In 1931, around the time The Great Depression started, there was a talented, 17 year old girl named Jackie Mitchell, who unlike most people was working hard at a job. She was getting ready to pitch at a baseball game against the New York Yankies. This may not seem like a big deal considering some girls play on football teams – one of the top five most dangerous sports – ,but in the 1930s this was the first time a girl played on an all boys team. Jackie was ready for the game on April 1, but it was postponed because of weather conditions. The day she stepped on the pitching mound, she made history. She got three strikes on two of the Yankies’ players – Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig – ,but sadly when Tony Lazzeri, the third batter came out, she had to leave. Jackie Mitchell never let anyone tell her what she can and can’t do, so neither should you!

I will never forget the time I threw a round off back-hand-spring. It was about 7:30. I’d been practicing for three and a half hours, and it was time to warm up tumbling. I was up first. Fear took over my body as I began running to do my back-hand-spring. I hurtle and do a round off with a lot of power, but a back-hand-spring does not follow. As I frown and begin walking to the front of the spring floor, my coach conforts me and told me to try again. I start running again, but this time instead of being afraid I was terrified. As I hurtle, I tell myself i can do it, but my heart was still pounding against my chest. I did a round off and prepelled myself backwards into the air. It didn’t take long for my face to cash into the ground at what felt like 100 miles per hour. I stand up, holding back my tears. The coaches tell me to sit out for a while and drink some water. I no longer felt afraid, terrified, or upset. I was frustrated and I was mad. I wasn’t mad at the coaches or the girls on my team. I was mad at myself. Sitting down and thinking about it wasn’t helping. In fact, the longer I sat there the more frustrated I got. at one point I thought I would get up and leave and never come back. Finally, I decided to get up, I was determined to do my round off back-hand-spring. I stepped on the back and blue striped mat and ran with a ton of power. Then I threw it and landed! I was so proud of myself and honestly really shocked. As 2015 continues I plan to improve my tumbling even more!