Dec 2. Simple
This has to be one of the simplest things in the world. 4in wide, 16ft 5in long, and 4ft off of the floor. Deceptively simple. Confoundingly difficult, and mentally exhausting. Can't tell you how many times I've cringed watching gymnasts performing skills on this simple device. Beautify, graceful skills. Only to be thwarted by a misplaced toe here, or a slightly off-center launch there. Just today, Rachel was on this beam, beside a girl with amazing talent, and watched in horror as the girl ever so slightly missed getting her toe firmly on the beam landing a skill she's landed hundreds of times before in practice. In her tumble on the way down, and in an effort to soften the inevitable crash landing four feet below, the girl's foot shot back wildly toward the un-moving beam, where upon contact, the big toe sustained a incapacitating injury, most likely broken in my estimation. This, after training for the last year, and after having only one meet this year. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for this young lady in hopes it is not serious.
Dec 2. Simple
This has to be one of the simplest things in the world. 4in wide, 16ft 5in long, and 4ft off of the floor. Deceptively simple. Confoundingly difficult, and mentally exhausting. Can't tell you how many times I've cringed watching gymnasts performing skills on this simple device. Beautify, graceful skills. Only to be thwarted by a misplaced toe here, or a slightly off-center launch there. Just today, Rachel was on this beam, beside a girl with amazing talent, and watched in horror as the girl ever so slightly missed getting her toe firmly on the beam landing a skill she's landed hundreds of times before in practice. In her tumble on the way down, and in an effort to soften the inevitable crash landing four feet below, the girl's foot shot back wildly toward the un-moving beam, where upon contact, the big toe sustained a incapacitating injury, most likely broken in my estimation. This, after training for the last year, and after having only one meet this year. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for this young lady in hopes it is not serious.