Way back when.
I imagined myself as part of the team. Walking back down the side of the runway, nodding at the coach as he gave encouragement for the second vault. Adjusting my grips and chalking up the bar before the initial mount. Tightening every muscle in my body to remain balanced on the beam. Leaping, twirling, and flipping through each pass on the floor. And then, having a heavy gold medal decorating my neck as the USA Women’s Gymnastics team won the team event. Every little girl that was watching was part of that team that night, and my experience was no different. The chalk prints were planted firmly on my heart, and my attitude changed in my recreational gymnastics practices. I was going to the Olympics. I was sure of it.
Fast forward many years; my few medals from team competitions have been packed away in a keepsake box that collects some dust, my leotards are ¼ the size of my current swimming suit, and all I have are the memories of my experience walking out into the gym as a member of the sport. This time, my walk into the gym was quite different.
The smell of chalk snapped me right back to those stored memories. The sound of the springboard snapping, the scratch of a grip on bar, the pound of the floor with every stuck landing. The team chatter, coaches encouraging words and corrective feedback. The energy, unmatched. This time, I didn’t walk out onto the mat. I released the little hand next to me, and watched her take her place in the warm up line. The chalk imprints were replenished. A few recreational classes later, she was invited to join the team. A year later, another little hand released mine and followed her sister out onto the mat. The chalk prints on my heart deepened. Each competitive year they radiate and glow with pride.
The here and now.
Okay, that’s enough of the backstory that no one asked for. Onto the point of this blog. I’m a mom of two gymnasts. Being a mom has challenges to overcome and lessons to be learned. Being a sports mom has its own hurdles to jump. Being a sports mom of two it’s its own ball game. I for one feel that mom communities are important. Not of the sort that expels mom shaming into the universe, but the ones that build us up, provide support, and help us when we need the village. And this blog is born from the idea that sports moms (and gym moms in particular) need their own community. To support each other so we can better support our children. To help each other understand the sport so we can better support our children. And to enjoy all the aspects of sports parenting so (you guessed it) we can better support our children. See the common theme?! Welcome to Chalk Prints on my Heart. Come be a part of a gym mom community that has the interest of your children at its heart! I envision us growing together as a gym mom community as we salute all the challenges and endure all the flips this sport throws at us!
With a salute and a smile,
Teri —Chalk Prints
