We don’t often talk about gymnastics in this segment, in fact, on a lifetime basis, I’ve been to exactly ONE meet or event.
That event was last Saturday when the Satellites of Owen Sound invited me to host their Summer Spectacular Meet at their clubhouse.
The first thing that struck me was how big the Club is in terms of members.
Over the course of the day, I’d say there were just under 200 youngsters participating in a variety of age groups and divisions based on ability.
True, in some cases, performing a log roll or crawling under the bridge was a challenge, but still, these kids were active, and in this day & age, that’s a significant start.
Among the competitive participants, I was truly impressed by the Satellites.
About 30 performers hung, swung & vaulted in a dizzying display on Saturday.
The velocity & speed at which they travel, the twisting muscles from head to toes as they push, pull & launch and finally the sheer precision of all this speed and muscle combining for a quick & powerful burst leading to an artistic finish.
Is gymnastics a ” sport ” ?
I’m not prepared for that debate; not today.
But I can tell you there is no debate as to whether the gymnastic disciplines are athletic in nature.
Thanks to the Satellite Gymnastics Club for that eye-opener
I’m Fred Wallace