Gymnastics Showcase

By Scott McMillan May 08, 2016

Kira has begged to do gymnastics for a couple of months. It was too hard with my dad being so sick so we started her in January in a rec class. She loved it so she tried out for a pre competition team in February. They do little 'showcases' which are like mock meets with their friends. It was so cute! They walk out, practice soluting the judges and do a little routine. Gymnastics is definitely her thing...or at least until I started working. The past four weeks has been rough! Kira has really been affected the most with me going to work and has the hardest time with me not being able to take her to gymnastics. Danny has off Tuesdays and we have a babysitter take her on Friday but it isn't the same for her. She has gotten a little better each week so we had no idea how the showcase would go. She has been kind of hit or miss with how much she has done the past couple of weeks at gym while they were learning the routines so I had no idea if she would even do it or know the routines. She was excited that I brought her, when we got there nervous and didn't want to do it. I left and she came marching out with a smile on her face. I could tell she was nervous and excited at the same time. After the first event her nervous smile turned into a smile, she loved giving her friends high 5's and had a great time! On the way home she said she couldn't wait for the next showcase. I think it was fun for her to see what a meet it like. It was so great for her to go out and do something out of her comfort zone. Last year she tried swimming but didn't want to swim with the team or at meets and I didn't force it so this is the first 'show' that she has really done.

She is a natural athlete. She was born that way and it is so fun to see her try hard, have fun and do something she enjoys. It was so cute to watch all the little girls. She did a cartwheel which has gotten so much better than last time I saw her. She did a carwheel leading with the opposite leg and would try to throw the wrong leg over. Back kick-overs were pretty amusing. The kids would try and try and try but be too scared until their coach came out. She did her vault and jumped onto the springboard instead of onto the mat and then just stepped up to the mat once she realized she wasn't where she needed to be for hand stand. Her favorite is the bars. She is so strong and has gotten so much better at learning her skills and realizing she can do it. She can do front and back circles galore. She only forgot one routine which was her floor routine. It looked like she was going to cry, but instead saluted the judges, sat down and a smile came back on her face within a couple of seconds. I was so happy that she worked it out. She is maturing little by little and it was great to see a great, big smile at the end of the meet and her feeling so great about herself! She is so proud of her ribbons and has them in her room where she can see them and sort them everyday. She actually won two events which is more by chance than anything but she felt proud. So proud of you Kira!

Her coach Cassie who has been very sweet and patient with her the past couple of weeks!