I have long had a favorite quote that goes something like this:

“In fifty years it will not matter how much money I make, the size of the house I live in or all the material things I may have, but if I have made a difference in the life of a child.”

I have been coaching gymnastics for the majority of my life and one of the most rewarding aspects of the job, is seeing the students you once had all grown up! Last year, while at a competition, I looked into the crowd and recognized a face - a face I had not seen in years, yet I knew this face. It was the mother of one of the gymnasts I had coached from 1987-1991. My thoughts raced as I tried to figure out why she was there. Come to find out, her daughter, now in her 20s was coaching too - another familiar face in the gym and I hadn’t quite put the pieces of the puzzle together yet.

As I put the pieces together, I approached the young coach and said her name. It took a moment but she quickly said to the group of girls she had gathered around her, “girls, this is my coach!” It truly warmed my heart to still be considered her coach and to see her love for the sport has lead her down the path of teaching, too.

I get such a thrill to hear of my students successes, the paths they take in life and to know that I did indeed make a difference in the life of a child.

PS - Sometimes its the kids that make a difference in our lives. This particular gymnast was such a neat kid and I loved her name - enough so that I named my youngest daughter after her. They both get such a kick out of it, too.

One of the best things sports teaches kids is how to keep trying - after a loss, after a failed attempt, after a mistake. It is one of the best life lessons you can gain from participating in sports. I saw this quote the other day and it really resonated with me.

Courage does not always roar.

Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying,

I will try again tomorrow.

–Mary Anne Radmacher

Here’s to all the athletes who will try again today! You can do it!!

Photo: Flickr

I love this time of year! In our state, this is the beginning of the competition season for gymnastics. Each year the group of Level 4s I coach gets cuter and cuter and while it is so nerve wracking, I just love the first meet.

For those of you unfamiliar with competitive gymnastics, Level 4 is the entry level for competition in most gyms. Level 4 gymnasts are primarily 6-12 year olds and for most of them this is the first time they have competed or performed in front of an audience.

This afternoon my Level 4s will arrive at the gym (the first meet is a home meet, thank goodness) decked out in their new competition leotards and warm up suits. They all had their hair done in identical styles last night at practice and they will be looking so cute.

Our group is big this year - we have 19 girls on the Level 4 team, so they will be split into two groups - which is fine since we have two coaches. Only 5 of the 19 girls have ever competed before and all but 5 are ages 6, 7 or 8 so it should be fun. With the little ones it is always interesting to see who will remember their routine, who will not, who will fall on a random skill and who shines when the pressure is on. Basically coaching young level 4s in a meet is like going the craps table in Vegas - you just don’t know what the outcome will be on any turn.

You would think after all these years of coaching (23 to be exact) that I would not get nervous, but I do. It is more of an excited nervous, but I do sweat out every single beam routine, watch every floor routine with care, anticipate every vault and am there just in case on bars. You would never know it though! I am calm and cool on the outside - to keep my gymnasts focused and relaxed.

The best part about this first meet is the amazing transformation that happens to these young athletes after they have competed in their first meet. The little girls go from being girls who take gymnastics lessons to being GYMNASTS. Practices take on new meaning, the camaraderie among their team mates strengthens, and their self confidence soars.

Tonight I am a coach, then Sunday afternoon I get to swap hats and be a parent as my own daughter kicks off her 4th season competing. And that is a post for later this weekend…