In the early 1990s, I was a young girl with crooked teeth. I was also an Olympic champion in training.
You may not have heard about my incredible gymnastic abilities because girls like Kim Zmeskal, Shannon Miller and Kerri Strug stole the sports news spotlight but I was a part of it all...in my own mind. I mean, I did take a year or two of gymnastics at Louise Noel's School of Dance!
My training facility was located in West Springfield, MA...almost in my backyard. Okay, fine. It was my backyard.
Around the in-ground pool, my parents had installed wooden beams to section off the patio, contain the landscape, and enhance the overall atmosphere of our seasonal living room. Being a creative youngster, I doubled these beams as Olympic balance beams and even downed trees. (Shout out to all Troop Beverly Hills fans!)
I'd throw on my bathing suit, which was as good as any leotard, and leap, twist and dismount with my hands in the air and everything. I'd also get slivers in my feet and fall into the fence. Perhaps it's a good thing that my career was short lived.
From experience, I know how much blood, sweat and tears goes into being an Olympian. Now that I've retired from the sport, the least I can do is watch the current athletes compete and, hopefully, make history.
I guess I'll be glued to NBC and NBC affiliates for the next few weeks. "USA - USA - USA..."
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