Medicine parallels gymnastics in multiple ways. Embarrassingly falling off the beam is just as mortifying as answering a question incorrectly in front of the attending. Struggling to perform gracefully on the floor is similar as suturing for the first time in front of a packed operating room. One of the most rewarding experiences during gymnastics practice is ringing “the bell” when first executing a skill independently, which is just as gratifying as taking a complete history and physical of your first patient or diagnosing a rare condition for the first time.
As a young gymnast, I did not recognize I would learn life skills from the sport beyond physical strength. Gymnastics forced me to adapt when I began working on a nearly impossible skill; now, I have no issue acknowledging my weaknesses and working to become a better version of myself. Gymnastics made me brave; now, I answer medical questions confidently, and when incorrect, I keep my composure and answer again. Gymnastics taught me irreplaceable mental strength; now when I work shifts through the day and into the night, I hold myself together for my patients, especially when that patient is a terrified eight-year old. Gymnastics forced me
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I looked forward to working daily, and I initially believed it was the sport itself making my day enjoyable. My students would yell excitedly, “Show us how to do it, Coach Natasha!” How cool was I to them? Children trusted me to spot them through skills, and parents expected me to teach their children while keeping them safe. I formed relationships with both the children and the parents, because the child would only progress a specific amount without all of us working together towards a common goal. I quickly passed on the life skills I learned as a young gymnast to this new generation, and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute helping these children become stronger, braver, and more
By universal definition, "sport" is listed as "an activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often undertaken competitively." Football, basketball, baseball, soccer and other primary activities have always been concretely defined as sports in society. However, one of the most physically demanding activities is constantly forgotten when it comes to the realm of sports- dance. Dance requires a tremendous amount of training and creates an aura of competition in which people compete to be the best, win, and take home the trophy- just like in traditionally accepted sports. These sports, however, do not possess an element of psychological health threats that some competitive dancers unfortunately must account for due to the emphasis placed on physical appearance.
After being mesmerized by figure skating at the age of eight, I became a member of the Markham Skating Club. As a competitive figure skater, I must perform various jumps and spins in a choreographed program. I have participated in numerous competitions in Central Ontario and have received multiple medals for my achievements. Yet, my achievement as a figure skater stem from the adversity that I faced throughout my skating journey. This sport has imposed challenges to both my mental and physical strength that have ultimately constructed the qualities of dedication and humility within myself.
RAH! RAH! GO TEAM! This is what most people think of when they hear the word cheerleading. Movies usually give people the impression that cheerleaders are just stuck up blondes that rule the school and cheer at football and basketball games. Although there are still stereotypical cheerleaders just like the ones in movies, cheerleaders are not just on the sidelines anymore. There are now competitive teams who only compete and do not cheer for anything. This is called competitive cheerleading. This type of cheerleading is very different from the cheerleading on the sidelines and is much more athletic. Competitive cheerleading is often underrated because cheerleaders make it look easier than it is. Society should consider competitive cheerleading a sport because it fits the definition, requires incredible strength and endurance, and considering it a sport would help prevent injuries.
Be strong, i’m here for you, why do you feel the need to do this to yourself? Those are some common phrases I hear from day to day. I have always been a happy girl, I have a good family good house and a amazing gymnastics career, but two years ago my life changed forever. Ever since I was a little girl I had always known my goal and pushed myself to the highest levels to get it. My goal was the olympics and there was nothing holding me back or at least that's what I thought.
Every part of our body is a science. I never imagined the hidden science in the movements of the body. The science of kinesiology is the science of body movements. I grew up watching my grandma and the changes in her body as both of us got older, I could walk and balance properly while she lost it. I always felt bad when she was not able to get up and walk properly and as caring grandson I always gave her my hand. It was a great feeling for me to take care of her in her last days. Her difficulty in moving always pointed me to do something for her and I landed doing kinesiology- the science of human movements. I completed my high school at Cathedral High School in West Texas. I was an active member of National Honor Society as well as Spanish Honor Society. I held the treasurer position for one year in the society, which I felt proud of. I was not excellent at my academics, was just an average student struggling with the subjects of chemistry and anatomy. It is strange at one point of time suddenly when u come across a certain situation or an accident and u just realize your dream and...
For years gymnastics has been a sport that many children participate in. But as the years have gone by it has turned into something other than a place for kids to grow and learn. Its overwhelming commitment has continued to replace kids’ childhoods with stress, mental and physical pain and eating disorders. Many results have come from this change in the gymnastics society. Gymnasts have come to a point where they have been told and directed to understand that winning is the only important factor in gymnastics. “ It’s about the elite child athlete and the American obsession with winning that has produced a training environment wherein results are bought in at any cost, no matter how devastating. It’s about how cultural fixation on beauty and weight on youth has shaped the sport and driven the athletes into a sphere beyond the quest for physical performance.” (Ryan 5)
Gymnasts are more vulnerable to the onset of distorted eating than other teenagers in society, due to the very nature of what makes for athletic success in the sport. Gymnasts’ bodies have to be young, healthy, petite and muscular, therefore they have to do large amounts of conditioning and eat the proper amounts and type of food. The main factor to gymnasts being vulnerable to distorted eating is because they are at very young ages when they excel in the sport. Gymnastics is structured around young fit bodies, so these athletes are facing a lot of pure pressure and big decisions at young ages. They may start to restrict their diet because, in the sport, it is expected for them to have petite and fit bodies and they are receiving pressure from their coaches and others opinions. A Canadian study of youth gymnasts at an average age of 13.4 years old, reported that 10.5% saw themselves as overweight, 27% were worried about the way they looked and 39% reported dieting behaviors (momsteen.com). When gymnasts restrict their food intake it will not enhance their performance, instead it will harm it because of their weakened bodies condition. They decide to reduce their food intake because of what their body, as a gymnast, is supposed to look like. With the average age of gymnasts being 13.4 years old, they are at the age where it is very easy to feel insecure about their body due to others around them, but it is very unhealthy for high-level gymnasts to not be fueling their body with the proper foods thy need. The sports nature also plays a large role in how far the athletes will go for success. Gymnastics is a very involving sport that requires very long training hours for the young athletes. The proper amount of training hours for the ...
“It’s the oldest story in the world. One day you’re 17 and planning for someday. And then quietly and without you ever really noticing, someday is today. And then someday is yesterday. And this is your life.” - One Tree Hill
As a 29-year-old medical school applicant for which I have spent 23 of them in the world of competitive figure skating. For 19 years I was a competitive figure skater, competing at both the local and national level. Figure skating was my way of life, it guided every decision I made, whether I could go hang out with friends, go on family vacations, or what types of activities I could do so that I would not become injured, hampering my skating career. In the middle of my season in 2009 such injury occurred, I was diagnosed with a bulging disc partially caused by a grade one spondylolisthesis between my lumbar and sacral vertebrae. I was told that this was the end of my skating career, I would never be able to compete on that sheet of ice that
“Gymnastics taught me everything- life lessons, responsibility and discipline and respect.” -Shawn Johnson (Former Olympic gymnast). In my interview with Franchesca Hutton-Lau I found this quote to prove very true to her. Franchesca Hutton-Lau, often called Frankee by her friends and teammates, has been a gymnast ever since she was five years old. In my interview with her, she enlightened me on her struggles, experiences, lessons, and successes which she’s taken from this treacherous sport. Chesca, as I call her, has a very different life from the average high school student.
I’ve been involved with sports since I was 2 years old, participating in these taught me more than the sports themselves; they taught me who I am. I put in countless hours of gymnastics practice, so many that the majority of kids couldn’t imagine the dedication needed to become a state and national champion. It taught me a few of the most vital lessons that I will ever learn; to contribute 100 percent in everything I do and to balance various aspects of my life. Gymnastics also taught me perseverance, how to work harder to achieve a goal, no matter how difficult.
My personal philosophy is: I am a coach because of my love for the game and my wanting to teach this passion to others. I believe that playing a sport will not only prepare a child to win, but also for life and the challenges that come with it. I will strive to help every athlete to compete to the best of their ability, while ensuring that are learning skills that will later on better them in their everyday lives.
Furthermore, a love for sports coupled my desire to work hard to start a multi-talented sports career. Once again, I found myself seeking the attention of somebody, this time my coaches, in order to stand out from the rest. While coaches ...
As a teacher my primary goal is to maximize student success. For me to accomplish that I need to create an atmosphere where students are enthusiastic and intrinsically motivated. Even though we do live in an extrinsic world, students need to have an attitude of doing things for themselves. Physical activity is a great way to demonstrate intrinsic rewards. By participating in regular physical activity students can reap the rewards of helping another succeed, giving complete devotion, increasing both health and skill related fitness, and also getting their own endorphins flowing. In life it is important to learn to to work well with others and team sports are a great way to incorporate ...
I am forever grateful for the lessons I learnt, the people I met, the experience I gained and I now know what true love is. Gymnastics has made me into the person I am today. When something scares me I know how to conquer my fears, I know how to set goals, to deal with disappointment and I will always keep the leotards and tracksuits as memorabilia of a very special time in my life. I am not a quitter, I have left a