Pelin PALA
BELIEVE
Hello ! My name is Liv Morris . I was born on July 21 , 2004 in Atlanta , Georgia in the USA . I live with my mother and father . I go to Wesleyan middle school . I ' m an average kid . My best friend ’ s name is Matt . I ' ve been going to the ATA Cheer gym school since 2009 . My father , Jack , is a personal trainer . My mother , Emma , is a film director .
I started doing gymnastics when I was 4 years old at home with my dad . First , he taught me how to do a flip . Then , he found out that I was so flexible and talented . When I was 5 I started going to ATA Cheer gym school . I was working out 1 hour every week . After a year my coach Johnny thought I should practice more so I could compete in competitions . I started to practice an hour a day .
At the end of the second year , I learned how to do many great tricks . Then I started doing tricks on the balance beam . When I was 8 I was doing flips on the balance beam . When I was at a gym schools competition I fell off of the balance beam . I dislocated my shoulder . It really hurt . I couldn ' t go to the gym for 3 months . It was a really hard time because it was my right shoulder and I ’ m right handed .. I was really sad . I was at my house , laying in bed watching gym videos all day long . My best friend , Matt , came with flowers . He told me a story about a time when he never gave up . It made me feel better . He told me that I was really talented at gymnastics and that he would always be right beside me .
When I got better I continued working on my gymnastics skills . At the age of 9 , I could do very hard tricks . I saw a circus try out poster on the wall one day , so I asked my father if I could go to the try outs . We went to the circus to ask if I was old enough . They said yes so I practiced for 3 hours everyday until the try outs .
I went to the try outs . I was going to do the hardest trick : The Amanar Vault . I was doing an excellent job until the last move of the trick . My head hurt so much and I almost fainted . That ' s why I couldn ' t do the last move very well . Just because of that move I lost the chance to be in the circus . After that I practiced all the year for the next try outs . Matt helped me practice . We found out that my headache was caused by sinus problems . I practiced a lot and I got used to my head hurting .
One day , I was practicing that trick but then I heard a little sound from my shoulder . I didn ' t think that it could be such a big thing . I went to my gym teacher to show him the trick . When I stepped on my hands I felt something . Something really hurt . While I was on my hands I looked at my right shoulder . It was near my cheek . It was happening again . My shoulder dislocated again . My shoulder was touching my cheek . It was the scariest thing I have ever seen . It ' s not like the horror movies . You see one of your body parts changing place .
I fell down when I saw it but there was only one thought in my head . Even if this happens again I will go to the circus tryouts , win and show my trick .
My coach came and took me to the hospital . My parents and Matt came to hospital . They calmed me down . I was really happy to see them . While my parents talked to the doctor Matt was trying to make me laugh . Then my parents came to the room . They said that I shouldn ' t do gymnastics for 1 year . If I did , it could happen again and maybe the next time I wouldn ' t be so lucky .
My shoulder hurt so much but I was going to win this circus tryout . I was so sure . Even if my shoulder hurt this much I wasn ' t going to let my father , mother , coach and Matt down . When my shoulder was okay again I practiced so much .
The next year when I was 11 , I went to the tryouts again . I did The Amanar Vault very well . I waited 1 month for the good news and then the circus called us and told us that I won . I was very happy . I think I earned it myself . I practiced so hard , even though my shoulder had dislocated twice , I didn ' t give up . These experiences made me very brave even if some of them weren ’ t very nice .
Since 2015 , I have been in the circus . I ' ve been going to practices after school everyday from 17.00 to 20.00 . I ' m still going to the ATA Cheer gym on Saturdays and Sundays from 9.00 to 12.00 . I want to be an acrobat when I grow up . I love gymnastics ! I would like to thank to my dad for his influence . My mom for everything . My gym teacher Johnny from ATA . Also my best friend Matt who has always been behind me , believed in me even when I didn ' t believe in myself .
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