The Daunting Dollympic Trials – Part 2

Psst! Check out Part 1 if you haven’t already.

Molly gulped. Something felt wrong. Something wasn’t right. She knew bars had never been her best event, but this time something was different.

What if… Molly began, but as she saluted, she changed her negative thoughts. “I can do this,” she mouthed to herself. “I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.”

With that, she jumped onto the bars.

She pulled herself up and began her routine. She knew that her best skills on bars were her perfect form – even if she didn’t stick the landing perfectly, she knew she’d never get a deduction for her tight formation and poise.

Handstand.

 Oddly enough, she had a horrible time grabbing onto the bars, and therefore her form wasn’t as tight as it should have been.

Double front flip.

Something is off. This isn’t right. Molly realized, but she kept going. She tried hard to remember her tight form, but because of her loose grip on the bar it was very difficult.

Back flip, turn around to front flip – oh, no!

Her grip on the bar was so loose when she changed directions that she nearly slipped. She didn’t have enough grip to perform the front flip and had too much momentum from the backflip, so she had to substitute with a kip.

I can do this, Molly rehearsed to herself as she continued on her routine, flipping over again. Everything will be alright.

She jumped and transitioned to the high bar in beautiful side splits. She grabbed on better this time, and she heard the crowd cheer. She pointed her toes harder, remembering her form.

When her routine was done, she back somersaulted for her dismount. Due to her lose grip on the bar, she landed just a little off and took a tiny step, but recovered well.

She forced a smile as she saluted. The deduction for her not-as-tight form and extra step would cost her dearly. She took off her grips angrily as she walked back to a smiling Coach Josie.

Molly crossly throwed her grips on the floor.

“You did great, Molly,” Coach Josie praised with a hug.

“Thanks,” Molly mumbled. “I know bar is not my best event, but something’s off. Something was wrong with my grips. Did you see my terrible form and the extra step I took? That never should have happened.”

“You probably just grabbed the wrong grips. Someone else most likely got yours. You recovered very well, though. If you rock the house on beam, which I am quite confident you will, you have a good shot at third place.” Coach Josie insisted.

Molly’s heart sunk when her score came back a 14.009. That was the lowest score she had gotten all day, but at least it was better than she thought she was going to get.

Molly watched closely as Demetria Dare began her bar routine. She jumped onto a springboard and started off on the high bar. Impressive, Molly noted.

Her handstand was gorgeous, and Molly watched with a critical eye. She began to change directions while in the handstand, and as far as Molly could tell, Demetria hadn’t made a single mistake so far.

Demetria performed a wonderful side split as she swung into her front flip.

And she flipped off the high bar after a back flip and transitioned flawlessly onto the lower one.

When she dismounted, Demetria stuck the landing perfectly. The entire room was filled with applause and cheers, but Molly grew more restless.

So far, Molly was doing pretty good. She was fourth place out of everybody, even with her deduction – but Demetria was in third. If she had any hope of making it to the Dollympic Team Trials next year, she was going to have to fight Demetria Dare for the third place spot.

Demetria wasn’t surprised at all when her score came back a 15.212. She was almost in second place. Her coach nodded his approval at her. “Keep at it, Demi. You’re practically guaranteed a spot for the Dollympic Team Trials next year.”

“How am I going to beat her?” Molly asked Coach Josie in frustration.

“It’s not about beating her. It’s about doing your best, Molly.”

“What if my best isn’t good enough to qualify for the Dollympic Team Trials next year?”

Coach Josie hesitated. “If you do your best, that’s all that matters, Molly.”

That’s not true, Molly mused. The Dollympics matter to me.

“Okay, Molly. You’re up next on the beam.” Coach Josie looked at the board.

Molly smiled. Beam was her very best event, and she was more than determined to make up her deduction from bars.

“Go show them what you got, Molls.”

She walked up to the beam and saluted proudly. She knew she had this one in her hip pocket.

“Nevertheless,” She whispered to herself before taking a deep breath. “I need your help with this one, too, God. Help me make up for my mistake on bars.”

With that, she placed both hands on the beam and pulled herself up, ready to begin the beam routine and make the next 90 seconds the greatest ones yet.

Thanks to my awesome little brother for helping me with the photos of the dolls flipping!