Essays that Worked!
Sarah Goldstein '13
Hall High School, West Hartford, CT
I defy gravity. In fact I do it every day. After school from three o’clock to seven, Newton’s laws do not apply. Why, you ask? Because I am a member of the United States Level 9 National Gymnastics Team, and during that time, I am flipping, tumbling, and flying through the air. For the past thirteen years I have poured my heart and soul into gymnastics, dedicating an immeasurable amount of time, buckets of sweat and a couple shards of bone. However, the reward is priceless, standing on top of a podium, knowing that all your hard work and perseverance has brought you to that point. There is no equal feeling. Of course, gymnastics also gives back to you, it whispers subtle teachings from each event—Vault, Bars, Beam, and Floor—and of course, no one can forget the judges.
First up is Vault. Vault is a massive immovable monster staring you in the face. All day long vault tells you no, vault tells you you’re crazy. It stares at you from down the runway and laughs, “you think you are going to run full speed at me, flip over and land right side up? I think not.” Menacing as the massive hunk of steal and its criminal cohort the spring board may be, they have taught me to overcome my fears. Sure I might balk every once in a while, I’m only human, but for the great majority of the time I emerge victorious. Whether my fear is as small as the spider crawling on my ceiling, or fear of failure when I’m trying my hardest, vault has taught me to greet these situations, look them right in their beady eyes, chase them down, and get over it.
Vault is followed by the uneven Bars; the chalky ups and downs of life that have the power to rip quarter-sized pieces of skin from your hands. I try to swing from high bar to low bar, then flip back to the high bar, and then twist to the low and so on. Every once in a while I might slip off the bar, or face- plant a dismount, but I always get right back up. Bars are all about perseverance. This event has shown me that when you’re down, you don’t stay down. You work your way back up to the top. You push yourself, set a goal, and get right back on track.
Third is the “barely there” Beam; the four-inch-wide slice of wood, elevated to chest height that seriously endangers your well being. Beam, of course, is the balancing act, the queen of multi-tasking. I turn, flip, jump, and stand on my hands all the while trying not to fall. The Beam can seriously get you down. Its unforgiving leather wrapper can leave sores and bruises down the entire length of your legs, or knock you unconscious with a misplacement of your hands. While up on this apparatus your body and mind must be in sync. Beam requires total equilibrium and concentration, essential qualities for everyday life when trying to balance time and effort between school, work, family, friends and everything in between.
For the grand finale there is Floor Exercise – the event that most of the audience pays attention to. Floor is my individual time to shine, to showcase my personality and all that I have to offer. The biggest element of a floor routine is the music. An individual’s choice in composition has the power to reveal a person’s character. While many choose “safe” choices such as “Clair De Lune” or “Carmen,” I have chosen Shakira’s “Ojos As”. People are often startled when this melody blares out from the loud speakers. Many onlookers have an odd expression on their faces, as if to ask “why did you choose this of all things?” My answer could perhaps be that I believe that a piece of the sultry Latin songstress resides in me, or that I look up to her as a role model—a wonderfully strong woman who knows where she is going in life. Although it may be a stretch to say that this is the feeling that exudes from my floor routine, I would like to think that to be true. I believe that this component of my gymnastics career carries over into the rest of my life as a strong, loving and independent entity.
After all the events, the fun and the flips, come the judges. They are the all powerful gymnastics gods. Sure, they may determine my future as a gymnast, but they do not have the power to steam-roller my self-esteem. The judges are simply the bullies of the competition playground; they may hurt your feelings every so often, but you learn to ignore them and rise above their petty remarks. The judges have led me to be a stronger, more resilient person, capable of standing on my own two feet in the face of adversity.
When my parents first signed me up for gymnastics classes, I’m sure they did not expect the sport to emanate life lessons and character builders. Yet the lessons that have been taught by each event, the judges, and the overall sport have shaped the person I am and the person I will become. Today I posses the power to face my fears, big or small. to tenaciously pursue my goals, to balance my personal values and be myself. Most importantly, however, gymnastics has influenced my values; I refuse to allow a low score on an event batter my confidence, just as I do not allow others to influence my self worth. Whether it be squishing the bug on my wall or declining an offer of drugs or alcohol, I plan to use the teachings of gymnastics to aid me in leading a successful and fulfilling future.
Last Modified: Monday, July 27, 2009 13:35