It's MEET SEASON!

Well, okay - it's not meet season for me just yet, but my little ones are heading into their first meet of the season this Saturday at the Gymnastics on the Grand Invitational hosted by GRG and we're super excited about it. Okay, probably mostly just me is excited about it. :)

It's funny how your perspective on competitions can change if you're lucky enough to spend enough time in the sport. When I was a kid, I wouldn't let my parents film anything, I didn't want anyone cheering for me, I just wanted to do my thing and be done with it. Despite my mom telling me that everyone was only watching their kid, I was hesitant to believe her - especially when I ate it on a Pak salto at States and I learned that everyone was, in fact, watching. But for the most part, I believed I was in my own little world and my gymnastics was none of anyone's business, except the judge.

After a few years passed and countless injuries prevented me from competing, my perspective on competing changed. I was so honored and excited to be able to show off my hard work in a competitive arena. I realized just how rare and special it was to be able to do what I could do and I also realized how limited my opportunities to experience this were becoming. People who saw me perform or even just practice would comment on the pure joy I had while doing gymnastics. And it made me so happy that through all the injuries, the heart breaks, the disappointments, people could still see how much I loved to do what I did.

As the little ones get ready to compete for the first time this year (and many of them for the first time ever!), I wish I could convey to them just how lucky they are to be able to compete. What an honor it is to be able to show your parents, your teammates, your coaches all the of the hard work you've put into this. Because while having a bad meet feels like a big deal, it's not. But having the amazing opportunity to be able to compete at all is one of the biggest deals there is for a gymnast.

So enjoy it, silly!

GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF THE GYMNASTS COMPETING THIS WEEKEND AT GRG!

Thanks,

Ashley