My New Years Resolve
Every year we set our goals and make New Years Resolutions. I usually vow to quit smoking (I am a non-smoker) so my success rate is 100% every year.Recently I wrote about goal setting and we just went through our annual goal setting project with my team girls. So maybe I have goals and direction on my mind. I like the idea of the New Years Resolution. A new kick off date, a fresh start. So this year I am challenging myself. Since I already quit smoking (after not stating) I feel like I have momentum. I resolve to lose a few pounds. I resolve to work harder so I can work less and play more. And I resolve to point out the beauty of gymnastics to kids in gymnastics.
Kids who all ready do gymnastics love it. It’s fun, it’s healthy and it makes you the envy of every fitness test your school can offer. But many times kids may lose the specific gift that they have developed by doing this sport. Any gymnast may be able to sink a free throw, thow a football pass or sink a putt but let’s see LaBron James, Brett Favre or Tiger Woods do a back flip.
A friend showed me this video on youtube. And I was pretty moved. I loved the lyrics of the song because it reflects so accurately what I have seen in my near 30 years of coaching. Girls forgetting that they are beautiful just the way they are. In our sport we have short girls and tall girls, skinny girls, sometimes muscle-y girls even a few bigger girls and each of them are talented beyond their own recognition. I have seen young athletes pursuing their potential, and surpassing it, and they often lose sight of what is real. I have seen young women struggle with poor self-esteem and poor body image. I have had gymnasts in the past who have had disordered eating, developed emotional scars and other issues. But more often I have seen young girls rise above their struggles. I have seen girls overcome fear, have stable emotional lives, get A+ grades, set school records and become fantastic professionals, mothers and even coaches. I have seen girls win at life.
I love this video because of the last image in the clip. I resolve, this year, to make all of my kids; my own and all of Gymfinity’s children to “make” this decision.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLs5WWdC0qQ]
The girl at 1:15 is former Soviet gymnast and actress, Svetlana Zasypkina. At 2:12, that’s her starring in the 1988 Soviet film, “Kukolka.” look for other faces you know.