This routine could make the Arrowhead girls gymnastics team back-to-back state champions. It was all up to one girl and her routine. This girl, the previous night, performed her best beam routine of the season. Not only did she end up the State Champion, but she broke the state record too. Today, though, this girl knew if she fell, or if she didn’t perform her absolute best, the chance for gold would be gone. Vanished.
This girl happened to be me.
Determination and willpower take over. My body trembles in excruciating pain, but adrenaline allows me to forget about it. My right foot, containing torn ligaments, stress fractures, and an Osteocondritis Dessecans legion, is forgotten. Completely forgotten.
Advil, tape, and adrenaline are my remedy. I am used to it. I broke both of my feet five times, dislocated both shoulders, fractured three vertebra, broke all of my fingers and all of my toes, broke my hip, and separated the growth plates in both wrists. The pain never escaped my body. But, during my routine, all is forgotten.
Seconds before saluting the judge, my coach whispers, “You can do it kiddo, it all up to you.” Thanks. Right there, my nerves kick in. I want to win more than anything. As I perform my routine, I can’t help but to think of what is at stake. I perform each skill one at a time. Each skill is stuck. Perfectly. I am only seconds away from a dream come true. All of a sudden, I execute my dismount. Stuck.
After saluting the judge, I look over to a standing ovation. Parents, teammates, and friends are crying. 9.683. I just shattered the state record, and we won the State Championship.