by Jane Lawes
Lindsay laughed. “You’re going to be addicted to this, I can tell,” she said.
“Wasn’t that great?” Tara babbled to anyone standing nearby.
“It certainly was,” said a familiar voice behind her. Tara spun around. “Well done, everyone,” said Clare, who had been watching from the edge of the audience. “Silverdale should be very proud to have all of you.”
Tara smiled to herself as Clare went back in to watch the rest of the display. Tara and the others went back to the changing room to get their things.
“I bet the handspring bit looked really cool,” said Tara.
“I saw your landing,” said Jasmine. “Better than ever!”
“Yep!” Tara grinned at her.
“You did alright,” Sam admitted. Tara couldn’t help smiling at that. Of course it was too much to hope that Sam might think she was actually good, but she didn’t mind, really. She’d done the very best she could do, and that was enough for her friends and family.
The gymnasts crept in behind the audience to watch the last few routines. When Tara found her friends at the end of the display, Emily and Kate pounced on her immediately and hugged her tightly.
“That was so good!” cried Kate.
“I knew you’d be amazing, and you were!” said Emily.
“Did you really think so? You’re not just saying that?” asked Tara.
“We definitely, completely, really thought so,” said Kate, finally letting her out of the hug. Straight away she was grabbed by Mum for another hug.
“You were great, darling,” she said.
“I never thought I’d see my little Tara in that display,” said Dad. Tara cringed at the word “little” but then grinned at Dad.
“Tara, you’re the best gymnast ever,” Anna said proudly.
When Tara went to bed that night, after everyone had talked on and on about how great the whole display had been, she closed her eyes and pictured the group of acrobatic gymnasts she’d seen on TV. She imagined herself in the place of one of the gymnasts at the top of the balances – after the display, she could guess what it would feel like to perform such spectacular things.
The best bit, though, was being part of a group – working together and knowing that her own gymnastics skills and balances were part of a bigger routine that looked amazing when it was all put together. She remembered walking out onto the floor and thought that the audience probably didn’t notice that she was any different to the rest of the group. And she wasn’t, she realized. She was a Silverdale gymnast, too, just like Jasmine and Sophie. She’d be in a photo on the wall in the lobby soon, and maybe at next year’s summer camp, someone would look at it and wish to be like her.
She wondered if she’d ever be in one of the competition photos with a medal or a trophy. At that moment, anything seemed possible. Next week, she would go back to the gym and they’d get to work on learning new skills, new balances. She would learn to do a backflip and a front somersault. After that, she had no idea what would come next – but she couldn’t wait to find out. She drifted off to sleep, thinking of everything else she wanted to learn. And in her dreams that night, she performed her first full-twisting somersault.
Glossary of Gym Moves
There are lots of different gym moves. Here are some of the moves that Tara and Lindsay learn. They work together in Acro Gymnastics as a pair. Lindsay is the base so she lifts and holds Tara, who is the top, in different balances.
Backflip: a move where Tara swings her arms back and pushes off with her feet. She lands on her hands with her body arched then flips her legs up and over her head, then she pushes off with her hands to land back on both feet.
Backward walkover: Tara bends over backwards from a standing position with one leg raised until her hands reach the floor and her body forms an arch. Her legs then kick over, passing through the splits, to land standing up again.
Balance: where Tara holds a fixed pose with Lindsay.
Counter-balance: Lindsay stands with her knees bent and feet apart. Tara stands on Lindsay’s thighs, facing her. They grip each other’s wrists, both then lean back until their arms are straight.
Front somersault: Tara turns head over heels in the air in a tucked shape to land back on her feet.
Handspring: a move where Tara lunges into a handstand, then flips over onto her feet.
Round-off: a fast cartwheel which Tara springs out of and lands on two feet.
Standing front angel: Lindsay stands up straight and holds Tara above her head. Tara balances horizontally in a T shape with Lindsay’s hands on her hips.
Standing on shoulders balance: Tara stands with one foot on each of Lindsay’s shoulders while Lindsay holds onto her calves. They can do this with Lindsay kneeling down, kneeling up with one foot on the floor, or standing.
Straddle: in this position Tara sits on the floor with her legs out wide making a right angle.
Straddle lever balance: Tara balances on her hands with her legs held in the straddle position.
Y-balance: standing on one leg, Tara holds her other foot with her hand and stretches her leg out to the side, so that her body forms a Y shape.
Q and A Session with Jane Lawes
Why did you write Gym Stars?
My sister and I loved gymnastics when we were younger, but our local library only had one very old series about it. When I started writing Summertime and Somersaults, I just tried to write the book that I would have wanted to read. I absolutely loved writing Gym Stars, and hope you enjoy them too!
When did you start doing gym?
I’d always enjoyed doing cartwheels and handstands in PE lessons at school, but I think I was about ten or eleven – the same age as Tara – when I started to practise in the garden all the time.
Who is your favourite gymnast?
I admire Beth Tweddle because she did so much to lead Team GB and bring the sport into the spotlight, but my favourite gymnast who’ll be competing in Rio is Claudia Fragapane – she’s so powerful and her floor routines are fantastic. Plus, she’s small like me!
Who is your favourite Acro Gymnastics group?
Spelbound, who won Britain’s Got Talent in 2010, went to the same gym club as me – they’re great!
What is your favourite gymnastics move?
I always loved doing backward walkovers because I worked so hard to learn how to do them, and once I could it felt great! Somersaults are fun, too, and they look amazing when champion gymnasts perform them with twists.
What is your gymnastics top tip?
Gymnastics moves can take a long time to learn, so don’t be disappointed if you can’t do something straight away – keep practising and you’ll get there! Gymnastics is a lot of fun, so enjoy it!
About the Author
Jane Lawes studied American Literature and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia and started a PCGE in primary education, before deciding that her real passion lay in books. She currently works in publishing by day, and as an author by night and at the weekends.
Gym Stars: Friendships and Backflips
Gym Stars: Handsprings and Homework
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This ebook edition first published in the UK in 2016 by Usborne Publishing Ltd,
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First published in the UK in 2012
Copyright © Jane Lawes, 2012
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