As I finished up these last gymnast pieces I was reminded of both sides of the sport of gymnastics. So much publicity has been given to the abuse from people toward young gymnasts. I myself have been victum to much abuse and suffered much from its lasting devestation. My heart cries for healing for all the women affected both in the sport of gymnastics and beyond.
But today I would like to dedicate these paintings to a very special gymnastics coach who without I would not be where I am today. I started gymnastics at the age of 6 and quickly fell in love with the sports. The facility I trained at was nuturing, supportive and loving. It was through this gym, it’s staff and founder/head coach Tina Rusinivich that I became a chrisitian, learned tools that were necessary to succeed in life and successfully battled what I now know was a significant mental illness. As a struggling teenager Tina was a wonderful best friend, mentor, coach, and mother figure. She is not perfect but she was a impentrable rock in my life that without I would not stand today. I am so thankful that God lead me to her and her to me.
Gymnastics is a beautiful sport, it is an art and with coaches like Tina this sport can transform young girls into perfectly imperfect, healthy adults ready to face whatever comes their way. The problem with gymnastics today is not the sport but coaches/staff untrained in the skill of nurturing young people into healthy adults.
