My days of gymnastics are over. So are my long hours at the gym. My nervousness and anxiety. It’s all in the past. No more ponytails woven with ribbons, no more glitter spray, no more bleacher analysis. My daughter has left the sport.

For years, Caroline competed on a gymnastics team and she adored everything about it. Four days a week, we drove the ½ hour back and forth to the gym so that she could practice 15 hours a week, year-round. I volunteered, I chatted with the parents, I watched and learned and bit my nails. The parents became my friends, the meets became a social time.

Eventually after three years of this schedule, the complaints began: the coaches were too hard, she had a headache, she was tired, she had too much homework. Her message read loud and clear: she was burnt out at the age of 11.

So much attention has been given recently on the downside of focusing on just one sport at such a young age, that we overlook some benefits. Yes, kids miss out on the opportunity to dabble in other sports or activities. Homework is often done in the car or in the bleachers. Dinner is split into two meals: before practice and after.  She frequently misses out on seeing her three siblings compete in their own activities.

Yet as we leave the world of competitive gymnastics, I’m forced to reflect on all that it has given us. We’ve heard many comments lamenting our “lost investment” or pointing out all that wasted time and money we’ve expended (and it’s been a tremendous amount, don’t get me wrong) but it’s certainly not wasted.  By focusing so singularly on a sport, she’s learned tremendous life skills. Not the least of which is valuable time management skills – homework and friends must be balanced with the team schedule. Competing individually in front of judges has taught her to handle intense competition and scrutiny in a way that class presentations never could. She’s mastered stress management and developed a self-confidence that will serve her well in any type of public arena.

Her teammates have taught her about the deep bonds you develop with others who share your passion. She’s met some close friends and seen the good and the ugly side of competition.  She’s learned about nutrition, hydration, caring for injuries, pacing yourself and pushing yourself. All before the age of 12.

It’s humbling to realize how much of my version of her is wrapped up in her being a gymnast and how much of her identity involves her being a gymnast. It’s part of what defines her. This is the fine line that we must walk as parents: when to encourage them to keep going over a bump in the road, and when to guide them to another path. There are never clear street signs.

We’ve watched in amazement. And now we will watch as she walks away from what defines her the most. She’s young; there will be other time-intensive activities I’m sure. The gymnastics world will slowly fade away from our family’s routine. Life goes on. But I will be forever grateful to the sport, to any activity, that can inspire and push children to dream and grow.

Perhaps the biggest lesson that she’s learned is the one that amazes me the most. Because of her rigorous schedule, she’s developed a kind of discipline that some people only dream of: when she’s tired, she goes to sleep; when she’s not hungry, she doesn’t eat. And that’s a life experience worth learning.

Laura Amann is a freelance writer and the mother of four children. You can learn more at www.laura-amann.com.

Image source: Stock.xchng

Now, I happened to be a bit biased and know that some people will scoff at the idea of spending $100 for a doll, but her stories will be meaningful for the 8-12 year old set and I am sure the messages will be positive. The book summaries go like this:

• McKenna – Girl of the Year 2012 Book 1 (American Girl Today) by Mary Casanova – Seattle fourth-grader McKenna Brooks, who lives for gymnastics, struggles with school work until Josie, a tutor confined to a wheelchair, helps her with reading comprehension and much more. (Library of Congress summary)
• McKenna, Ready to Fly – Girl of the Year 2012 Book 2 (American Girl Today)by Mary Casanova – When Seattle fourth-grader McKenna Brooks’ cast comes off she dives back into gymnastics training in hopes of making the competitive team, but after volunteering at a therapeutic horseback riding center, she considers broadening her interests. (Library of Congress summary)

There is a movie in the works as well, starring Jade Pettyjohn as McKenna. I am not sure if the movie is being released with the doll on January 1, 2012 or will come later in the year to renew interest in the line as the Olympics approach.

For more information about the American Girl of the Year 2012, McKenna Brooks including a picture of the actual doll, visit my other site, www.dolldiaries.com. The official release date of the books is December 27, 2011 and the debut of the doll should be January 1, 2012.  It will be interesting to see the various press coverage of her debut and in the week’s after her release.

My older daughter has been a gymnast since she was a baby (she is now 13), having grown up in the gym while I was coaching. It actually amazes me that she has not had a major injury in all these years. She did have a scary fall off the bars when she was 7 or 8, but she wasn’t hurt. Two weeks ago she was tumbling and second guessed herself for a split second. That split second was enough to put her in a precarious position and she came down hands first from a forward tumbling pass.

She said she heard her arm break, yet some how she just walked off the floor and collapsed near some mats. Most of the gym didn’t even know something had happened. Her teammates and coaches got her arm elevated and on ice, but when I walked in the gym I took one look at her elbow and the very obvious swelling and said let’s go, it’s off to the Emergency Room for you.

I went back into x-ray with her and stood behind the glass with one of the x-ray techs. The new radiology technology is amazing. They took a picture and slid the films into a think that looked like a giant CD player and the x-ray immediately came up on the monitor in front of us. It was so obvious from that first slide that her arm was broken. She ended up with a displaced medial fracture in her humerus bone (she says its not funny though) and they soft casted her right there in the ER.

The next day we headed an hour south to the orthopedic office that specializes in pediatric sports injuries. If your athlete is ever injured – look for a doctor that deals with kids who are athletes on a daily basis – it makes all the difference in the world. The orthopedic doctor took a look at her films and determined that surgery was needed immediately to pin the piece of bone that had broken completely off back onto its rightful place. She broke the arm Monday, we saw the specialist Tuesday and were in surgery Thursday morning. Crazy!

The surgery went very well and she was able to go home that afternoon. She will be in the cast a few more weeks, but since she did not do any soft tissue (muscle, ligament or tendon) damage, they expect the arm to be stronger after the cast comes off than it was before.

The most difficult part of the injury has not been the injury itself rather the fact that she has not been in the gym. The weekend after she broke her arm was the team’s first competition of the season. She didn’t seem to be overly concerned until we walked into the meet to support her friends and then it hit her. That was the very first meet ever that she had not competed in since she was 6. And that was the hardest thing for her to handle. I just wonder if it will be a motivating factor once she is given the all clear to return to training.

We went back to the doctor this week to follow up on the surgery and the cast will stay on until December 13. But at least she has been cleared to go back in the gym and do conditioning – which makes her happy. Gymnasts are a little crazy that way!

One of the hardest things to figure out, especially for new gymnastics parents, is what size leotard to buy your gymnast! And the second hardest thing for new gymnastics parents to grasp is how the gymnastics leotard should fit.

If you can have your gymnast try on the leotard before you buy it, that is obviously the preferred way to go. Most leotard lines go from a Child XS (like a girls 4-6) to a Child L (roughly a 10-12) then switch to Adult XS to Adult XL. There is often very little difference between a Child L and Adult XS, but depending on how your gymnast is built, one may work better than the other. Some leotard brands carry Toddler size leotards and some brands do their sizing numerically.

If you are ordering a leotard and cannot have your gymnast try it on first, be sure you check the manufacturer’s sizing chart and measure according to their specifications.

So, how should a gymnastics leotard fit? The answer is – it depends!

For younger children who are just taking their first gymnastics classes, you may want to buy a leotard with a little growing room. If your daughter tries on a leotard and there are noticeable wrinkles in the fabric at the lower part of her back, the leotard has ample growing room! However, if it is gaping at the arm holes or around the bottom, it is way too big.

For competitive level gymnasts you want a sleeker fit – especially in their competition leotard! That means no wrinkles in the material and the leotard should feel snug. It is going to look much better on the competition floor than a leotard that has wrinkles in the sleeves or torso. Trust me on this one! When ordering a competition leotard you can get special alterations such as adding an inch in the torso length, taking away a little length in the sleeve if needed and a few other details. Chances are  your daughter’s coach will either have the leotard rep come measure the girls or have some samples to try on.

Where to buy gymnastics leotards?

Many gymnastics schools have pro-shops where your gymnast can try on a leotard before you buy one. You can also find a large selection of gymnastics leotards at just about any local gymnastics competition. You can buy leotards online at either the manufacturer’s website or do a search on Ebay and you will definitely find plenty of leotard options to pick from. A basic practice leotard will normally run anywhere from $28-60 depending on the brand. Competition leotards can be $50-200 and possibly more – especially if it is custom or has jewels on it.

My daughter has been doing gymnastics for 11 of her 13 years, so we have certainly tested our fair share of leotards over the years. Below are her favorites – we have owned more than one of each of these brands at some point in the past 11 years.

• GK Elite – probably one of the most recognizable brands of leotards as they outfit the US National team and have a reputation for being very well made. Here is a great article they wrote on how to measure for a girls gymnastics leotard. I love the chart that tells you what size to get based on growing room or a sleek fit. (The first and third leotard in the photo above are GK)
• Destira – we love Destira and have had a lot of great wear from their fun leotards. They are perfect for practice and wash up nicely every time.
• Dreamlight Activewear – known primarily on the East Coast of the US, Dreamlight makes gorgeous and very high-end leotards. A practice leotard is easily $50 but they always have fashion forward designs and they last.
• Rebecca’s Mom -my daughter LOVES Rebecca’s Mom leotards – the wide “frame” of solid color at the neckline (in the far right leotard in the photo) is their signature look and it makes for a flattering and super comfortable leotard. Look for them at competitions or in your local pro-shop.
• Tumblewear – is a California-based company and we have also had good results with their leotards (see the pink and white leo in the photo) – their sizing is a bit different so be sure to check the size chart.
• Garland – one of the smaller leotard companies, Garland is known for being a little less expensive and for having great customer service.
• Motionwear – Motionwear sells gymnastics leotards, dance wear and cheerleading uniforms. All the leotards we have had from them were super comfortable and very well made.
• Snowflake Designs – one of my favorite things about Snowflake leotards is when they have their grab-bag sales. You can get great leotards for a fraction of the price and they are guaranteed to be cute!

If you have any questions about buying leotards, where to find them, what brands are worth the money or any leotard related recommendation, feel free to leave me a comment below.

And then today Jordyn Wieber took the All Around Gold edging out Russia’s Victoria Komova in the final event. Wieber seemed a little surprised at the outcome and I half wonder if she wasn’t just hoping for second place as we head into the final stretch before the Olympics next summer. Obviously the more major meets she wins, which she seems to be doing with ease this year – having already won the 2011 VISA American Cup and being crowned the 2011 US National Champion, the more pressure will be on Jordyn to win at the 2012 Olympics. Here’s hoping she can stay healthy and not let the media attention get to her! Teammate Ali Raisman took 4th – a great accomplishment in itself.

So, what kind of chance do you now think comeback kids Nastia Liukin, Alicia Sacramone, Shawn Johnson and Chellsie Memmel have of making next year’s Olympic squad? Not only do they have these five girls to contend with, Rebecca Bross will hopefully be healthy, Kyla Ross and other current junior National Team members will move up to the senior ranks, and they are going to have to be AMAZING.

Women’s All-Around Final Results
1. Jordyn Wieber – USA – 59.382
2. Victoria Komova – RUS – 59.349
3. Yao Jinnan – CHN – 58.598
4. Alexandra Raisman – USA – 57.558
5. Huang Qiushuang – CHN – 57.432
6. Ana Porgras – ROU – 57.299
7. Kseniia Afanaseva – RUS – 56.732
8. Lauren Mitchell – AUS – 56.699

Here is the complete press release from Under Armour:

OLYMPIC GYMNAST ALICIA SACRAMONE JOINS UNDER ARMOUR TEAM
World Champion Athlete Becomes the First Gymnast to Sign with the Brand

Baltimore, MD (August 18, 2011) – Under Armour (NYSE:UA), the Baltimore, MD-based leader in sports performance apparel, footwear and accessories, announced today a multi-year partnership with Olympic gymnast Alicia Sacramone, the first gymnast to sign with the company. As a member of the Under Armour team, Sacramone worked with the company on the design of a custom-made Under Armour leotard and will serve as a key Olympic ambassador for the Brand.

In addition to being a member of the silver medal-winning U.S. Olympic team in 2008, Sacramone is currently tied for the highest career tally of World Championship medals for U.S. gymnasts, including three golds, four silvers and two bronzes, making her one of the most successful gymnasts in U.S. history. Sacramone has been named USA Gymnastics’ Sportswoman of the Year four times (’05, ’06, ’07, ’10) and holds five U.S. vault titles as well as two U.S. National floor exercise crowns.

“Alicia’s commitment to training and her determination to perform at the highest level makes her an inspiration to young athletes across the world and an ideal fit for the Under Armour Brand,” said Tori Hanna, Director, Women’s Sports Marketing, Under Armour. “While her numerous medals and accolades are a clear reflection of her talent, it is her indomitable spirit that sets her apart as a natural choice to become the first Under Armour athlete on the gymnastics floor.”

Sacramone joins an elite roster of athletes who have signed with Under Armour, including 16-time Olympic swimming medalist Michael Phelps, Olympic gold medalist skier Lindsey Vonn, U.S. Women’s Team World Cup soccer star Lauren Cheney and three-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady, among others.

“I’m honored to join the Under Armour family, as Under Armour’s emphasis on training and its dedication to the next generation of athletes aligns perfectly with my core values,” said Sacramone. “I’ve always admired Under Armour apparel for its performance and style and now, to get the chance to work alongside such a high caliber of world champion athletes, it’s just an unbelievable opportunity.”

When Sacramone is not competing or training, she coaches youth gymnastics at Brestyan’s Gym in Burlington, MA and focuses much of her time giving back to the Children’s Hospital of Boston.

About Under Armour, Inc.

Under Armour® (NYSE: UA) is a leading developer, marketer, and distributor of branded performance apparel, footwear, and accessories. The Company’s products are sold worldwide and worn by athletes at all levels, from youth to professional, on playing fields around the globe. The Under Armour global headquarters is in Baltimore, Maryland, with European headquarters in Amsterdam’s Olympic Stadium, and additional offices in Denver, Hong Kong, Toronto, and Guangzhou, China. For further information, please visit the Company’s website at www.underarmour.com.

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Be sure to watch Alicia and the rest of the US Team hopefuls as they compete in Day 2 of the Visa Championships on Saturday, August 20. Check UniversalSports.com and USA Gymnastics for times, results and more photos from the event.

Francie Pants are simply athletic style shorts made from the same material used in leotards and they are meant to fit snug. They come in a wide range of fun prints and at $16.50 a piece, they are comparable to what you would pay for a pair of shorts from GK or Asics. As far as sizing goes – I recommend ordering the same size as your daughter’s age. For example, the size 10 fits my 9 1/2 year old daughter perfectly and the size 12 fits my nearly 13 year old well, too.

Francie Pants are not just for the playground though! We were sent a few pair of Francie Pants to review and my girls love them. My gymnast daughter decided to give her boring black shorts a break and wore the leopard print Francie Pants over her pink leotard for gymnastics practice. The verdict – she says the Francie Pants are just as comfortable and loved all the compliments she got! I could see her wearing them for cheerleading next year, too. The Francie Pants would be perfect for volleyball, under a running skirt, dance class and just about any sport where you might want a little extra coverage.

Visit the Francie Pants virtual dressing room to pick the pair(s) you want and you can purchase them direct from the Francie Pants site, too.

Disclosure: I was sent two pair of Francie Pants to review and am a member of their affiliate program, however, all opinions of Francie Pants are my own and were tested by my daughters.

I don’t know if you are feeling it yet, but I sure have a case of pre-Olympic fever starting to brew! The 2011 Covergirl Classic which is taking place in Chicago this weekend and the audience is in for a treat! The 2011 CoverGirl Classic is the final qualifying event for the 2011 Visa Championships, which is USA Gymnastics’ national championship scheduled for Aug. 17-20 in Saint Paul, Minn.

Shawn Johnson during podium training at the Covergirl Classic. Photo by Greg Long from the Examiner

One of the most well known gymnasts in recent history, 19 year old Shawn Johnson, has decided that she is not ready to call it quits, rather she would like to compete in another Olympics. She will be competing for the first time since the 2008 Olympics in hopes of qualifying to the Visa Championships in August, gaining a spot on the World Championships Team and ultimately representing the USA at the 2012 Games. Johnson is not alone, however! Her Beijing teammate Alicia Sacramone (23), who came out of retirement earlier and won the World Championship Vault title last year, will also be competing three events (Vault, Beam and Floor – Bars is just not Alicia’s favorite event!) and Chellsie Memmel (Two-time World Champion in 2003 at the age of 15) who is also making her comeback at age 23.

While these three rock stars of the gymnastics world will be garnering some serious media attention, senior superstars like Jordyn Wieber, Rebecca Bross, and Aly Raismann will be vying for their time in the spotlight, too. Adding to the excitement will be some new talent on the senior scene like Gabrielle Douglas, who moved from Virginia Beach, VA to Iowa to train at Chow’s side-by-side with Shawn Johnson; McKayla Maroney, and my favorite from last year’s junior division, Sabrina Vega.

There is already some excellent coverage and commentary on the athletes, podium training and some predictions – I recommend:

• The Couch Gymnast’s very in depth preview of the Covergirl Classic athletes – who to watch and why
• Full Twist’s Covergirl Classic Preview
• Gymnastike has some of the most extensive coverage of the competition with videos of podium training, interviews with the competitors and commentary already to go
• The USA Gymnastics web site and Facebook page will have constant updates, photos and results
• Universal Sports will be covering the senior competition and will stream it live on UniversalSports.com, too

So, who do you think will emerge as the champion, the ones to watch as we head into this Olympic year, and who do you think might be over-hyped?

The Cover Girl Classic is being held in Chicago on July 23rd. It is one of the meets that gymnasts can use to qualify to the 2011 Visa Championships which is considered to be a stepping stone for many in their journey to earn a berth on the 2012 US Olympic Team. Shawn will only be competing in two events – most likely bars and beam – for both the Covergirl Classic and Visa Championships as she is still recovering from knee surgery. I’m excited to see how she does – as so many comebacks are disappointing – but I’m rooting for Shawn!!

Shawn has also signed a sponsorship deal with Nike leading into the 2012 London Olympic Games. She will be wearing Nike cross-training gear, but I can only wonder if Nike will launch a line of Shawn Johnson apparel. Its unlikely they will enter into the leotard arena, but you never know.

Image Source: ShawnJohnson.net

Visit USA Gymnastics resources page to download a copy of the Color Your Leotard entry form and complete details for entering. Even if you are not interested in entering the contest, I know a lot of gymnasts who think its fun to design their own leotards and will have fun letting their creativity go to work!