Gymnastics Poem by John Masaitis

My daughter's team the Sundevils Love Gymnastics
In the gym these girls have no time for cliques
Practice, sweat, and tears is what yields them tricks
When competing in a meet, they all start at six
Like a child craving candy chalk is their fix
Before the uneven bars they tighten their grips.
For all events they yearn for a landing that sticks!

Balance beam requires much poise and skill
Sometimes the girls stay up, by pure sheer will
A routine must be flawless the coach will instill
Often Screaming, 'Come on ladies you know the drill'
To view a perfect execution is always a thrill.

Vaulting by far is the quickest event.
Girls run, hit the springboard and make their ascent
as coach watches each girl with great extent
remembering hours it took for tricks to invent
Now high points for difficulty as we watch their descent
Sticking it on the landing is always the intent
It's nearly impossible to score a hundred percent

Floor exercise receives the loudest of cheers
often times these girls must conquer their fears
As they tumble to music with a routine to adhere
A mistake or a fall may result in a tear
Thank goodness they're encouraged by their teammates, their peers

Gymnastics is well over two thousand years old
it took time to catch on before judges were sold
Modern men have six events, while women have four
For each sex they are different, but they share vault and floor
1896 was the year gymnastics did unfold
1928 was the year when women enrolled
These girls will not quit going for the gold

The crowd roots for the Sundevils-Screaming for more
they love the thrill of victory and getting medals galore
But there's one more thing these girls truly adore
They will sweat and bleed together
For 'The Ultimate Score'