“C’mon Natalie, I know you can do this!” Woodie, my coach, was watching me intently as I stood on the balance beam, my arms stretched high above my head. I was about to attempt a back handspring, a skill that I had been working towards for the past year. Taking a deep breath, I jumped backwards and flipped lightly over my hands, my feet landing solidly back on the beam. I exhaled with satisfaction and relief. My coach grinned and gave me a pat on the back. “Nice job, Nat.”
Ever since my parents enrolled me in GymTots at my local gymnastics club at age two, I was hooked. I shunned all other sports, and dedicated myself to doing gymnastics for hours every week, all year long. I would compete during the winter, and then spend the summer learning new skills so that I could move up a level the following season. An integral part of my childhood, gymnastics became something more than a fun way of exercising. My coaches and my teammates became my second family, the gym my home away from home.
When I was about 8 years old, my parents divorced. This led to several tumultuous years which involved multiple moves, changing schools, and varying living situations. During this trying time, gymnastics became one of few consistent presences. At home I felt the need to grow up quickly, but at the gym I was able to relax. I drew solace from trying to improve, and gained immense satisfaction and self-confidence from achieving my goals. I developed relationships with my coaches, gaining wisdom on more than just gymnastics. It was from Mary that I learned to be open-minded, and it was Woodie who developed my appreciation for ironic humor. My teammates were also a source of mental and emotional rejuvenation. They were some of the only girls my age which shared my interest in learning and my drive to succeed, and we have remained close friends even as some have moved away or gone to schools in other states. Competing as a team is what brought us together, and we now support each other in every aspect.
I often marvel at how much I have grown and changed as a person since I began gymnastics. The little girl who used to be too shy to talk is now a confident young woman. Now in my final year, I am enjoying the new role I am able to play as team captain. The respect which my teammates show me is empowering and has developed my self-confidence. I love helping coach younger gymnasts; watching them improve and overcome their fears just as I, myself, once did. I see them as little sisters, and I enjoy making the gym as encouraging, fun, and thrilling as it was for me. My wish is that, when I leave my gymnastics club after graduating, I will have given all that I could to the community that gave so much to me.