Page 111 of Balancing Act

Jamie tightened her grip on the steering wheel. That was new. The Lily she’d first started coaching had been full of fire but equally as full of doubt, unsure whether she belonged among the best. Now, though? Now there was something different in her tone.

“That’s a good thing,” Jamie said carefully. “Nerves are fine, but confidence? That’s what sets you apart.”

Lily shifted in her seat. “You think so?”

“I know so. You’re proving that every time you step out there. You’ve got people talking about you—people who don’t usually talk about first-years.”

Lily didn’t respond immediately, but Jamie caught the slight straightening of her shoulders, the way her gaze focused on the road ahead. It reminded Jamie of herself at that age—the quiet hunger to prove herself, the belief that being good wasn’t enough.

They fell into another comfortable silence until Jamie pulled into the lot outside PGTC. As she parked, she turned to Lily. “Alright. What’s your focus today?”

“Beam,” Lily said immediately, unbuckling her seatbelt.

Jamie smiled at the lack of hesitation and uncertainty. “Good. Let’s get to work.”

Inside the gym, the familiar training sounds washed over Jamie—feet hitting mats, the distant echo of chalked hands slapping bars, the soft thud of landings. It was a world she knew intimately, even now, when her time in the gym had dwindled since starting her new job with Empwr Ventures.

She trailed behind Lily as the younger girl made her way to the warm-up area, her movements purposeful, her focus alreadylocked in. Jamie let her settle into her stretches before stepping onto the mat.

“You’ve been nailing that floor routine,” Jamie said, crouching beside her. “But I’ve been thinking about ways you could take it to the next level.”

Lily arched an eyebrow, intrigued but wary. “What are you thinking?”

“A double-double,” Jamie said simply, watching her carefully for her reaction.

Lily blinked, her mouth opening slightly. “A double-double? Now? The competition is in a few days. Are you crazy?”

Jamie nodded. “It’s a big ask, but it’s doable for you. You’ve got the power, the height—you just need to polish the technique. If you can land it consistently, it’ll bump your difficulty score by at least three-tenths. That’s a huge advantage, especially since we only have one competition left before the Olympic trials.”

Lily’s lips pressed into a thin line as she considered it. Jamie could see her wheels turning, weighing the challenge against the reward.

“Alright,” Lily said finally, her voice steady. “Let’s try it.”

Jamie smiled, a surge of pride swelling in her chest. “That’s my girl.”

They moved to the foam pit, and Jamie walked Lily step by step through the mechanics. She spotted her through the first few attempts, offering corrections and encouragement as Lily worked through the unfamiliar rotation. The first couple of tries were rough—Lily under-rotated once, over-rotated another—but she didn’t falter.

“You’re rushing the twist,” Jamie said after one attempt, demonstrating the takeoff with her hands. “Set higher first, then snap into the rotation. Don’t rush it.”

Lily nodded, brushing chalk from her hands. On her next attempt, she adjusted, and Jamie saw it—the spark, thepotential. She clenched her fists at her sides, watching as Lily inhaled deeply, setting her stance. For a split second, Jamie worried she might second-guess herself. Then, Lily launched.

“That’s it!” Jamie said, clapping as Lily landed the pass cleanly into the pit. “Now we’re getting somewhere.”

Lily grinned, her face flushed with effort but lit with determination. “It felt better that time.”

“It looked better,” Jamie agreed. “Keep drilling it. If we can get this consistent, you’ll have a routine no one else can touch.”

As Lily climbed out of the pit, Jamie couldn’t help but see herself in her—the same drive, the same hunger to be the best. But there was something else, too. Jamie had spent her career terrified of not being enough. Lily? She competed because she loved it. Because she believed in herself. The way Jamie wished she had.

Jamie saw in Lily the gymnast she wished she’d been.

“You’re going to be unstoppable,” she said quietly, almost to herself.

Lily turned, catching the words. “What?”

Jamie shook her head, smiling. “Nothing. Let’s grab some water and hit it again.”

Lily nodded, already heading toward the cooler. Jamie watched her momentarily, pride filling her. Lily was ready for whatever was coming.