we are here: big

At home Beach looks very big. Long legs drip from short-shorts. Lean bird-like bones peek out from wide neck shirts.  Sometimes I catch a glimpse of her out of the corner of my eye, her big glasses and her light hair escaping a bun a top of her head: she looks like a dancer. It's probably best if you don't tell her I said that....   

Beach grew 3 inches over the last competition season.  For a gymnast growing is a naturally occurring obstacle.  It throws off their center of gravity, hard fought for skills crumble beneath the weight of it, and it hurts.  But of course you want them to grow they are kids... 

All through last meet season you won't have known by her performance that Beach was struggling against her own body. Even her coaches were surprised to hear exactly how much she had grown. 

Her bars have been moved to the wide setting. Her leo's and warm-ups exchanged for 2 sizes larger. 

Sometimes timing is everything.  It wasn't until summer training that she lost control of some of her twisting skills, lost the powerful Fulls she had competed all season. She worked hard and has it back. In fact it looks like she will be competing not only a Full but a 1&1/2... 

 Yes, at home she looks larger than life.
Thirteen. 
Still under 5 foot, well under 100 pounds.  
Training for level 9; competing a 2nd year of Level 8 with upgrades everywhere they are allowed- and some that are not. 

The competition season ahead of her looks hard and exciting and crammed full of travel.  It looks as big as she does. But when I see at her there in the gym she still looks so very small.