Friends, it’s that time of the year in the States. Thanksgiving means copious amounts of food, Turkey Trot 5Ks, and even a day off from training for our favorite U.S. gymnasts (at least, I hope so).

Regardless of the season or the nation you’re in, it’s never a bad idea to show a little gratitude. Here are a few aspects of the gymnastics world that I’m thankful for this year:

Internet streaming:

When my Internet went down the day of the Olympic prelims, I may or may not have driven to a local coffee shop that morning for the sole purpose of streaming on my laptop while watching the scores on the mobile app. I received more than one strange look as I glared at my screen and compulsively refreshed my phone, texting a friend who was also watching. Seriously, how was I supposed to wait until the delayed broadcast that evening?

Let’s give another shout here to the live Tweeters/bloggers who are quick, accurate, and know what an Amanar is (and how to spell it). Sometimes they were even ahead of the broadcast. I don’t know how they pulled that off, but they seem to be fairly magical beings in general.

Crazed gym blog commenters:

The best part of any blog post is the fight in the comment section (see also: any newspaper that allows comments). It’s a Lord of the Rings-esque battle of the trolls, the Team Russia/U.S./Romania diehards, and the “I heard this from a trusted anonymous source.” Thanks for the laughs, guys! You keep it spicy.

Floor music on YouTube:

Back in the day, floor music wasn’t so easy to come by. There would be a demo CD floating around the gym, each track with a recorded voice saying, “This is Track Seventeen, ‘Express Yourself’” periodically so that nobody stole the music. (If you wanted the voice-free version, you had to pay for it.) Or maybe an older teammate was willing to pass down her music.

Now? Roll onto YouTube, and dozens of videos pop up for the query, “Gymnastics floor music.” Overhear cool music during a broadcast, or an epic movie soundtrack? There’s a good chance it’s already out there on somebody’s video channel.

The burgeoning world of gym .gifs:

Huge Tkatchevs, lovely floor choreography, intercontinental hugs, glowering faces and death stares, all captured in jerky animated form and replayed on an endless loop. What’s not to love?

As 2012 draws to a close, what are you thankful for?

Article: Diana Gallagher

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