This weekend was our Level 4-8 State Championships. Due to an April Fools Day Snow Storm I had to miss it because the other part of owning the gyms is to PLOW the parking lots. Looking at the smiling faces in photos on Facebook it reminded me WHY WE DO THIS.
Gymnastics is such a wonderful sport. I am often reminded by parents and former athletes that we have taught the WAY MORE than just a good handstand or vault.
I was 6 years old during the 1972 Olympics. I remember sitting on the living room floor with my mom watching the men compete.
The Japanese dominated followed by the Soviets. I remember watching Kato and Tsukahara on High Bar and Nikolai Andrianov and Nakayama on floor.
Clean lines matched with power.
I was struck with awe. I was hooked. I wanted to do that. I wanted to fly.
I asked my Mother how they got so high. What kept them in the air so long? My mother, who was once a gymnast, tried her best to explain the physics. How speed transferred into power.
When she left the room, I took the pillows off the couch and put them on the floor. Standing on the back of the couch, I stretched my arms up in my best imitation of Andrianov standing in the corner. I jumped down hit the springs and executed my first front tuck overshooting the landing zone of pillows taking out a coffee table in the process.
A few years and a few thousand hours of training later, I stood in the corner of the floor. I raised my arms in my best imitation of Peter Kormann and executed my opening pass. As I finished my routine I looked over at my coach. He smiled and shook my hand. My teammates gave me High 5’s. I looked toward the crowd and saw my parents smiling. I was invincible. I could have done my routine 20 more times that day.
It was at that moment that I realized what kept them in the air so long. It was Joy.
I try to carry that Joy into my life every day. With the children I coach, I want them to see that I love what I do. With coaches I work with I want them to see that I love working along side them. When I am teaching a clinic I want all the coaches there to know that they need to share the joy of teaching.
When it comes to making yourself happy, you need to learn what works for you. Once you discover this, everything else tends to fall into place.
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. Dr. Suess
Every year we have a group of graduating Seniors. I always get them a Dr. Suess book, “Oh The Places You’ll Go” . Each one of these gymnasts has been a huge part of my life. Part of my family. I take time with what I write to each of them. Here is an excerpt.
The first question I have for you is, “How did we get here so fast?” It feels like last week that you each walked into my gym. A little awkward, a little shy, maybe a little afraid of me. I remember looking at you and thinking, “this will be fun”.
I remember when my own children reached their senior year, they become, at times, hard to live with. They are trying to separate themselves and to assert their independence. I read that this transition makes going off to college easier on the parents. In the gym, it doesn’t EVER make it easier. When we see you show your independence and assert yourself; when we see you become another set of eyes for us and help out your younger teammates it is a constant reminder of how much we will miss you and what you contribute. Please know that I am so happy for you and I’m so excited for this new chapter in your life! My brain knows this but my heart feels something different.
Remember the things we taught you when you are faced with challenges because there will be bigger ones in college. Remember your morals, your values and your integrity. Hold on to those. Remember that you ALWAYS have a choice. Remember that the choices you make can and will be positive or negative and you determine that outcome. Take responsibility for your choices. Don’t blame others. Look past the moment. Be a leader. Be a friend. Study. Study some more.
Because of the internet, much of what you do will be posted in some social media. Choose wisely. Ask yourself, “Do I want this showing up in a few years?” “How do I want others to perceive me?” “Do I want a potential employer to see this?” “Do I want my grandma to see this?” “Do I want Tony to see this?” Think before you post! You will thank me, I promise!
Most of all, have fun and enjoy these years because as you will see, they will fly by all too fast! You will make lifelong friends during your college years. You will have some amazing opportunities come your way. Enjoy them! Take advantage of them!
You know me and you know I am always full of advice. Let me leave you with some. You can decide if it’s good or bad.
- Sometime down the road –maybe in the middle of your life – you will think back to your time at ATLANTIC and suddenly laugh out loud over your coaches quirks. Remembering things they said or things they wore. Enjoy having known them.
- Thinking of your coaches, one day you may work for a micromanager that has his/her own way of running the show and insists on insane levels of organization in the office. Send a thank you note to your coaches who insisted on you making every second of practice count. When you need to get organized, you’ll be right back in the gym.
- When a crisis looms, stay calm and keep your dignity. Something will always work out if you work hard enough and treat people the way you want to be treated. It’s no different than getting ready to mount Beam at Regionals or Nationals. Stay calm, go up and do your job.
- Don’t rush through life. Enjoy the simple pleasures of today. In this hectic life we all live sometimes we wait for tomorrow or next year or vacation or retirement to get to the projects we want to tackle. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.
- Take the time to say thank you. Whether someone held the door for you, promoted you or gave a gift, a thank you is always appreciated. Old school, snail mailed thank you notes are still a welcomed surprise. People always remember that you sent a note.
- Never underestimate the power of boosting someone’s morale or making them laugh.
- Take care of your health and get sleep. This is really easy to undervalue.
- I love nearly every minute I spend at the gym. Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life. When you are passionate about something and want to make a career out of it, then working hard to make that happen doesn’t seem like work.
- Make a plan for your future, but don’t stress out about going to college and turning the world around in four years. Think it through and make a plan.
- Never stop learning. Your curiosity should not be silenced. Read. Read offline. Take a course. Go to a seminar. Listen to National Public Radio. Love music. Talk to your elders. Discover something. Investigate. No matter where you are and no matter what your financial situation is, there is always a way to learn something new.
- Take time to be alone with your thoughts.
- People change. You will too. Friends slip away. Some come back into your life. Years from now you may become good friends with someone you only casually know now.
- If there is something nice you want to say to someone then say it. Don’t be afraid to be sentimental or complimentary. You might just turn the day around for someone.
- At some point in your education you were the subject of charity whether you knew it or not: grants, scholarships, donations, acts of kindness, and property taxes were used to educate you. Be charitable in your heart and your actions. Going forward, with every success you have in life, remember to give thanks and give something back, whether it is time, talent or treasure.
- Don’t be afraid of love. You probably know more families that are divorced than are still married, or close to it. Share your heart, just don’t give it away. Loving someone with your whole heart is an amazing gift.
- Have faith in your life. Have faith in yourself, too. I have always believed in you.
- On Money: If you earn two dollars more today I promise that you will find a way to need three dollars more tomorrow. Save some, spend some, but do not spent your life chasing the dollar.
- Sometimes you just have to show up. There were days that you didn’t want to come to practice but you did. Showing up is 1/2 the fight. Apply this rule when least expected.
- For me, Atlantic Gymnastics will always be my home. I hope you know that you ALWAYS have a home.
Here are the GPS coordinates incase you get lost. 43.095338700, -70.791058300
Peace-
Tony
Gymnasts have a way of showing their appreciation too. This was a senior essay from a gymnast in my gym.
