It’s been a bit of an up and down three weeks, but I’m doing quite well. I just want to keep fit and healthy, and keep training hard then I actually think I could be ready for my Level 2 compulsory comp in May.

Here’s my blog diary.

Monday 25 February 2017. Manic Monday! Mum said I need to change it to thinking Magical Monday! If my brain is thinking Magical Monday, that will be a good thing. (I had my accident last year on a Monday, and they always seem to be manic.) It really was ‘Manic Monday, I wish it was Sunday, that’s my fun day’. I made a mistake and pinged off the bars and hit the side of my head. I was not happy. 😡 My Granny is in hospital with flu and problems breathing, and Grampy is very unwell too. It’s a sad day.

Tues 1-7.15pm. It was a good day. Some snow! 😂 It was a really good day! My triple flics on beam were good, and I was happy with vault, floor and range. I am very proud of myself for my bars though. My bars are coming together.

Mum and Dad can’t believe I did this after my ping off on bars last night. 🤯 Just got to keep going and doing these skills! I’ll be able to do it every time. 

It was an extra good day because my parents evening was really good too. It does pay off working very hard. Mum and Dad say I must rest when I can though, so I don’t blow myself up because they say I always give everything mentally and physically. Perhaps I do? But that’s the way I want to be. I want to be the best version of myself that I can be.

Weds 4-8pm I fell on my free cartwheel on high beam. Doh! I hurt my side and bruised my knee and shin. I had just got rid of my other bruises!

Thurs off. We finished school at 1pm because of the snow weather warning. It snowed!

Fri 🌨 ❄ no school and I couldn’t get to gym because of the ice and snow!!!

Sat 12-5pm. I had a sore shoulder. People asked me, ‘Did you warm up before throwing snow balls yesterday?’ 😂 My vaults went OK and I just about survived the training.

Poor Claudia Fragapane. I heard that she has snapped her achilles tendon. It is so sad that she will miss big comps including the Commonwealth Games in Australia. Sad 😔 I sent her a message. I know she’ll recover, just like she told me when I had my major head trauma injury last May.

Sunday off. Relaxing.

Monday 5th March. The snow and ice has all gone now. 4-8pm training. I’m steadily plodding on and it was OK tonight. I am feeling OK about where things are and where I am for now. I need to do 3 clean beam routines tomorrow!

Tues 1-7.15pm. We received our letters about our America comp and trip next year! We need to say if we are definitely going and then our flights will be booked for Feb 2019! I want to go! I did my Level 2 beam routine tonight. ☺ I also got my Level 2 tumbles on floor tonight!!!

Weds 4-8pm

Friday 1-7pm. It was not the best of days for me. I had a big fall on bars. My hand slipped and I hurt my chin and side of my neck, side of my body and my arm on the bar as I landed on it before falling and then I got caught by Paul. Thank you Paul! Superman to the rescue.

But I did do something good! On the floor beam I did a free cartwheel connecting to a flic!!!

Sat 12-5 pm I feel sore today. My neck hurts and I’m getting a bruise. I feel like crying  and a bit fragile. I think I’ll be OK. Kelly knows that I might need a day to get me back to being me.

Adam was in the gym. We gave him a big cheer and congrats as he is BRITISH Champion Mens U18. Yay!!!

It wasn’t a good day for me. I felt unsettled and really strange and upset. I did cry quite a lot and felt not very confident. Mum thinks all my emotions from yesterday were coming out in me, but that’s a good thing and we can just let today go. Mum knows I’ll be back to normal on Monday. I can’t wait for a bath, some food, sleep and a total chill out day tomorrow, and watching the British Champs on the Internet. Our other Falcons boys were brilliant today. I saw Mike with the boys Byron and Ryan on the computer competing their last pieces when I got home.

Later I looked at Instagram and I did actually do something good today! ☺

Sunday day off. Mothers day! I watched the British Gymnastics Championships on the Internet, and relaxed. My friend Alice was brilliant!

Mum and Dad and I talked about things. They said to try and be brave and confident and positive, like they know I can be. It’s been ages since I got a new leotard so as encouragement they said they would buy me a new leotard if I can try and be positive and put all my falls behind me and look forward. I told them that I wanted to be brave and not have any tears! I want a new leotard!

Monday 12 March

4-8 pm. Mum picked me up and I told her that my session had gone well. I did have a slight slip on beam and hurt the side of my shin but that’s kind of normal now! I didn’t get upset. I did 5 clean routines. Mum was so proud of me for being brave. It WAS a Magical Monday NOT a Manic Monday, and I’m glad I wore Mum’s favourite supergirl leotard. ☺

I went home happy and looked up leotards online straight away! Haha. I’ve chosen one. It’s like Diamonds. My group is Diamonds. Diamonds are forever. They never break. I like that idea that I will be a gymnast forever and never break. 😉 The design was also based on the lights of the Echo Arena where the British Champs were. I will keep going and do my best to shine!

Tues 1-7.15pm I’ve been thinking about my new leo! Guess what I did day? I did 2 full out clean routines on floor for the first time. I am feeling positive and proud. My hands are really sore so I did every night thing of putting loads of sudocrem on my hands in bed and lying with my hands up high not touching anything with my eyes closed.

Weds 4-8pm I did a good session but it was hard conditioning night!

Thursday day off. I’m going to do a Throwback Thursday like people do! I’ve been looking at my Level 4 compulsory videos from May 2016 in Stoke on Trent. Nearly two years ago! I came 7th all around in Great Britain, and our South West Team became British Champions. Here’s a photo of me ( I look so little!) and my floor and range and conditioning videos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fri 1-7pm I wore my new leotard. Guess what I did? Three one and half twists on floor, Level 2 routine on floor without mats, on beam 10 start to finishes, 7 that were clean. Normal bars and vault. First try I did swing half bars routine over hard, 4 Level 2 routines over pit in a row. My goals are getting closer.

Sat 12-5pm I am so tired today!!! I’ve just got to hold onto my dream of chilling out all evening and all day tomorrow, and get through these 5 hrs! Dad and Mum said to dig deep! I got through! I did ‘medium good’ today too. Mum came a bit early and saw my vault Uchenko onto loads of mats stacked up. Mum said that my finish on top of the mates looked like the princess and the pea! I was voted the conditioning trophy 🏆 by my lovely squad friends.

My 25 hours of training this week are done! Now for a bath and chilling out watching the snow fall. Ahhhh.

Sunday. OK, so we had lots of snow. I needed to go out and have fun, so not a full day of relaxing 😉 Snow walks,  with a bit of gymnastics,

 

then onesie time. ☺ 😍

Thank you for reading this!

Fliss x

Hello. This is my first blog of 2018. I am hoping this year will go really well for me. I will give it all I can. Here’s my gym diary so far.

29 Dec 2017 Friday

I didn’t feel perfect as I was aching so I put on my special unicorn lip balm to help me and it worked! Today I did flic flic with only one mat on high beam, triple flic on high beam with mats, every other piece was good. ☺

We set our goals for 2018 today. I have several. Obviously I also want to get back into GB squad by the end of the year, if I can.

I have a few songs in my head from The Greatest Showman film I saw. They will inspire me for the whole year!

I love THIS IS ME! The lyrics say ‘Look out, cause here I come!’

Also from The Greatest Showman, I like the words, ‘The impossible comes true. It’s taking over you.’

30 Dec Saturday. I got the two weekly trophy  for improving and building my skills up. ☺. It’s the last training session of 2017 today!

Two days off!

It’s 2018. A new year. It’s going to be a good year. 🙏 🎉

Tues 2 Jan. 1 – 7.15pm. It was OK, BUT Kelly had to tell Mum and Dad about my fall today. I might be stiff tomorrow.

Weds 4-8 pm I hurt my knee on metal bar. I got a real bruise and bump. Ouch!

Thurs off

Fri 1-7pm Hurt my thigh falling off beam. The third thing this week! WHAT IS GOING ON?! I managed to get back up and do the skill again. Some good news is that I am track tumbling again! Yay! I did a straight front with full twist. Yay!!!

Several of my friends from around the country are at GB development squad camp today.

Sat 12-5pm training. My sister Bella made a really difficult decision last night. She knows that gymnastics isn’t her dream, like it is mine, so has decided to leave. She wants to do loads of dancing, singing and acting. She’ll be brilliant, but I’ll really miss her in the gym.

Sun off

Mon 4-8 pm I did Uchenko to mats with spot on vault. Round off flic straight half and round off flic straight full on track with piled up mats over pit. Kelly said, ‘you are turning into a real gymnast now’ (or something like that). It feels so great to be doing real skills again. My skills are really coming together now ☺ It’s been worth the wait and months of strength and conditioning. I hope I continue to build things up piece by piece.

Tues 1-7.15pm It was my good day! I did a free forward walkover on low beam. My straight front straight front on track. Triple flic on high beam with only two mats. But, I have to do 5 rope climbs tomorrow! Rubbish! HUH! ☺ (sarcastic)

Weds 4-8pm

Fri 1-7pm Guess what I did today?! Round off flic full twist on track on hard, free forward walkover (that’s no hands for those who don’t know) on high beam one mat, triple flic on beam were good today. Tomorrow on red beam I’m going to do flic then layout. I am!

Sat 1-5pm I am not feeling bouncy today, so no flic layout. Another day it will feel right. But did a full and half twist and a couple of swing halves on bars. (My eyes are really itchy today.)

Monday 15 January, 4-8 pm.

I did my 1 ½ twist again today.

Tomorrow I’m going to do my blind on bars on my own. ☺

Tues 1-7.15pm

Mum walked through the door after ballet and asked me, ‘How was gym?’ ‘Well,’ I said, ‘there’s good news and bad news.’ Mum said, ‘the bad news, you fell?’ I said, ‘Yes, I don’t think you are going to like seeing this!’ I had a large hand size graze on my thigh, graze on my other leg and two bruises. I fell on my free cartwheel on high beam. I cried. It hurt! But I’m happy now. Did my blind though! I said I would. My forward giants on bars weren’t great. It was just not the right day for them.

Weds 4-8pm

Thurs. My coach Kelly had her knee operation in Bristol today. I really hope it makes her better and she comes back to the gym soon and recovers quickly.

Fri 1-5pm Ryan covered for Kelly. He did well! It was fun. I had a good session.

Sat 12-4 pm training, then after gym I prepared for South West Squad. I got all my packed food and smoothies made and drinks to last me the day!

Sun 21 January. The First South West Squad day, at Bristol Hawks gym! I travelled with Taylor, Kayleigh and Lannah. It was an early start. I got up at 6am and left home at 7am in Lannah’s car. It was raining so hard and there was lots of flooding.

When we got there the gym was like a three layered gym. There was a waiting area on the bottom layer. Middle layer was a beam, track, bars, trampoline and fast track. Top layer was floor, vault, set of bars (and beam but I didn’t really use that). I really liked vault today. It was good. We saw Claudia Fragapane! We didn’t manage to speak to her though, because we were all too busy! Claudia’s coach said I had good clears on bars ☺ I knew lots of girls and it was good to see them, and I met a few new friends. The training was fine. I worked really hard.

It was good to chat in the car on the way home to make the journey quick. We arrived home at 7pm. It was a long day. I need a day off tomorrow, I am so tired!  😱 😂

Mum had a yummy roast chicken dinner ready for me, and I had a hot bath and watched a bit of Aladdin to relax and chill out. ☺

Thanks for reading this. Until next time!

Fliss

So this is my last blog of 2017. What a year it’s been. A roller-coaster. Highs and big lows, but I am coming back! I am looking forward to 2018. Hopefully it will be a bit more successful.  (15th May 2017 is a day I don’t want to repeat.)

Mon 20th November, training 4-8pm as normal. 

Tues to Fri. School residential to London, so no gym for 4 whole days! So excited to experience all the things in London.

This week I had a letter to say that although I have been considered,  GB are not going to select me for GB Home Nations development squad for 2018, as they want me to build myself back up at my club first. Unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to make voluntary National Finals in Nov – because of my accident I wasn’t ready.  I needed to try and get in the top 8 again with my combined score (compulsory in May and voluntary in Nov) to make the GB team. I was 7th in Great Britain in the national compulsory finals in May, before my injury, so I was hopefully thinking I would make the top 8 again. But everything changed due to my head injury and having to recover and fight back. It is disappointing that I am not in GB next year but not a surprise. I didn’t expect to, due to my accident. I’ll keep trying to get my skills back and to get in again. I will try and be as good as I can. 💪 Watch me try next year. 

Sat 25th Nov, gym 12-5pm. I felt sick for the first hour and there were tears, but I got through it and then felt better. I was so tired from residential.

Sun day off

Mon I had physio at 8am with Megan. She is really happy with my progress. I am getting stronger. I still need to do basic physio exercises to help my knee behave! I can start doing more soon – can’t wait to do tumbles! Really excited about starting to do more things soon. Can’t wait! I am so keen to go! Kelly and Megan will talk. Gym 4-8pm good session. Good forward giants today.

Tues Gym 4-7.15pm

Weds 4-8pm

Thurs 4-8pm extra session

Fri 4-7pm Christmas jumpers!

Sat and Sun off! Our Falcons big boys did really well at the British Team Championships. They are the 2nd best team in Great Britain. Well done! Ryan was part of the team, with Adam, Joe, Byron and George.

Mon 4-8 pm I did a stalder on wood bar with spot. ☺

Tues 4-7.15pm I got my forward giants. Yay! Christmas has come early!

Weds. I went to gym (after our school play performance) 5.30-8pm

Thurs day off and school play again (I’m the Headteacher.)

Fri GREAT afternoon session! I did 5 forward giants and a korbut flic on beam. Here’s my gym friend Kayleigh and me doing our korbut flics. You have to click on the little arrow on the side to see me after my friend. 

I also did a mini stalder on wood bar. After the afternoon session I had to go back to school for another school play! I felt really sick during the school play 😔

 

Sat ill! 😱

 

Sun day off

 

Mon 11th Dec, 4-8pm. A good session but some hard conditioning!

 

Tues 1-7.15  I did my forward giants on my own over pit. Yay! Really pleased with myself.

 

Weds 4-8pm It was our new South West kit wearing day! First time. I felt proud. 

 

Thurs day off

 

Fri  last day of school. Training 1-7pm. I DID MY 2mins 20secs HANDSTAND HOLD. Whoop whoop!

 

Sat Reindeer hair day!

We got some long brown hair wigs, silly eyes and reindeer features and put the hair into buns for Mike and Ryan to wear. Haha funny!!! All of Kelly’s girls looked great. Gym training 10-2pm. Arghh, we had conditioning testing. It was then Secret Santa time. 🎅  It was Christmas play time 2-4pm, when we could run around and play on the equipment, and help empty part of the pit of foam to clean it.  It was Kelly’s birthday weekend!

 

I got the prize for the longest Handstand hold! Yay! 2 mins 20 secs. Mum said she can remember a few years ago when I was aiming for 1min and couldn’t even do 10 secs! Now I can do over 2 mins. 😂

 

Monday & Tuesday 9am – 4pm each day. Intensive training with John Pirrie an international coach, Kelly had arranged it all. The conditioning was really hard (tough) on Monday, but we did do some fun games at the start to warm up. There was fun conditioning on Tuesday. Bella had a flu bug so was not well enough to come and take part 😔 I learnt a new skill on metal bar. It was a good 2 day camp but very tiring. 

Wednesday day off!

 

Thursday 10-3, I didn’t feel that well but I managed training.

 

Friday 10-1pm instead of 3pm as I wasn’t feeling that well. I proved myself wrong though as I did more than I expected, but Kelly said I should go home and get better – just relax on the sofa! I did Uchenko turn onto a mat not on vault but on a block and a mat into the pit. That made me happy. Can’t wait for Christmas. It’s nearly here! One more day of training.

 

Saturday 23rd December, gym 10-2pm. Finished for Christmas!!!! Yes!!! 4 days off!

CHRISTMAS WAS BRILLIANT!

Thursday 28th Dec. Back to training today 10am-3pm. I wore my new leotard! It was good being back in the gym with my friends and sister.

Now only two more days of training left this year, then a couple of days off. I wonder what 2018 has in store for me. I think it’ll be a good year, my year! Tonight I went to the cinema with my family and some friends to watch The Greatest Showman. It was a really good film. It inspired me. It was creative and full of great dancing and singing.  A man wanted to achieve something in life that he thought about when he was younger and believed in himself and did it. The song Come Alive was just how I feel. I can’t stop thinking about the lyrics ‘Dreaming with my eyes wide open’. This is going to be my moto for next year!  I will be dreaming a Million Dreams.

Happy New Year everyone.

Fliss x

 

I think it’s three and a half weeks since my last blog. It’s been quite a testing few weeks, but I’m feeling positive again. Here’s my kind of gym diary…

October half term – lots of gym planned!

Mon Gym 3-8pm

Tues I started at 10am, but in the morning I hurt my right knee on the floor doing a straight front. It really hurt. (It hadn’t been hurting over the last few weeks, but it was so painful today.) I cried and cried. I was also tired. I then starting thinking about my comp and what skills I might compete, but I’m not sure I would be able to now. Kelly phoned Mum. I needed to be picked up at lunchtime. I was worried about my knee. We put ice on it and I had some medicine, then a snooze in the afternoon. I put ice on again in the evening. Mum messaged Megan the physio, as I thought I needed to see her to get my knee checked out. I was worried.

Weds My right knee is swollen, sore, stiff. Mum got an appointment with the physio. She thinks my knee is very swollen. I need to ice loads to get the swelling down. She thinks my quad muscle is so tight.

I feel better now I know. I will do what they say. Another set back! I get so close, then something else happens. I really think I’m getting somewhere then this happens. I can’t compete on Sunday now. I’m sad about that, BUT it’s not that important. It was just a chance to perform in a comp again.

Thurs A day to try and take care of my leg and knee. I am missing gym.

I asked Mum to ask Kelly if I could come into the gym, just to be there. To do nothing on my legs but maybe other conditioning and helping for a while. I’m still icing and Mum is massaging. Bella did great skills today – while wearing my leotard! 😁

Fri Ice and massage. Gym during the afternoon. I did bars and conditioning on my core and arms. Absolutely nothing on my legs. I don’t want to aggravate my knee. I am happy just to be in the gym. ☺ More ice and massage.

Sat I thought it was best not to go in to the gym today. I am still icing to get the swelling down.

Sun Halloween Spooktacular comp at Falcons. Bella and I dressed up, as we were helping. The gym was decorated and the coaches and judges dressed up. Bella and I helped all day. I was tired at the end. It was a shame that I couldn’t do my routines. Mum had to go away today.

Mon I went to see Megan the physio at 3pm. My knee is still inflamed and my muscles are tight. I have lots of exercises to do!

Tues I couldn’t run at the Inter Schools cross country today, due to my knee 😔 So annoying. I didn’t go to my usual afternoon gym, and it felt weird to be at school!  We did some Halloween games at gym 5-7pm. It was fun, and we dressed up. Mum back tonight! ☺

Weds  Meg has sent through lots of exercise videos and Kelly has done a programme for me. No leg work, just arms and core. Training 4-8pm. I think I will need 3-4 weeks recovery time, doing exercises and conditioning and rest. Frustrating! Another setback, but I’ll get better and we are starting to talk about 2018 competitions. Mum is doing lots of massage on me and Bella. It helps me relax, heal and recharge!

Thurs day off so friends time ☺

Fri I am still injured so not coming out of school. Gym 4-8pm.

Sat I probably should be at National Finals today, and would have made it if it wasn’t for my accident. Several of my GB friends are there. Hope they do well and go clean. I’ll get there another time. Wish I was there competing and trying to do my best. 😔

I must have needed to catch up on my sleep as I went off to bed at 5.30pm!

Sunday rest day.

Monday. I am still looking after my knee, having  ibuprofen and ice. I was feeling sick at school in the afternoon and after school. Stomach cramps. I couldn’t go to gym.

It was the last day with our old gym floor! Daddy, Jack and other people helped take the floor up ready for our brilliant new floor! 

 

I’ve just found another photo from my GB squad camp last month that my friend took. ☺ 

Tuesday. Our brand new Montreal floor arrived!!! So cool!  It was fitted during the day. I went on it when I went to gym 4-7pm.

Bella is back doing full hours now (20hrs a week), and I am so proud of her. My knee is getting better I think. I did my physio exercises as normal.

Weds 8th Nov

Gym 4-8pm

Thurs day off

Fri 4-7pm I learnt a new cool spin! I also heard that I got selected into the SOUTH WEST SQUAD for 2018! Yay! I won’t let anyone down. I am so happy to be selected.

Sat 12-4 pm Gym.  Tough conditioning.

Sun day off

Monday Another physio session with Megan early this morning. My knee is improving, which is really good to hear. I have still got exercises to do and a few new ones. Mum is doing lots of massage every night and we are putting ice on too. I can start to do some two feet landings on soft floors (no skills really yet) and run on soft floors to warm up now. Hopefully by being patient and strictly sticking to the rules I will come back really strong. Kelly is trying to help me build up my body.  (I think my body has done a lot of growing since my accident!) I’m desperate to tumble on the new floor!!!! I still can’t believe it is here. Thanks again to all the fundraising by everyone and Exeter Foundation for the big cheque!

Gym 4-8pn I felt that my clears on bars were good today!

Tues Gym 4-7pm Megan and Kelly chatted through all my conditioning and treatment plans. I am lucky to have such great help. Mum said it was a year ago today that Falcons announced that I’d been selected into the GB Development Squad for 2017! So much has happened since then. I will keep fighting.

Wednesday 15th November 2017

Gym 4-8. Conditioning tests! I think I did well. I felt happy with myself.

It’s 6 months since my accident today. Half a year! I wonder where I will be in another 6 months?! I always thought it would take me a year to really really get back to where I need to be, at the top of my sport. I think Kelly always thought so too. I’m determined to get there. I will persevere. Come with me on my journey if you’d like to! It’s going to be a tough and a busy time. Maybe a bit frustrating but good times ahead too. I must and will believe that.

Thank you for all the support you give me and for reading this. ☺

Fliss x

 

It’s been two weeks since my last blog, and a busy time! I’ve had lots of training, a few difficult times, and my brilliant GB camp at Lilleshall National Sports Centre.

Monday 9th October. I clashed heads with someone at school today 😔 . I got a headache and it made me upset. I needed some medicine and some chill out time to feel better. I knew I just needed some quiet time and a hug from Mum! It soon passed and I felt better so went to gym 4-8. I did a Uchenko (I’m still not sure if I spell it right) on vault on my own! ☺

We heard some more sad news today. My other elderly Aunty died today. She lived a long way away but she was special. 😔

Tuesday. It was the funeral of my other Aunty in the afternoon so I got to gym at 5 and stayed until 8pm. I’m not sure how but I hurt my foot. Sore and bruised. Stiff. 😔

Wednesday. Gym 4-8 but my foot was sore. Kelly and I decided to do less floor and vault to make sure it is better for my GB camp.

Thursday. Not a day off! Wish it was! Tired! Thursday is normally my day off but not today! 4-8pm.

I feel ready and excited for GB Squad.

Friday. Feel excited but scared in a way. It’s the day to go up to Lilleshall for GB camp! Here is our car all packed, and very muddy because of our country lanes!

A long drive with Mum, 200 miles. There was lots of traffic at Birmingham on the motorway and roadworks so we came off the  motorway and used our sat nav. It took us down country roads! Thought I was going to have to sleep in a barn! After 5 hrs in the car we got to our hotel at Telford. It had a swimming pool so Mum and I went there to relax. Room service!

Saturday. After breakfast I was ready to go. Handstand walks in the corridor! It was good to wear my GB kit. I felt like a proper GB gymnast. Lilleshall was 15mins away. We got there early. There were no other gymnasts for ages, just lots of football players.

Kelly, with my friend and her coach, arrived. We all went to the gym together. We left bags and said goodbye to Mum. 🤗. All the other gymnasts started to arrive and everyone was in their new GB kit. We all looked great.

Mum had a talk in the lecture theatre to go to about nutrition. She then crept into the gallery for a short while to watch. I was on the beam and then vault. I did lots of Uchenko on my own while I was there. ☺

The training was the normal kind of stuff in the gym, but we also did some tests.

We had a talk about food, and the best things to eat.

I had my own phone this time at GB so I called home at 7.30pm. It had been very hard conditioning today. Very hard. I told Mum and Dad that I had made new friends, and that I really liked my room mate. I was happy.

Sunday

I phoned Mum at 7.15am. Bit tired today. Hope I don’t have really hard conditioning again. Not the best night. Someone woke us up at 6.30am so I was dressed and ready when I called home! I was looking forward to sleeping in the car on the way home, and having a day off gym tomorrow to get my strength back. Hope I have a good day and learn lots. This is a really great opportunity. ☺

GB camp was brilliant! I had a great weekend. I am so lucky. My friends are great. Kelly brought me home at 10pm. It was a very very long day and weekend. I felt proud of myself.

Mon day off! Yes.

Tues 1-7 gym. Good session

Weds 4-8 gym. Bella got gymnast of the week! I was really pleased for her. Good session.

Thurs. Day off. Yay! School disco.

Fri. No school today as we broke up for half term yesterday. Training 1-7. Hard conditioning! Bella joined us for the whole session.

On bars today I did – clear to handstand on wood. Also, nearly did a toe on to handstand, but I went the wrong way! On beam – flic, flic with only two mats on high beam. Free cartwheel on high beam with lots of mats. 🎉

Weekend off as special family time with my sister, brother and Mum and Dad, caravanning! Awful storm Brian came! 😡

I have a comp next weekend at Falcons. I’ve got to think about what to make for my Halloween number next Sunday. I’m going to be a guest, and my number is 100. It is the first chance for me to try out being in a competition environment again since my accident. I think this is a good thing. I will give it my best try.

Thanks for reading. Bye for now!

Fliss.

X

I’ve been back training properly for 6 weeks now since I got the ‘yes’ from Bristol Children’s Hospital after my major head trauma accident and my 3 month recovery time. My last blog was 3 weeks ago so this is how my training has been going since then.

Week starting 18 September 2017

I did my normal 25 hrs of training this week. Here are my highs :

Bars – Upstart handstand, upstart squat on catch high bar giant giant straddle shoot on hard.

Vault – Uchenko over normal vault with mats.  

Beam – tuck back off red beam

Floor – felt my tumbling was good!

Sunday. It feels strange today. I should be competing at the South West Age Group Level 3 comp in Melksham with my club mate, and one of my other GB squad members, but I’m not. It feels different to be at home. I am not sad though. Just happy for my friends.

Week starting 25 September 2017

Mon – poorly 😔

Tues 1-7pm.  I managed flic flic on high beam with mats, forward giant on bars with Ryan spotting, bars routine over hard, and full twist into pit with thick mat. ☺

Weds – sad day as my elderly Aunty passed away. 😔 Gym 4-8.

Thurs day off. Mum had an email from Kelly. GB said I can go to GB squad in a few weeks time! Yay! I am so pleased that I am well enough and that I can go this time.

Fri 1-7 Mum received an email from GB to say that the new kit could be ordered on Monday! HOORAY. I’ve been waiting 9 months for this! 🕒 🎉

Sat 12-5 Bella had a great day at gym today! She is back doing skills again after months of physio. ☺ Lots of my lovely gym friends are coping with some injuries or illnesses at the moment. I really hope they get better soon and can do gym again. I miss training and laughing with them.

Air Extreme tonight! Fun!!!

Week starting 2 October 2017

Mon 4-8 I felt cold after school and on the way to gym – I’d rather have been in front of our fire!

My highs tonight were straight front straight front on hard! Whoop! 

How exciting. We ordered my GB kit!!!

Tues 1-5 tired and a bit teary today. There are a few sad things happening in my life outside of gym. My knee is still a bit sore too.

BUT…. I did straight front tuck front on floor, and forward giants on wood.

 

Early night. I felt hot!

Weds 4-8 Gym

Thurs day off.  My official GB kit arrived! I am so excited and feel proud to be wearing GBR and the union jack flag!!!

Fri 1-7. I wore my official GB leotard to training for the first time! I think Kelly liked it!

I had a really good session. 😊.

On bars I did swing half with help, swing half on own, blind on own over pit.

Sat 9-1 with Ryan. My other GB tracksuit top arrived. I like this one the best!

I’ve been watching the World Championships from Canada that we’ve recorded this week. Amazing!!! It’s really sad about all the injuries though. 😔 Well done to all the FANTASTIC GB team, you are all amazing, but a big congratulations to the incredible Max and performing Claudia (for the medals 🎖) , Amy and Georgia, Nile and my friend Alice – get better soon. You all did your very best.

Other things I’ve achieved that I’ve just thought of and that I can remember are straight front tuck front, front somi walkout on floor. Single tuck back from standing on track.

After watching Claudia tonight https://www.instagram.com/p/BaAGGMPhJMY/

and all the brilliant gymnasts of the world I am looking forward to GB camp next weekend even more. I might be a bit nervous, as I am still only recovering, I haven’t got as many skills yet, and it’s been a long time since I was there, but hopefully I will be feeling well and I’ll be ready to work hard and will love seeing my friends that I made last time.

Thank you for reading this.

Fliss x

 

It’s been about three weeks since my last blog. I’ve done lots of gym skills, which is good, but I’ve also had frustrating times, and a few falls. I know I need to be patient and things will come but I want to do everything NOW! I’ll get there. I just know it.

Sat training 12-4pm

Bank Hol summer fun – lots of bodyboarding, beach, rock pooling, waterslides, running, walking, blackberry picking. Really hot and sunny. Cousins time! Nice to just have some fun outside of the gym.

Tues gym 1-7

Weds off –  time with friends

Thurs 1-5 training, then it was our end of summer treat! Beach trip – games and BBQ! It was BRILLIANT! We stayed playing rounders on Westward Ho! beach until it was getting dark. My gym friends and the coaches at Falcons have been really supportive and I have so many fun times with them.

 

Fri I got a new Pink leotard to celebrate my return to gym and my patience during 3 months of recovery. Love it!!!! Shines from far away!

Sat 12-4pm awarded the weekly trophy for the gymnast of the week – the gymnast that keeps going and doing as well as possible.

Sun –  day off

Mon 1.30-5.30 lots of things! Bars routines, swing half etc….

Tues 1-7 Round off on low beam. It was funny today doing swing halfs, as Ryan and Katie were both spotting me! Did round off flic straight back on track! Round off flic straight half into pit! I was really really pleased.

Good physio day for Bella. Passed all her exercises. Did really well.

I did a so circle on metal bars! 

Weds gym 4-8 tired. Bella did good!

Thurs Went back to school! I’m now in Year 6! My last year at primary school. Bella and Jack have got rips on their hands now. Must be working hard at gym! They can use some of my special balm that I won at Devon camp.

Mike went to Exeter,  Sandy Park, home of Exeter Chiefs Rugby –  where I went for my Devon Award. There was a special dinner with the charity, Exeter Foundation. They awarded Falcons £18,000 towards our new floor. Mum did the application, and we won! How amazing! With all our other club fundraising we now have enough to buy a new world class gym floor. Well done my friends mums Nadeanne, Tracey and everyone for all the other hard fundraising!

Fri. Second day back at school and I get hit on the back of the head with a ball! Had a bit of a headache. 1-7 gym getting frustrated, I want to be able to do things now! Kelly said I need to be patient. Mum and Dad said to try and chill out and not get frustrated just go with the flow and enjoy being back doing gymnastics. But I want to really do everything now!

Sat 9-1pm Really tired and feeling a bit sick. Couldn’t do much on floor today just not working. Just need to rest I think and some good food! And Strictly on TV!

Sun a nice rest day. ☺

Mon 4-8 Sore cramping knee.

Kelly thinks I might be ready to do a few just basic skills in a competition at the end of October. I think that would be good too. I could start to get back into the feeling of competitions before it is really important for me in 2018.

Tues 1-7 Kelly told me to do routine over pit on bar on my own. Upstart squad on, catch high bar, upstart handstand, giant giant flyaway but did straddle shoot instead of flyaway cause I can’t do it completely on my own yet. So, what I did was, I did upstart squad on fine, catch bar, upstart fine then when I did handstand I pushed off and didn’t realise that the bottom bar was in, and hit my feet and bounced off and dived headfirst into the pit. Bruised my feet. OUCH. Try again tomorrow!!!

Weds – tough day. Fell on my tuck back, kind of ish near my head. I am frustrated and a bit grouchy and scared. Bit of a headache. Realising I need to just take things a step at a time. ‘Go with the flow and chill’, my Mum and Dad say. Kelly says so too, and that I must be safe and wait for her when she tells me. Some painkillers, good hot spicy sausage pasta of Mum’s in the car on the way home, a bit of TV time, bath, milk and dippers (biscuits) and some chats made me feel better and more chilled and happy to go to bed.

Thurs. Just heard about the Olympics! I CAN AIM FOR PARIS IN 2024 and then Los Angeles in USA in 2028! My family need to start saving!!! 😉

Fri 1-7pm My tummy was aching a bit today at the start.  I had another little hiccup today and nearly landed kind of on my head. I changed my mind in the air! I was trying to do round off flic straight back on track. Mike and Kelly told me that sometimes things don’t go to plan and we have difficult days.  But I then managed to do two of them properly!! Hope that’s it for all the head crashes now.

My accident was 4 months ago today. Look how far I’ve come.

Sat 12-5pm Good session today. ☺ Then it was Barnstaple Fair time with my family! I knew it would not be a good idea to go on the mega high fast upside rides, but I did go on the big wheel and a very fast on the ground circle ride called Freddie’s Revenge. It was the fastest ride at the fair. Three months ago, I would never have thought I’d be well enough to go to the fair and go on the rides. What a journey I’ve been on. I also went in the fun house!

Can’t believe I was in Bristol Hospital 4 months ago, and now I’m so so much better.

Had candy floss to finish a good day in my life! 😉 ☺ 🎉

Sun – day off. A day to make up a new dance routine to some new music for a gym routine perhaps one day! Mum liked watching and she gave me a good mark for the moves and the performance!

Bye for now! Thanks for continuing to follow my gym life, and my real hope of being as good a gymnast as I possibly can be.

Fliss x

 

It’s been a crazy time since my last blog last week!

Tues 22 August 2017

My day to go to hospital! I was excited in the car driving up to Bristol with Mum, but I felt a little bit scared too. I didn’t want them to say no that I can’t start going upside down yet. I kept trying to think positive thoughts.

I think the 3 months have seemed to have gone quite quickly after all, and I really wanted the doctors to say YES.

After a bit of shopping (!) we went to Bristol Children’s Hospital. On the way we saw a student nurse I remember that looked after me. We needed to go back to my green level. It felt scary to be back. I think Mum felt a bit strange being back. The doctor talked to us, and we talked back about how I’d been feeling and how well I’d been. He looked at my eyes, did some funny finger wiggles near my eyes and felt my head. I didn’t have another scan. He asked about moods and any sadness. I said no. Mum said there had been no memory problems. We talked about all my fitness exercises and the time I fell in the playground at school and that it was the only day I had cried a lot and been frightened and in shock. The doctor thought I was really good. He said my recovery had been better than they thought! I told him I had never gone upside down, that I had rested when my body told me to, and always done everything I should to help my recovery. Maybe being happy most of the time and being young and fit had helped too? The hospital said they would be happy to discharge me! HOORAY! YES! I was told I could go upside down again and gradually start doing gym skills again! The news I wanted! I was jumping in the air I was so happy. My Mum, Dad, Jack, Bells and all my family were really really happy. 

I wanted to get home and get in the gym straight away! It felt like Christmas. When I got there it was amazing to hug my gym friends and Kelly and see Mike and Ryan. We were all so pleased.

I went to gym from 5.30 – 7pm. I did cartwheels on the grass outside with two of my friends! Have a look.

In the gym I got 5 stickers. I thought I would just do handstands and cartwheels but I did all this.

Also handstand hold for 20s, rope climb 20 hands with pike legs.

I didn’t feel dizzy like I thought, I was so excited. Someone said it might have been adrenalin in my body. I want more! But I know I need to pace myself.

For so long I have been doing so much conditioning, including chin ups, and it paid off. I feel stronger than I thought. I did so many more things than I expected.

It felt a bit weird to be doing things upside down again but I knew my body knew what to do. Even if it had been a few months.

Weds – Day off – beach with cousins lots of upside down time on the sand!

 

 

 

 

Thurs – Gym 9-3pm I then needed to say enough for one day! Lots of stickers! I did all this:

Beam

Cartwheel on high beam

Walkover on high beam

Split flic on high beam

Walkover flic on low beam

Split flic split flic on low red beam

My wrist started hurting then (as my hands aren’t used to it) so I stopped.

Vault

With help, handspring on vault top

Bars

Forward giant on metal

Cast to handstand on metal

And nearly…Clear to handstand on metal!

8 stickers!!!! Wow!

Today I received a lovely message from brilliant GB senior gymnast Alice Kinsella. (I love watching her. She did so well at the European Gymnastics Championships.) I am very grateful of the support and encouragement she’s given me. Thank you Alice. I hope I can come back really strong. I feel confident I can try.

Fri Gym 1- 7pm

My brilliant sister Bella is still having physio and is slowly getting better. She is back in the gym with me doing her exercises. It’s nice to have her in the gym.

I’m wanting to move on quickly! It felt so nice yesterday!

WOW WHAT A GREAT DAY! I feel so good! I want to do so much! I can’t believe I managed to do all my level 1 targets today. I achieved two swing halfs on wood over the pit with Kelly’s help, giants on wood over the pit and a straddle shoot and a forward walkover on the high beam! (Today I managed to do the skill that I had got injured from. I wanted to do it. Bella couldn’t believe it! My family and Kelly were amazed.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

I loved it!

It’s been such a brilliant week. I know it might get much harder but it’s the start of my path back. I have a big smile! ☺

Fliss x

TODAY, it’s 3 months since my accident! I can’t believe this time has come. Here’s what I’ve been doing in the past month to get me to this day!

Mon – Week 9

I went to gym from 4-8pm today. I was not in any rush to go home! Very happy.

Tues

It was an all day trip to the beach with school. I was just too tired to go to gym.

Weds

I fell in the school playground. I grazed my arm, leg, hurt my knee and cut my hand. I was really upset. It really shook me up and made me scared. Tears. The fall knocked my confidence for the first time since my accident. I felt like jelly inside. Kelly and my mum said that maybe ice, some rest and TLC would do the trick.

I woke up in the night crying. I thought I felt sick, but mum thinks it was just the shock of today. She kept telling me I would be OK. I am OK. I think it made me think back to my accident, and how fragile we all are. I didn’t get much sleep.

Thurs – I was really upset in the morning and I did not feel well. Tummy ache. I was feeling so bad that I just couldn’t go to school. I was crying a lot. I felt better in the afternoon though and went to my friends’ year 6 leavers service. (I really wanted to be there.)

Fri. A different day. A new day. I went to school happy. Today I was presented with the big yearly KS2 trophy 🏆 I think it was because of my gymnastics achievements this year, getting into GB squad, and then how I’ve dealt with my horrible accident and getting back to school and my attitude to learning and how I’m looking forward and carefully trying to get back to gym. We broke up from school today for the summer holiday!

I went to the gym 4-7. It was ballet with Amy from 4-5. Last day before holiday!

Family caravan holiday to Wales for one week. I took my conditioning box containing my sheet, crop top, shorts etc. I was doing my conditioning in the caravan just after we had set up! It was what I wanted to do before going to explore with my brother and sister.

Week 10

We had a few really sunny hot days. I did loads of running on the sand and went in the sea lots. (The tides go out so far!!!) Bella and I did lots of dancing on top of the cliffs making up routines to music on my phone. We had lots of hills to climb up and down, we went for long walks, did lots of running and playing games outside with friends.

(Dad and Mum had to help carry Bella on many walks as her back and knee were really hurting.) We went to an indoor Waterpark. I couldn’t go on flumes and slides due to my head. It was so frustrating. Grrrrrr. But I just have to wait a bit longer. I could still have fun in the pool and wave pool and current river. Bella was struggling too. It was good fun though swimming and playing.

We did have some awful wet and windy weather. When we came back from a 4 mile tough walk in the rain on the sand and cliffs, our awning was breaking and blowing in the strong winds. It was scary. We had to try and hold it down so we could take it down (it was ripped and bent). I got hit on the neck by a pole. It frightened me. I cried. Luckily I was ok. But it upset all my family.

It was a good holiday though. I had lots of fun times with my family,  and bought a new crop top and leggings too!

Mon – Week 11

I was so excited to be going to gym 10-3.

Tues DEVON Squad camp at Falcons. (We had to go with crazy hair, as a twin/triplet. ) I was so looking forward to this camp. I love games, and even though I knew I wouldn’t be going upside down or doing real gym skills I could still take part and work hard. I won a prize today! https://www.instagram.com/p/BXQH-tQDLXX/

It was so great to have a sleepover in the gym and to be with other friends from Devon too.

Weds – DEVON Squad camp again. It was brilliant. I won another prize today.

Thurs – day off. Mum had a phone call from Bristol hospital today. They wanted to redo a survey about my activity,  that we did when I was in hospital. Mum said that I was off the scale! Think these sheets are for average children, not elite gymnasts like me. Haha. ☺

Fri – Gym 10-2

Sat Gym 10-2. You’ll never guess what I did today! Upstart squat on jump to high bar upstart straddle shoot!!! It was so cool.

Mon – Week 12

6 hours at gym. I am so excited that I was able to do a cast down then a kind of mini swing half on my own!!! (No upside down. ) I think I’m allowed! One hand had a loop, one changing hand had the hand guard for wood on. I worked super hard.

Tues

4 hours at gym – tired.

Weds – off. Kelly sent Mum and Dad a review and they told me that she admires my passion and determination. This makes me feel extra good.

Bella is still off gym injured (it’s been many weeks) but the Physio today is positive and we will get her back. I miss her at gym, and I know she wants to get back.

Thurs

1-5 pm at gym. I did leaps on the high beam!!!! (With some mats!) 

Fri 10-4 including ballet. We learnt a dance with ribbons from Amy. It was excellent fun. I want to do it again.

Sat – 4 hours in the gym. (I’ve done 24 hours in the gym this week!) Kelly and I started to talk about my come back plan once I hopefully get the all clear from the hospital, in just over a week’s time. Kelly discussed my targets and what I first want to try and achieve! I know that it’s not for sure that the consultant at Bristol will say yes that I can try, but I SO hope he does. I will start with the basics first, of course – cartwheel, handstand, forward roll! 😂 It will be like being little again! Then I want to do:

Beam – cartwheel, walkover

Bars – giants on metal

Floor –  round off, round off flic

Vault – handspring

Conditioning – straddle levers to handstand etc

I can’t wait.

Sun – day off. Family day. (With lots of bounces on the trampoline.)

Mon – Week 13

I wasn’t feel all that well today (I think I have a cold), but I managed to stay at gym 10-2.

Tuesday 3 MONTHS SINCE MY ACCIDENT!!!!!! YES, I DID IT.

Bella is coming back into the gym today, for a couple of hours, too! So exciting.

We ended up training together. I was not feeling that well with a cold so just did 2 hours with my sister. 

Next Tuesday I need to go back to Bristol Children’s hospital to see my consultant. So hope it is good news.

I AM DESPERATE TO GO UPSIDE DOWN. Please, PLEASE LET IT BE SOON! Just give me the chance!

Fliss x