed herself. She decided to go big on her split leap and just completely lost her balance and fell. At least it was not on the same element that she had fallen on before, but still, you could see it in her eyes. Her score was an 8.150, which was exactly the same as the last meet.
Finally on floor she seemed to get her groove back. She scored a 9.400, less than one of her teammates, but still really good. Her all around score was a 35.125, just 0.150 less than the last meet.
But . . . unlike the last meet, while her AA score qualified for State, she was competing against girls who were just a bit better. She placed in three events--4th on floor, 7th on bars and 6th for the all around. You could see in her body that she was truly upset with her results.
After her aunt left and we started to the car, she started crying. At first I thought it was because we didn't buy a leo, but then she said it was because she felt she didn't do well. I asked if she had tried her best and she said yes, and I said that was all I could ask. I told her that her all around score still would have qualified for State and that seemed to make her feel a bit better, but she cried for about 45 minutes until we got to where we were stopping for dinner. I had already planned a Build-a-Bear stop (I had some free coupons that would cover a bear), and that cheered her up a bit.
I did have to worry a bit that this was going to affect her for the rest of her competitions. I didn't want her to be completely demoralized, but I also felt that it was good for her to not win all the time. She needed to learn about defeat as well as victory since she wouldn't always be at the top of the podium.
I think that's a hard lesson for an 8-year old.
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