March 2, 2010

Henry David Thoreau once said that the language of friendship is not words, but meanings. This was never more evident to me than on Sunday, when our team, friends, and families came together to honor the class of 2010 in our last home meet. It was an unforgettable experience for my fellow classmates and me, and we are so thankful to everyone who made it such a special day.

Customary with SWG senior night tradition, we were not allowed into the locker room until shortly before the meet. During this time, the rest of the team was busy setting up our theme for the day. This year's: Under the 'Sea'niors. If you know our class well, you'll know that this fit us perfectly. We walked into a locker room that was transformed into an underwater haven, complete with pictures, a bubble maker, and costumes for us to march out in. The girls really outdid themselves with the creativity, but what shone through to me the most was the love behind each and every detail, and the passion that SWG puts into everything we do.

As we entered Maples, we were greeted by a wonderful crowd of our friends, families, and local community. It was also Alumni Night, so it was great to have generations of past Stanford gymnasts in the stands. We performed tonight with a love for our fans, each other, and the SWG legacy. There were a number of great highlights, and we are making steady improvements in many areas. Although we had some trouble on beam, we bounced back with a 49.475 floor rotation to cap off the night with a bang.

The senior presentations that followed left all of us in tears. We cried not out of sadness, but out of the sheer gratitude that we are able to share so much of our time with such an amazing group of people. I feel so lucky to be part of such a tight-knit team and know that this bond is going to carry us far- this year and in our futures. As we look towards the last part of our season, I am so excited to see what the 2010 team is going to put together. This is a team that loves coming into the gym and working together, learning from each other, and growing through our honest interactions with each and every one of our teammates and coaches. It is the meaning behind all of our work that is our strength, and that is something that nothing can shake.

Thanks again for all of your support. Be sure to keep your eye on SWG, and check back next week for another update!

T-dub