This was Z's last official meet of the season--before moving on to States. It was complicated a bit by the fact that I was going to be out of town visiting her older brother down at college and would be rushing to meet her at the meet itself. The nice thing was that her dad and sister were going to be there to watch as well. For me the morning started badly since I apparently mis-set my alarm and did not wake up until the time I was supposed to be leaving (I had a four hour drive ahead of me). I got ready and in the car in 18 minutes and was only four minutes late to the meet location. Once there, I met up with Z, got her changed and then worked on her hair. Finished her hair just as she was supposed to be checking in with her coach. Yay, success!
This was our first time at Halloween Jamboree. It is a very fun meet where the judges dress in costume and the teams dress up for their march in and there is a costume contest. While our team had come up with costumes well in advance, the older girls in our level decided that the cupcake costumes were too juvenile--Z is the youngest in her level by anywhere from seven months to almost four years. So, while the parents were all trying to decide to do for our girls, the coach made his own decision to make the costumes himself. It was so cute--he was a police officer and they were his prisoners--complete with striped pjs. It was great because they did win the costume contest. :)
I was very happy because our team was starting on vault--that meant we were again doing the traditional rotation and would end up on floor last. Z's first practice vault was bad--I mean hands slipping on the vault table, and landing on her stomach on the vault table, bad. Luckily, she said it was a result of her being on the wrong foot. The next two practice vaults were much better. She was the second on her team to go and scored a 9.225! This was her personal best and she was rewarded with first place. All of our girls did well on vault, taking first place in all four age groups.
Bars was next. Definitely her nemesis. Her warm ups looked really good. Then watching two other girls slip on the squat on made me nervous. Unfortunately, Z's foot slipped on the squat on, but unlike other times when she has fallen, she was able to recover and still do her kip to the high bar. Her score was an 8.425, but much better than the other two times when she fell.
On beam, she didn't fall--but did have some really big wobbles. She scored an 8.875, which was her personal best, but not enough for a medal.
Floor was last--her best event by far. And, as she has always wanted, her coach let her go last. Since we were the last team to compete on floor this meant she was the last person the judges saw. I could tell after her first tumbling pass and the huge smile she flashed that she felt good. Obviously the judges agreed because they gave her a 9.450--again a personal best and first place!!!
All season Z has wanted a 36.000 for all around. She just missed this week and got a 35.975. She was so close, and ended up in third place. Overall, she was happy with her scores and placing--although she knew that if she hadn't slipped on the bars she would have done even better.
Now it is time to start practicing for States. We have three weeks of practice and we are going to try to get in a private lesson or two before then. She needs to work on her bars and becoming more steady on the beam. Little things, but things she can definitely tweak and work on.
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