Preschool Plus

Seven four-year olds run at me full speed, each one fighting for a spot at which they can cling around my legs. "Coach Sabrina, I lost a tooth!" "My skin peeled off on the monkey bars today at school!" "I got a new leotard!" Each girl sprints,skips, hops, and chase's around the floor in a wide circle, being very careful to point her toes and make her hands look pretty too. Maria, the smallest and least talkative of the group, outshines everyone when it comes to strength. She cannot weigh more than 30lbs and each one is solid muscle. She doesn't smile often because her tiny face is so concentrated on kicking her legs up high enough or tucking her chin down. I see a blonde curly-haired pony tail bouncing up and down on the floor and hear a small voice muttering " spaghetti, meatballs, spaghetti, meatballs" which is our preschool version of sit ups. Her name is Ella and she is the life of the party. You know the one I mean, all of the kids want to be her friend and even though she doesn't try every comment that comes out of her mouth is just so funny that all the adults look at each other and wonder whose kid she is. Ava and Elle both wear pink leotards and have the brightest natural blonde hair I have ever seen! Although they look similar, their personalities are vastly different. Ava has an attitude but knows exactly where "the line" is and doesn't cross it. Elle only talks if she is made aware that her partner is doing something wrong, she then becomes very vocal until a coach corrects the problem. The sweetheart of my group is Breanne, she never complains or even questions the coaches. She wears the same smile to every event  and everyone can tell she is becoming what I call a "lifer", someone who falls in love with the sport early and sticks with it through out their entire life. The born leader in the group is Mariah. Being one of the more advanced girls she is willing to demonstrate skills and give corrections ( sometimes unwanted) to the rest of the class. Half of the time her long brown hair is whipping her in the face or it is tightly in a bun because it was previously whipping her in the face. Either way she doesn't mind because she is too busy cartwheeling all over the gym. The girl who tells me the most about her day, or her twin brother, or her plans for the weekend is Rylie. It doesn't matter how many times I tell her we have to take quick turns, she will refuse to budge until her story is complete. Last class she finally got the concept of a handstand and her smile would have stopped traffic! Every Tuesday and Thursday night I go home from work utterly grateful for the opportunity I am blessed with to teach these young girls. From where I stand this is how I see it, if children are our future, the future looks pretty darn great from where I sit.