Burning Out, Fading Away

As we approached Fall 2009, it was time to re-remember the routines. Back away from the new skills for the time being to polish the old.

We moved Natalie to Level 6 and Amy to Level 5. The other girls stayed put. I tried to make the transition back to routines fun. On beam, I had the girls do relays: one gymnast performed her routine on each of the high beams while the others waited in line, and if she fell, the next girl on line took her place  and continued the routine for her. The ultimate goal? Completing your routine without a fall. Simple, but the girls were excited.

In September, the blue moons defied nature: Kathryn and Brittany got their kips in the same week. I fully expected these kips to disappear. But alas, they remained! Now only Kasey and Tia needed their kips, and we'd have a real Level 5 team on our hands.

In the summer, Tia hit a plateau. Soon she slid down. Her two back handsprings on floor vanished. The kip she'd once been close to was miles from the bar. One day during warm-ups, I overheard her telling Kelsey that lacrosse was her favorite sport. Then she looked at me as though I would yell at her. Of course not--we all know how I feel about other sports. But gymnastics is not an easy sport when it's not your favorite, I thought.

To no one's surprise, Tia quit before the first meet. She came back several months later for an advanced class. She sprinted over to hug me, now several inches taller. When she grinned, new braces glinted. "It's not the same without your knowledge of pop music," I told her.