Tier: Tier 1
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The Yips
The yips are when a physical skill you have mastered becomes suddenly and mysteriously unreliable. A devotional for the golfer who knows exactly what this means.
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The Fall
Every gymnast falls. The fall happens in public, in silence, and with everyone watching. A devotional for the sport where failing is the most exposed.
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Sticking the Landing
The skill is not complete until the landing is stuck. A devotional about the discipline of finishing the thing all the way through.
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The Scoring System
Gymnastics scores are assigned by human judges in real time. A devotional about competing in a system where the evaluation is partly subjective and always delayed.
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The Body in Gymnastics
Gymnastics asks its athletes to be aware of their bodies in extreme detail. A devotional about the relationship between gymnasts and their physical form.
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The Team Competition
Gymnastics is performed individually but scored collectively in team competition. A devotional about the unusual pressure and gift of the team gymnastics meet.
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Treading Water
What happens below the water’s surface in water polo is what makes everything above it possible. A devotional about the invisible work.
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The Hole Set
The hole set is the most physically demanding and least visible position in water polo. A devotional about the battle in the center of the pool.
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Six on Five
The power play in water polo gives the offense the best possible conditions. A devotional about what the advantage demands and what it costs when it’s wasted.
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Exclusion
An exclusion foul removes you from the water and gives the other team a power play. A devotional about the individual decision that costs the whole team.