My year in review

OK so this year has been a roller coaster for me, at this time last year I switched gyms and coaches, a very difficult decision for me but definitely a good one. So I wanted to review what has happened as far as my tumbling goes. 

In August of 2007 I was named to the World Championship Women's Tumbling Team as the alternate, it was the right decision by the committee, but was still hard to take at first but with my very supportive coach he said you are going and that's final!! :) So I went to Lake Placid with the team and trained for a week and then we went to Quebec for World Championships. Everything the girls tumbling team I did, the only two things I did not do was compete and get to be on the podium listening to our national anthem with a gold medal around my neck. I have never been so proud to be a member of a team as I did when I watched them up on the podium however it was heart breaking, know I had worked just as hard as they did for that medal and I wouldn't get one. This experience was really rewarding, it made me appreciate who I am as a person instead of a competitive athlete, I was there for my teammates every step of the way. If they had a bad day I was right there encouraging them to keep pushing and to not give up. I believe any real competitive athlete would have been wishing one of the girls would get hurt so I could compete, I didn't think that once. I knew that I was the alternate and I believe that was what I was meant to do, those girls needed me on the sidelines cheering and believing in them. That experience changed my life and some people ask would you changes things if you could go back and I say no way. 

So this year was my year to continue to get better and prove to myself I was a good tumbler no matter who was my coach. I have had amazing coaches throughout my years of tumbling however I think I have always depended on them to make me great, but now I know I am the one who makes me great and no coach can change that, they can only help me improve on that. 

So the year I might have finished last at every competition but it was a great season. At the end of the season I got a couple of things I have been working for my whole life. 

First I got a $2000 scholarship from my region, that was amazing, Patti the head of Region 3 told the audience I give so much heart and dedication to this sport, I know I do that but for others to realize that meant a lot to me. 

After that competition I went to Nationals in Houston, this meet had so many good things about it I will have to make a list.

• I got free tickets to an Astros game and they were in a suite!! 
• I got 4Th place
• I did a new pass
• I got a scholarship for $1000 from USA Gymnastics
• Last but not least the World Championships Women's Tumbling Team was named athletes of the year- remember how I said I didn't get a medal or  get to stand on the stand. Well when Ann Sims, the head of USA Trampoline & Tumbling, handed me my certificate she said I have a surprise for you... she pulled out the same medal the girls got at World Championships!! I cried it was the best moment, it made me realize how much everyone appreciated what I did for the team in Quebec!!

So as you can see it was an awesome year for me, I didn't win but I don't need to, the pure realization that people appreciate me as a person and understand and support my goals will always be enough for me to be proud of what I did. 

Ok so thats it, I will put some pictures up, hope you enjoy them as much as I do! :)