Gymnastics Routines 2013

Tonight was the big night.  All three of us Trowbridge girls were a bit nervous, a bit excited - it was time to perform our gymnastics routine for all our mummys and daddys (yep, even some of my parents!).  

I have been coaching a bit this term, so I got to feel special and wear a gym club shirt and sit with the gymnasts this year.  As I sat there watching the level 3 and 4 girls, and then the competittive gymasts, i was trying to work out where my own abilities laid.  Somewhere after Jaimee (level 2) and before the better level 4 girls I think! They had us adults perform just after Kate's class and then Jaimee's class, so Marty had all his girls in a row.  The girls did amazing. I was so impressed that Kate didnt wiggle around in front of the mirror and she remembered all her moves.  Jaimee did a beautiful handstand and finished all her moves to a high standard. 

And then I went.  Oh dear.  On Monday night at practice, one of the adults in my class broke her ankle moving from a roundoff into a dive roll.  We had to call an amulance and everything.  She was in agony.  I think her spirit must have been with us tonight....I have badly sprained my ankle doing THE EXACT SAME THING.  Argh!  

I started so well, determined to prove my awesomeness to my kids and my husband (ok - and my friends, sister/brother in law, neice, nephews, mum and dad in law, stepfather, kids in the girls classes....who were all there).  I did this huge running jump into a roundoff, going way higher then I normally do, which completly threw my landing out as I tried to turn to do a seamless twist into a dive roll.  I landed heavily on my right ankle, staggered around like a flailing idiot, and then finished my dive roll, hobbled off to the side, and went OWWW.... with coaches asking me if I was alright. 

Well,I had too much pride/adrenaline/stupidness to just stop.  Even though my ankle was pretty sore, I tried really hard to shake it off - literally, as seen in the video footage as I shake my ankle trying to kick some life back into it.  When it came my turn to run down and do my flip, I hobbled rather then ran, but still managed to get enough spring (OWWWW again) to nail my first flip.  I got a lovely big applause from the watching adults, who no doubt were thinking "I would NEVER do that class".  With my ankle screaming at me, I went back around for the second flip.  Meanwhile all the coaches are telling me to sit down and stop right now.  With the buzz still going from nailing the first flip,  I said with typical kiwi attitude said "nah, I can finish.  All good" through my teeth and rather grimacing face.  The head coach rolled her eyes and threatenened to stop the adult programme next year.  I didn't manage to nail the second flip though, I just couldn't get the height or momentum I needed, but I did do the handstand finish with my group and felt pretty proud that I finished with an injury.  

You can watch all of our routines on this link on YouTube cause it wouldn't upload here for some reason! (my routine is 3.11 minutes in, after the girls)

As soon as we finished, I ran/hopped off to get ice...pronto, and sat clutching my ankle for the rest of the evening, concerned 5 year olds checking on me and telling me I was awesome.  Later in the evening, Luke was running riot around the prizegiving on the main floor, but I was helpless, I couldn't walk to get to him so he had to be "that kid" cause daddy didn't seem to mind at all.   My adorable girls were very concerned about me and let me hobble out to the car leaning on one shoulder each and I now sit here with a throbbing slightly swollen ankle that I can't walk on.   Setting up Playgroup should be fun tomorrow eh?!

In more mother friendly blogging, the girls both passed their respective levels, earning their badges.  Kate did me so proud, getting one of the very few trophies for each class.  Her trophy was awarded for "best overall attitude" for her group.  I am relieved because Jaimee got the same trophy last year and now we have one for each girl in their room! I am also very proud because both my girls are showing great attitudes to their learning which is all I really want.  Well done girls and thanks Hastings Gym Club, I look forward to another year of fun in 2014 (hopefully injury free!)

Kate's overall testing results: 8.3

Bar - 7.5

Vault 1: 8.5

Vault 2: 9

Walk up wall: 8

Floor: 9

Forward roll: 9

Beam: 7.5

Conditioning. Avg: 8.3

Jaimee's overall testing results: 8.6

Bar 1: 8.5

Back roll: 9

Vault 1: 8.5

Vault 2: 8.5

Walk up wall: 8.5

Floor: 9

Beam: 8.5

Conditioning avg: 8.5