Perfect Balance Gymnastics

Chapter Five - Trista

I wake up with a lazy yawn and aching limbs. "Get up DQ, we're gonna be late." My sister says, rolling her eyes. School goes by pretty fast. Some new boy in Savannah's grade is the biggest talk of the day but I'm too lost to pay attention. Invitationals was going to be sick! After school I walk to the gym with Savannah. "His name is Jay and everyone in the class likes him." Savannah says. "Ok..." I reply. "I'm missing the point." "Lily went and gossiped to the whole class about how there so close." She says. "And you care, why?" I say. Savannah turns pink and changes the subject. "How's bars going?" I groan. "Don't even talk about it."

Once were at the gym I put my grips on. "Chalk up Trista." James says. I rub chalk on my hands and jump into my kip to cast handstand. I do my sole circle to high bar and kip again. I pop up to support and do a straddled cast handstand. I do some clear hip circles then a half handstand pirouette and immediately jump into my overshoot before I fall. My body twists and my hands slide off the low bar. I smack the mats with an "Oof." "Let's try that again, this time I'll spot you." I nod miserably. James helps me up to the high bar and I kip to cast handstand. After a half handstand pirouette I let go and James catches my waist and turns me around. I grab the bar and do a fluid kip. "Much better." He says. "Let's go to floor now." My grin widens and I take off my grips. "Let's see your routine." James asks. Savage Love by Jason Derulo starts playing and I rush to my beginning pose. I fall into my splits then roll over. I kick my feet then kick into a handstand. I dance to the corner of the mat and run into a front handspring front layout ½ twist. I land with a healthy rebound and twirl into a pose. Just as the song goes "Savage love" I run into an aerial roundoff back handspring back layout. 

I full body roll into a middle split and give my widest grin. "Nice one Tris, this time, lets add another pass, we need to up the difficulty." James says. "Ok." I say, walking to the middle of the mat. I run through my routine again, adding a layout round off backhandspring back tuck after the middle split. I spin into a pose. "Beautiful. Condition then head to beam." I stretch and chat to Carmen. "Are you nervous for Invitationals?" She asks. "Nah." I say. She gives me a look. "Definitely." I say. Carmen giggles. We both walk over to beam and start practicing. I do a back handspring back tuck and wobble. I notice Paige doing a layout ½ dismount wonder if I should try that. I go through my routine smiling and nailing every move. Wobbles on my back tuck and split jumps. When it's time for my dismount I do a roundoff back handspring layout ½ twist. I barely bend my knees and land with a giant step. "Trista!" James shouts. 

"Do not do a new skill without permission or spotting by a coach!" He exclaims. I stand there feeling foolish as he talks about his job and safety. "You could have really hurt yourself!" "But I didn't!" I say, cracking a smile. He sighs. "Just don't do that again, squirt." I roll my eyes at his nickname and head over to the vault. I run and do a roundoff back handspring vault warm up. After getting the feel of things, I do my yurchenko. I squeeze my legs together and slam into the springboard. I land with a sloppy step. I walk back to the edge of the runway sized mat and run to do my vault again. The landing was still a little sloppy but I was satisfied. "Girls, let's see some tumbling!" James calls. We all line up at the edge of the mat. "Let's see some clean roundoff back handspring layout ½ twist." He says. Paige runs with extra momentum and does a clean passage. Alexis has less momentum off the back handspring and lands in a froggy position. 

After Alexis it's my turn. I run into a bouncy round off back handspring and rotate my body just in time for the landing. I take a few steps back but complete the pass. After we've all had a turn, we took turns perfecting our roundoff back handsprings. I checked the time, 6:39. "Let's see some routines, girls." Savannah goes first. She does a dance sequence and a roundoff back handspring back layout. She raises her leg and drops to the floor. She does a handstand into a bridge, then kicks back up. After walking to the edge of the mat, Savannah performs a front layout roundoff back handspring pike. She lands nicely and dances into an aerial, then runs into a front handspring layout ½ twist. She lands with two big steps, almost stepping out of the white line. Savannah performs a clean back extension roll and turns into her ending pose. We clap giddily, excited for our turn. Invitationals was going to be Perfect Balance Gymnastics' big hit! I just knew it!