Hard to say Good-Bye

The following is a message I got from a former team gymnast who has come to the age of retiring from the sport. I removed any identifying text as I didn’t ask her if it was OK to use this for the journal here. I did feel that the topic and correspondence was relevant for…

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Where did Gymnastics come from?

  No one really knows when gymnastics started. There are cave drawings that date back thousands of years that depict tumblers and athletes performing what appears to be floor exercises. As recorded history tells, in the beginning (ancient Greece) the gymnasts of the time were actually wrestling. The combatants would perform dynamic exercises before engaging…

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Being a Good Sports Parent (The Final Chapter)

Last part, I promise. Then I’ll go back to my soapbox on other topics. Though I would love to hear your thoughts.    In summary; here is a quick quiz to see if your child has a chance to be a champion. It’s written regardless of age but it focuses on children before high school.…

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Being a Good Sports Parent (Part 3)

I appreciate your hanging in there, I hope this is helpful.  There are some very definitive descriptors between the over-zealous parent and the supportive and positive parent. Sometimes they are subtle and sometimes they scream. The obsessive parent always seeks to have their child noticed, overtly or covertly, they want their child recognized. How else…

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Being a Good Sports Parent (Part 2)

Thanks for returning to see part 2 Sports parents have a very important job, without them, and without them doing their “job” the coach’s job becomes nearly impossible. First off, a parent must provide the athlete; that is not just getting the kid to the gym, but providing a sport ready child. To clarify, let’s compare…

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Being a Good Sports Parent (Part 1)

This post got a little long….imagine. So I will post it in a few parts. Stay tuned for the next publications. Recently I read about a town in Australia that actually implemented laws that govern parent behavior at sporting events. Stepping out of line is punishable by banishment from the play area, and/or fines. My…

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“Bleep” my Mom said

It seems arrogant to think that anything I might say would be wise enough to impact another person. I have my insights and perspectives but I often imagine people reading these posts and think, “there he goes again….”  But there are so many adages that I have heard and it may be better to share…

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Lessons from a childhood round

To look at me, you wouldn’t think that I was such a thinker. I might look like a meat-head, but there is some depth below the surface.  I live so deeply inside my head that sometimes I find the “real” world a very odd place. That is most likely some psychological condition that I accept…

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