“MOM, I MADE IT! I’M GOING TO TOKYO! I MADE THE WORLD TEAM!”
Those words still sounded so sweet even though when I heard them, I already knew my little girl had made the Team. I stayed up very late waiting anxiously for the list to be published online. I don’t think I have hit the refresh button so much in all my life. It was truly an amazing accomplishment for Gabrielle to make the World Team, especially since she suffered a leg injury a few weeks before the July 2011 US Covergirl Classic meet. We knew Visa Championships (the two day competition in August that determines who makes the US National Team) would be challenging given the fact that she had been extremely limited in her training. Day 1 was nothing short of a disaster. 3 falls on Beam, a fall on floor, and a near fall on her uneven bars dismount was certainly not what we were expecting.
As we sat in the audience and watched, I have to say that I was extremely proud of her. It wasn’t easy to watch at all, but I was filled with such awe as I saw her get back on that beam over and over and over again. I could see her face from where I was sitting, and I could see the disappointment, despair and utter confusion in it. I could tell that she was fighting the urge to cry, and she didn’t. I wanted to jump out of my seat, run down the aisle, jump over the railing and wrap my arms around my baby and let her know everything is going to be okay!
But, I have always tried to instill in my children that when you fall down you have to get back up and do it again. I told them, ”It’s just like when you learned to walk as a baby. You didn’t quit trying just because you kept falling down. If you had, you wouldn’t know how to walk right now!” So I stayed in my seat and choked back MY tears because I knew that when I saw her after the competition, she would need to draw on my strength. After all, there was still Day 2 to think about.
As we walked back to our hotel from the sports arena, I could see how distraught and doubtful she was. So much sacrifice on all of our parts had gone into getting to this moment. I knew I had to stop fear and doubt from consuming her.
When we got back to our room that night, we wrapped her leg with ice, I grabbed my computer and pulled up some of her past awesome routines. I didn’t say much to her other than “watch these”. I knew I didn’t have to say much of anything. A picture is truly worth... Before she fell asleep I told her, “Today is behind you, so leave it there. Tomorrow is standing before you - focus on that.”
She had one day to train before she had to compete again on Day 2 of the competition. Her leg and hip were throbbing, she was struggling to regain her beautiful flexibility (something she is known for), but in spite of all this - she was adamant about finishing the competition. (I knew those videos would reignite her fire.) "This is my dream", she cried. "I refuse to give up on it!"
It was a beautiful sight to watch her older siblings rally around her. JOHNathan pumped her with lots of “ you can do this!” - JOYelle chimed in with lots of “we love you & no matter what, we are proud of you” and ARIEelle, ever the encouraging big sister, told her “not to worry, just breathe and give it your all.”
Then Day 2 arrived! To Be Continued...
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