With it being National Gymnastics Day today, I thought it would be a great time to help gymnasts, parents, and coaches focus on remembering what they love most about this amazing sport of gymnastics.
Whether you're a current or former gymnast, coach, parent, or even a fan of gymnastics, it has undoubtedly affected your life in some positive way.
Sure, you might have had struggles like mental blocks, conflict with coaches, or other negative events happen in your journey. But at the end of the day you're a stronger person because of it! You've learned grit, perseverance, mental toughness, physical toughness, and so much more - all life skills that you will continue to use and need throughout your life's journey.
So today, in honor of National Gymnastics Day, I'm running fun "contests" on social media throughout the day. If you're on Instagram, come check out my stories all day long. If not, join in on the fun at the Stick It Girl Mom Squad Facebook Page.
The first "contest" is to have your gymnast fill in one or more of the worksheets below and share them with me on instagram by tagging @stick.it.girl. You can also look for the post in the Stick It Girl Mom Squad Facebook group and post in the comments there. Click the image below to grab the worksheets.
More contests will be posted on Stick It Girl's Instagram Feed or Stories throughout today as well as in the Stick It Girl Mom Squad Facebook Group.
Ways to Appreciate Gymnastics
1. Why I Love Gymnastics Board
One thing I have a lot of my gymnasts do, in addition to making a Vision Board, is to create a "Why I Love Gymnastics" board. While a vision board has your goals and dreams in gymnastics, a "Why I Love Gymnastics" board reminds you of the reason you do gymnastics. Is it fun? Do you love flipping? Do you love being graceful along with being strong and powerful? Do you feel accomplished when you learn new skills?
A "Why I Love Gymnastics" board can help your gymnast remember her "why" for doing gymnastics. It can keep her focused on the real reason she loves gymnastics so that when things get tough, she can remember to enjoy the journey. If she doesn't have one, I suggest creating one.
2. Highlights Reel
Another tool I suggest for remembering what gymnastics has done for you and/or your gymnast is to create a highlights reel video. I have my gymnasts create one of these as a way to build up confidence. But I think it's also a great way to re-live some of the better moments in gymnastics.
To make a highlights reel, you or your gymnast would clip together all of the best routines your gymnast has competed through the years and splice them together into one video. If she's learned some cool new skills in the gym and hasn't competed them yet, that could go on the highlights reel as well. The goal is to have one video with clip after clip of your gymnast's best routines and skills so she can watch it and remember how far she's come.
3. Write a Letter To Your Gymnastics Coach
Your gymnastics coach works hard every day ensuring you are the best gymnast you can be. Being a coach is often a thankless job. We often come down hard on our coaches when things aren't going well and often forget to praise our coaches when things ARE going well. Today, consider writing a nice note to your gym coach thanking him/her for the help.
If you're on social, consider sharing your gymnastics journey with the #NGD2022. Also be sure to catch some of the athlete LIVES going on at USAgym's instagram throughout the day.
Finally, if you're reading this post, I'd love to hear in the comments something you've taken away from gymnastics that is positive. It could be about learning skills, special coaches you've had, or what the sport has done for your self-esteem and confidence. Let's celebrate the sport we love so much!
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If you or your gymnast needs support, in addition to the resources below I also offer one-on-one coaching sessions via Zoom.
Helpful Links:
- Stick It Girl Academy: For competitive gymnasts who want to live into their potential and need that extra push in mental training
- Mental Health Training for Gymnasts: Help your gymnast learn about her brain and the fight-flight-or-freeze response.
- Free Facebook Group for Moms of Gymnasts: Join this group to chat with other gymnastics moms and get tips for how to help your gymnast navigate through the mental ups and downs of gymnastics
