Happy Birthday, Ana!

It just occurred to me that today is Ana Frandell's birthday. If I had remembered it earlier today, I would have worked on finishing up a video of her I started over a year ago.

For some reason, I've had Sept 7th lodged in my head ever since Ana quizzed me on it a few years ago. She basically stopped showing up to gym (no official quit day that I can recall) before SMGC closed down. 2 weeks ago, she started coming to a tumbling class for cheer on Wednesday nights (the one night the higher level team girls from SMGC don't come on). She definitely tumbles like a trained competitive gymnast and not a "chuck it" cheerleader.


I remember putting the following up on the closet wall at SMGC, over by the stereo as a joke:



It was created using an online newspaper generator.

Some parent apparently read it on the wall, and thought it was real.

I recommend checking out this video, in honor of Ana.

Happy Birthday Ana!

Ana & Ash'lee's bat mitzvah montage video

It took me about 6 hours to scan two albums worth of photos. It's amazing how cute people are when they're small.

My fond memories of Ana and Ash'lee stretch back about 5 or 6 years; I think I have known them longer than I've known any of the other current crop of kids at the gym. Who would have ever thunk it, that they would make it to team? Certainly, I did not. I remember when I'd be teaching early morning adult clients; and Ana and Ash'lee would be the first kids to arrive at the gym. They'd holler out my name repeatedly from across the gym, excitedly while jumping up and down. *Sigh*, I miss those days when they worshipped the tumble trak I bounced on.

Now they are pre-teens.


Look out, world!

Photos here.

Anatomy of a Push-Up

Coach Dan is a pretty strong guy, and can do high reps. But does he deserve criticism for the quality of his work? Is it lack of quality that contributes to his ability to do 200 push-ups or 50 chin-ups? You be the judge....

In this video, you will see his harshest critic, level 6 gymnast Ana, trash him and his push-ups (Nothing quite like having a punk kid who's still wearing braces talk smack about you, behind your back). I will probably do a follow up video, showing the good....the bad....and the ugly.