Snowflake Ambassador, Grace
If you follow us on social media, you know our brand ambassadors. These gymnasts work hard both in and out of the gym and share their love for gymnastics and Snowflake leotards with the digital world. They are influential figures for gymnasts of all ages.
Grace is a Snowflake ambassador. She is a Level 6 gymnast working hard to achieve her gymnastics dreams. Her mom Karidee tells the story of Grace's experience so far with the current global situation. She discusses how Grace is handling the gym closures, and what she is doing to stay active and have fun while she's at home. Here's Karidee and Grace's story.
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Two weeks ago, Grace started worrying when she saw activities start to be canceled and closed. Then, a gymnastics competition was canceled, and she was very upset. She cried and cried. She said she was not that upset about the competition, but she was scared that practices would get canceled too. She said she did not know what she or her teammates would do if practices were canceled.
Practices went on for another week, and then all practices except JO Levels 6 through 10 were canceled. Grace was so relieved that she still had practice, but was still anxious and scared that hers would be canceled.
Then, her worst fear happened. She was dressed and ready to go to gymnastics when we got the message that the gym was closed. She was devastated. She was worried for herself and the other gymnasts. She said she thought she would lose skills. She cried and cried; her little heart was broken. Nothing could console her.
She was also angry. She was angry at the virus, angry at USAG for canceling competitions, and angry that her gym was closing. She was worried. She was convinced gymnastics would be over for her because, without uneven bars and a vault and floor at home, she would lose skills while the gym was closed. She was tearful and miserable to everyone around her at home.
Then, she started finding things to do. Her coach, Coach Barry, sent a workout for the girls to do. Another coach, Coach Azalia, started posting workouts as well. We discovered the #Quaranteam and Gotham Gymnastics on Instagram, and for three days now she has worked out with them, stretched with them, and listened to their lectures. One of the lectures even gave her ideas for helping with how she was feeling. Doing all of these things has helped her feel better.
She also started writing goals down: fitness and flexibility goals for when she is stuck at home, and gymnastics goals for when she goes back to the gym. This helps her feel hopeful that there will be gymnastics again.
She did a photo shoot in a Snowflake leotard for Saint Patrick's Day and helped find happy messages to put with pictures in posts. She got to be a happy gymnast where things seemed normal while she did this.
She has started to feel better. She is still sad, and she misses her coaches. She is still worried about how she will keep her skills with no equipment to train on or coaches to help her. But, she has goals to work toward, and things to hope for, and she sees from her friends on Instagram and the #Quaranteam that a lot of others are feeling the same way as her. She sees she is not alone.
A few days ago, she felt like gymnastics was over. Now, she sees that what she is going through is still sad, and it is hard, but she has goals and hopes that there will be gymnastics after COVID-19.
I know there isn't exactly a happy ending yet, as we are still in the middle of this journey, but she has found ways to go from feeling that her life as a gymnast is over to feeling hopeful and motivated to control what she can.
Have a wonderful day and stay healthy and safe!
--Karidee Perry
Mother of Ambassadors Grace and Ella Rose
