To: THE SHOW GRINGO
From: John Geddert
Re: All Star Team Wrap Up

            Hopefully everyone has recovered from what the veterans have called the BEST Region 5 All-Star Team trip ever. We have had some great experiences in the past and each trip certainly has its high points, whether it be cultural, educational, competition or training, geographical, meeting friends OR enduring mass chaos, all of our trips have contributed something to the memory banks. THIS TRIP however, had it all… minus the chaos!

            My sincere wish and ultimate goal for these international trips is to provide an experience that will enrich and impact the lives of these hard working, dedicated and truly special young ladies. In turn, I hope there is a genuine appreciation for the opportunity and the work that goes into making an event like this “extra special”.

            Appreciation for the extraordinary effort put forth by the El Salvador Gymnastics Federation. Those that have attended past international assignments can attest that this group was as organized, accommodating, flexible, caring, and as efficient as any we have ever had the pleasure of interacting with. This group went above and beyond anything we could ever expect from a host organization.

Appreciation for the effort and resources put forth to provide our delegation with outstanding food service. The food quality …. The variety…. The flexibility of scheduling, and willingness to do so…. was incredible! Most probably didn’t notice that after one morning of “native” dishes they switched to a more “American” style breakfast. This was apparently due to the fact that our girls didn’t eat very much that opening a.m. Then of course there was the unbelievable bargain of $5 per meal. Where could you ever find that again?

Appreciation for the resources that were used to ensure our safety and comfort.  The police escort ensured that we maximized our leisure time. I hope everyone noticed that we never stopped at a red light or spent an extra minute in traffic. Their presence also insured our safety and illustrated clearly that to our hosts this was a priority. Having transportation readily available is NOT the norm at international events. We had transportation available 24-7! These luxuries are not something that we paid for  ( hardly with the mere $30 competition entry fee), these are things that they provided from their coffers and out of the goodness in their hearts.

I hope that this trip isn’t remembered ONLY for the time spent on the beach, although that was wonderful. I hope that this trip isn’t remembered for the medals won or the shopping done. My hope is that this trip is remembered for the Appreciation that it inspired within us all.

We all witnessed some eye opening poverty first hand. Let that serve to instill some appreciation for the comforts of life that we have been blessed with but also let it open our eyes to the fact that material possession means little when it comes to true character. Remember how caring, friendly, helpful, and congenial the El Salvadorian people were and although not all were financially challenged…. All were blessed with great hearts. This made a major impression on me personally.

What is appreciation? Does it insinuate a debt owed? I think not. It simply means an understanding of what others invest into our relationships. Do we owed debt to the parents for footing the bill for this experience? NO. But we certainly better appreciate their role is making this opportunity happen. COACHES…. Do we owe debt to the athletes, for certainly without them WE may never have had this experience? NO. But we better appreciate the effort and sacrifices they make to achieve this level of excellence. Athletes do you owe a debt to the coaches? NO but again there should be some appreciation for the time they invest into the process also.

Speaking of appreciation  let me take this opportunity to thank a few people that were instrumental in making this trip a memorable experience. First of all thanks to Joni Zondervan for her behind the scenes help with organizing the travel arrangements… flawless! Thanks to the chaperons, Julie McNabb, Jennifer McAllister and Anita Byington for their meticulous attention to the rules set forth by the region, and for making sure our kids were well attended. Some may have felt a little confined BUT better to be “over-watched” than the opposite. Thanks ladies! Thanks of course to Marco who played the vital role of interpreter, social host, organizer, chaperon, and entertainer. It was again obvious that no matter where we go “everyone” loves Marco. Thanks to Todd for taking on the task of bringing spreaders….. No spreaders…. No bars! Thanks to my right hand man (the pony express rider himself) Dan Miller for filling the gaps … collecting money, motivating, entertaining and of course for his role in conducting the camps that in turn pay for these trips.

Thanks to the attending parents and coaches for chipping in. These trips can be miserable when people are unwilling to roll with the flow. YOU GUYS were awesome and this contributed to this trip being one of the least stressful ever. Thanks your team spirit is appreciated.

And finally, thanks to the 23 beautifully talented and blessed young ladies that serve as our motivation to provide these opportunities. At our initial meeting we stressed the emphasis to represent your club, your region and your country with class and dignity. You surpassed all levels of expectations. You worked together, adhered to rules, used the best in manners and in turn were absolutely wonderful to have on board. Thanks!

Thats all folks. Have a great competitive season. Train hard, remain focused and stay healthy.

Sincerely,    JOHN GEDDERT REGION 5 JOPC