‘Come on, Michael,’ Naomi said. The whole team knew about Gemma’s new leap. ‘It’s only a leap.’
‘It’s a very dangerous leap,’ Michael said, frowning. ‘But OK. Let’s see it on the high beam, Gemma.’
Gemma climbed up and stood at the end of the high beam. It always felt a lot higher when she was up there. She could feel the narrow bar of wood under her feet and her heart pumping in her chest. If she didn’t land this, she could really hurt herself.
She wiped her hands on her legs.
Run, run … shoulders straight … change-leap … land.
That was it. Gemma landed squarely on the high beam. She didn’t even wobble a bit.
The other girls clapped and smiled. Michael nodded his head. Gemma jumped off the high beam, grinning.
This was brilliant. Gemma used to be the worst gymnast. But not anymore. Now she was going to do a change-leap on beam It was the day of the state finals!
It was the day of the state finals. Everyone looked nervous. Kathy kept frowning and jumping on the spot. Anika and Fiona stayed stretching on the floor as though they were trying to hide. Even Naomi seemed quieter than normal.
But to anyone who didn’t know them, the team looked good. The girls looked fresh. They all had their hair tied back with ribbons in the team colours. They all wore the team tracksuits – purple with two white stripes down the side. They looked like a real gymnastics team, warming up for the state finals.
The state gym seemed huge. It was busy with the other teams of level sixes. Some girls looked around nervously. Others giggled as they twirled around the bars or tumbled on the floor.
It was a very big day.
Through the colour and movement, Gemma could just see her parents sitting up in the stands. They sat still. It didn’t even look like they were talking. They seemed to be a long way away.
Inside, Gemma felt strange. She felt nervous and excited at the same time. Today she had to do a change-leap on beam in front of judges! Would she be able to do it?
To make things worse, her team was last on the beam. And Gemma was the last gymnast in her team. That meant Gemma would be nervous about her big leap right to the end.
Then Michael called a team meeting.
‘OK, level six,’ Michael said. He was frowning, but Gemma thought she could see a sparkle in his eyes, behind his bushy eyebrows. ‘You’ve done these routines hundreds of times. You all know what you have to do.’
Michael paused. The five girls stood quietly at the start of the run-up. The noise and movement seemed to disappear.
‘I know you can do it,’ Michael said kindly. ‘Make me proud, level six.’
The team stayed quiet, but the girls seemed to relax a bit. Kathy stopped frowning. Fiona almost looked like she could smile again. Michael’s talk had helped them all.
All the nerves and excitement and fear settled. Now Gemma felt calm inside. She had worked hard and she knew what to do.
Now it was time to do it.
When it was Gemma’s turn on vault, she felt ready. She felt strong all over. She wiped her hands on her legs, and waited. Then one of the judges nodded her head.
Gemma ran. Her legs pounded the run-up. All she could see was the vault ahead of her.
Run, run, legs together, bum tucked in … As she sprang over the vault, her body lifted. For a second, it felt like she was flying. Then Gemma felt the ground beneath her.
She landed well.
It was a good vault.
When her score came up, Gemma felt even better. Gemma’s score was the second highest in the team, just under Naomi’s.
Kathy gave Gemma a big pat on the back.
Gemma sighed. This was great.
She didn’t have to worry about being the worst gymnast anymore.
She went well on bars and floor, too. She swung between the bars as though she had done it all her life. She tumbled high and danced with grace on the floor. After all the hard work, today it almost felt easy.
When it was time for beam, Gemma waited quietly while the other four girls had their turn.
Finally, it was Gemma’s turn on beam. Some of the other teams had finished and sat quietly, watching.
It felt as though everyone in the gym was watching.
As Gemma started her routine, she thought of the gymnast on the Olympics DVD. She had done her routine in front of the whole world! Gemma knew she could do her routine in front of the state gym.
It felt great being up on the beam. When it was time for the change-leap, Gemma did it beautifully. No problem. She landed solidly and safely.
Behind her, she heard a gasp from another team coach.
When Gemma’s score came up, everyone in the state gym clapped. It was a very high score.
Gemma felt proud, but she was also in a daze. She didn’t understand what her high score really meant.
Michael kept smiling and saying, ‘Well done, Gemma.’
Kathy and Anika took turns hugging Gemma. Then they hugged each other.
At one point, Naomi said quietly, ‘What did I do wrong?’
It wasn’t until the presentation that Gemma understood what was happening. When it was time to award the highest score, they called Gemma’s name.
Gemma had the highest overall score for level sixes in the state!
She stood on a platform and a judge gave her a trophy. Gemma couldn’t stop grinning. Her whole team clapped. Even Naomi was smiling.
Gemma looked for her parents in the crowd. But they weren’t in their seats. They had come down to the railing and were leaning over, clapping. Gemma’s mum was smiling and crying all at once. Her dad kept punching the air with joy.
Standing on the platform, watching it all, was the best feeling.
It wasn’t until going home in the car that Gemma finally had a chance to look at her trophy properly. She touched the smooth, cool gold. It glinted in the evening light.
The trophy showed a gymnast in a perfect handstand. She was upside-down, with her legs straight and her toes pointed.
But to Gemma, the trophy showed more than that. Gemma ran her finger along the gymnast’s straight legs.
To Gemma, the gymnast on the trophy was on her way over the vault in a handspring. Her bum was tucked in. Her legs were tight together. She was just about to push off the vault and lift up into the air to land.
The trophy was the best thing Gemma had ever been given. It showed everything Gemma had worked for.
To Gemma, the trophy showed a gymnast doing the best handspring ever.
Super Sporty
published in 2013 by
Hardie Grant Egmont
Ground Floor, Building 1, 658 Church Street
Richmond, Victoria 3121, Australia
www.hardiegrantegmont.com.au
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eISBN: 9781743581353
Netball Dreams Text copyright © 2007 Thalia Kalkipsakis
Dancing Queen Text copyright © 2006 Thalia Kalkipsakis
Sink or Swim Text copyright © 2008 Thalia Kalkipsakis
Karate Kicks Text copyright © 2006 Crissie Perry
The Worst Gymnast Text copyright © 2005 Thalia Kalkipsakis
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Illustration by Aki Fukuoka
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