My Gymnast Girl Turned Fencer

Hi there.

It's been awhile.

Been busy being a gymnast-cum-fencer mom. Why is fencing in the picture now?

Let me tell you a story.

After the disappointments and frustrations in JS' previous gymnastics club, we pulled her out and enrolled her in another club. I found that this club offered better training. Schedule was fluid but served my daugther good for a time.

But being 11 and not there yet is something to think about in gymnastics. What I mean is, at 11, you should have at least built your name and reputation in gymnastics, gaining favor from coaches, coach eyeing you for local and national competitions.

In JS case, she wasn't. Reason being, not thin enough to impress judges. Coach mentioned something like if she sends my daughter for selection for local competitions, she feared that judges or people in the federation would doubt her ability to send girls for selection.

So keep it to international competitions, coach advised.

So we did.

(During this time, in a parallel fencing world, my husband bumped into his old friend whom he discovered was a coach for fencing and the club was near by our place. So we wanted to check out for my son. Went there. Son said no. JS said she wanna give it a go. So went, she did. Four months into training and she joined the club's competition for U11 Epee Fencing in July 2017 and what do we know, she got her first ever gold for fencing at her first ever fencing competition).

Back to gymnastics world, we sent her to Zixi Cup International Rhythmic Gymnastics Championship in China in August, the month after she got her gold medal for epee fencing. In China, JS bagged 3rd (Bronze) individual all round. We were quite ecstatic. Maybe the coach will change her mind now and at least send her for local selections for rhythmic gymnastics.

Didn't happen.

Came another invitation for Queen's Cup in Hong Kong. This time, I really prepared JS. I was in between jobs during this season so I had time to help train at home. And we did. Train. A lot.

Went to Hong Kong in December 2017 well-prepared. I was more ecstatic to witness her bagging her first Gold Medal at an international level for rhythmic gymnastics in Ribbon Routine, even against the two best girls from her club, (girls who had been sent for local selections and local competitions at an individual level), and against other girls from 4 different countries. She got silver for Clubs Routine and 4th place for Ball Routine. It was all good.

Expected a different turn for gymnastics. Again, didn't happen.

Meantime, back to fencing world, she's been training for fencing. She got another gold medal for the second club competition. That means, all this while she's been bagging gold for fencing, I was still expecting that things turn around for her in gymnastics.

Still not sent for local selections. We took a break. From gymnastics.

In February this year, we sent her to Bangkok, Thailand for Thailand Fencing Federation Minime Series for International Fencing Competition. Her first international stint for fencing. And yes, as you can guess, she won gold medal.

Came home. Realised we had to make a choice for her. When we asked her, she said she's ok with anything and we could decide for her. Fencing coach found out JS was taking a break from gymnastics training, and so she recommended more trainings, upped her for U14 training, accepted her for sparring sessions with older fencers and enrolled her for high intensity program on Saturdays.

By the way, JS just came back from Asian Youth Fencing Competition in Macau last week. She didn't get gold but silver medal for this one. But to get a silver medal for a tough competition like this was more than good enough. And she's only into her first year in fencing!

So where at we at right now?

If you're a gymnast/fencer parent, what would you do? Would you still continue to send your child for gymnastics training where chances of getting into even just a bit of local competitions at an individual level is so thin, you can't even see the line?

Believe me, I am still thinking about sending her back for gymnastics, to let her at least graduate from it since we have invested so much in that sport and I feel it's just a waste of whatever investment we did if we let her quit just like that.

Her fencing journey is quite promising.

But my heart is still refusing to let go of gymnastics totally.

If you're in my gymnast/fencing mom shoes, what would you do?

Quaintrelle

Quaintrelle: A woman who emphasizes a life of passion expressed through personal style.

Dress like you're already famous!

Meraki

Meraki, a verb, or adverb, a Modern Greek word, derived from the Turkish “Merak” (Labor of love, to do something with pleasure), is applied to tasks, usually, creative or artistic tasks, but can be applied to any task at all.

It means to do something with passion, with absolute devotion, with undivided attention.

Samantha's Gymnastics Journey | Queen's Cup | Hong Kong, at Last!

(This is a backdated post)

Samantha's gymnastics journey continues as she traveled to Hong Kong for an international competition.

Last year, somewhere in August, I saw that Samantha's coach posted an announcement that SRGC club was invited to Hong Kong for the Queen's Cup Gymnastics Competition. They're looking for groups with different age categories and different routines.

I kind of got thrilled but hesitated as the same time as I didn't know if Samantha would qualify. But we contacted her coach straight away and asked if Samantha could. Since they were just looking to complete a group, probably anybody could qualify (just my opinion). But still, we were thrilled when the coach said she could, of course, as long as we agree on some details for the trip.(As it turned out, the individual categories were already handpicked.)

But since it was Samantha's first time to go for an international competition, we were so excited. We didn't mind paying for extra hours of training she needed to do and all other extra expenses. We believed that when God, our Father allows us to go through situations, He would always be there to provide.

And so, from August to December, were busy preparing for the Hong Kong trip.  I also helped Samantha practice at home. She would practice at least an hour per day. One thing I liked about the preparation was she got extra training for gymnastics which really helped her a lot for her classification competition that happens twice in a year.

The best part of the Hong Kong trip was to meet my parents and sister! It's like a mini reunion for us. It was really a blessing.

Here are the photos (and a video) that would tell you more stories about Samantha's journey to Hong Kong for the Queen's Cup 2015.



Took this video from my phone but used GoPro Suite to edit the video.

Queen's Cup 2015 (Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, China and Malaysia)

Samantha's winning attitude

Coach Sarina receiving a certificate of participation

 Below are the photos with my parents and sister.It was a double portion of blessing that ended my year 2015 as not only we got to go to Hong Kong for an international competition for Samantha, we also got together with my parents. Really thanking our Father for the blessings.

This is just the beginning, I believe. Samantha will be traveling far and wide for more gymnastics competition. I believe that will all my heart. All these because our Father has a special plan for us as a family as we desire to reflect God's glory in our lives, in everything that we do, wherever God has placed us.

Samantha's Gymnastics Journey | Hoop Routine | Gold, Finally

I was challenged the last time when I thought Samantha would have done well, but her best was not enough. I just thought that practicing a couple of weeks everyday before the competition was enough. That's why Samantha and I had a really stressful time that season.

After the rhythmic gymnastics classification competition in June, 2015, I changed our practice schedule. Samantha started doing it almost everyday right after the competition. She would start with a warm up and whatever elements or steps introduced that week.

I found that nearing the competition time, I wasn't really stressed that much. In fact, the last week before the competition, I didn't push her much. She had back ache two weeks earlier so I was a bit worried. Good thing it went off. Hundreds of possibilities were running inside my head like... what if... what if... oh well, you know.... mothers? Hehehe. Okay, let's not get into that.

I am just glad it was nothing to worry about.

And so, this time, we prayed that somehow, Samantha would get a gold or two. Haha! Too ambitious. But then, I was more hopeful because Samantha practiced practically almost everyday... only to learn later that she wasn't doing some of her elements correctly. But we still kept our fingers crossed.

We still prayed for gold (or two) anyway.

What do we know, on that day, they changed the grading and grouping system. Usually, the girls were grouped according to the age category. Each group then would have 3 - 4 girls competing against each other. This time, 5 groups were merged into one, leaving the gymnasts to compete against 15 other gymnasts.

It was tough, we thought. But we prayed... so...

There were two routines that Samantha participated in: Ball routine and hoop routine. I had high hopes for the ball routine because she's been getting extra training for the forthcoming Queen's Cup (will talk about this later).

The results for the ball routine were posted up first. When I got the chance to check, Samantha ranked 7th out of 16.

Ok.

That was not so bad, knowing that she scored an average of 7.0. Her highest score since she joined gymnastics so far.

The hoop routine results were not posted... of all things.

So I sat on the floor, with my camera lugged, just expecting nothing... ok.. expecting a little, because I prayed, remember?

They called the winners for the ball routine first.

Then the hoop routine.

My heart skipped a beat.

3rd, place, something Chinese name; 2nd place, something Chinese name; 1st place; it was Jan Samantha! Leaped to my feet in a flash. I couldn't believe it. I was shaking holding up my camera taking photo of her getting her gold medal. She won 1st out of 16! I was blown away!

She finally did it! It was a gold, finally!

Praise God indeed, for the favour!

The next two apparatus to conquer before she goes to Grade 2 would be clubs and ribbon. I am so looking forward to those routines.

Here's Jan Samantha's winning Ball Routine performance during the 8th SRGC Rhythmic Gymnastics Classification Competition II in November, 2015.




Wanna leave you with this verse that I held on during the competition and will hold on to:

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Matthew 7:7 (KJV)

Samantha's Gymnastics Journey | Rhythmic Gymnastics Leotard and Hoop Design

Gymnastics is a high maintenance sports. Leotards and apparatuses could really kill the pockets. But thank God for second hands.

Samantha got this hand down leotard from a friend. I am glad she could fit into it. This is what she's going to wear on Sunday for 8th SRGC Classification Competition.

I changed the ribbon around the hoop, from silver and purple to silver and red to match with her outfit. I am never a "crafty" person. So I feel that it's really a hard work for me, especially taking out the double sided tape to keep the ribbon on.

For those who are wondering how to take out the adhesives on the plastic hoop, you may use Goo Gone. I found mine from Ace Hardware. As for the ribbon, you may find it at any educational supply stores.

So here's Samantha's outfit for Sunday.

Keeping my fingers crossed for this Sunday's classification competition.

Gymnastics Hoop Design

I am not a very "crafty" person. So when Samantha asked me to please wrap a tape around her gymnastics hoop, I panicked. Like suddenly, I didn't know where to get the tape and how to wrap the tape around the hoop.

Okay.

I am exaggerating.

I just didn't know that I would end up doing this.

I actually wanna make sure I was doing it correctly, so I asked Coach Sarina where to get the tape. 

"In Daiso can get."

Oh yeah, silly me. LOL.

Anyways, since I was in MPH the other day, I checked out some tapes and found glittery purple (Samantha's favorite color) and silver, each piece had 10 yards. I didn't know how long I needed so I bought two for each color.

Actually, one roll for each color is enough. In fact, it's more than enough.

I tried using using super glue at first, but after I wrapped the tape and tried using, it came off easily. So I went to buy double-sided tape and it worked!

Here it is, my pride. LOL.

My gymnastics hoop design.