Robogymnast

At meets there's invariably a phenomenon: one team who has gymnasts that perform identically. Same rigidily pointed toes and straight legs. Same super stiff arms, fingers splayed apart for "artistry." But that's okay because the kids are young and they think of art as fingerpainting. Stomachs are sucked in. Shoulders thrown back. You could replace any of their faces or hide them altogether, and you would think you were watching the same girl.

How do they (the coaches) do it?

Larissa, our Level 4 rock star, scored a 9.5 on floor last meet, with an all-around score in the 36's. When she was a Level 4, Jamie scored a 9.7 on floor. She's also back from her retirement! It's only been a few weeks but her old form comes through. And Erin, our IGC I'll-try-anything-with-a-smile girl, will be competing for the first time this weekend. Even if she bombs, chances are that she'll score respectably.

What I'm getting at is these three girls, arguably our top performers, all have poise. Body tension. Fluid performances. Everything you need to bring in the desired scores. Coaching-wise, these three show that we're on the right track.

But when they perform, they look nothing like each other. While all are strong and flexible, their body types are completely different. The way they hold themselves is different.

So I return to the original question: How do you do it, coaches?