Adaline Bebo

Today’s Tip for Twirlers from THE Adaline Bebo!!

How do you continue working when you happen to “fail” something?

We all have rough twirling days and, trust me, I know exactly how frustrating it can be! Sometimes the worst part is thinking about your big twirling goals and feeling like they just aren’t possible when you have a less-than-great practice. For me, I know that staying organized (even in my thoughts) helps me work through any attitude I’m working with!

When a certain part of my twirling in particular is having an off-day, I refer to it as “the trick of the day” and I don’t focus on it too much. I know that it will be better the next day and I don’t want to make it a problem by psyching myself out about it. I love making lists, so to help me focus and breakdown my goals, sometimes I’ll write a short checklist of what all I want to accomplish that day.

I’ll usually write down 2 or 3 broad goals (like drill rolls, catch all contact in my routines, etc). Then, I’ll set smaller goals for each routine (like 3 solos with a focus on rolls and/or big tricks). Goal-setting is definitely the most effective way I’ve learned to make it through even some of he roughest practices!

What motivates you?

Through my years of competing, I’ve found that I’m most motivated by results (and maybe a

celebratory ice cream cone every once in a while). Now that I have reached so many of my twirling goals, I’m the most motivated by all of the little girls that watch me twirl, come to me for advice, and see me as a role model. Being a role model for pursuing my unique goals, hard work ethic, rising above performance failures, and finding ways to reach your version of success. I now share a message that it’s okay to fail and it’s okay to change your goals as you make new discoveries, because it can be a powerful tool in developing a positive growth mindset

What was the hardest trick to learn but worth it?

My triple leap trick! I knew that if I showed it to my coach, Jackie Stewart, and it was anything less than perfect she would probably just laugh and never let me do it! So I trained up my strength for the leaps for almost a full year! On that fateful day on the tennis court we were practicing at, I finally decided to show Jackie what I had been working on. I was so excited that I tossed the baton, did the triple leap, and nailed the under leg catch, but also managed to get my foot stuck over the tennis net and just kind of hung there in shock. Needless to say, she was very excited about my new trick and it has since become one of my most ‘iconic’ moves!

Message to twirlers who may get discouraged:

I have had more than a few really terrible performances over the years and they can be really tough to mentally overcome! Like a lot of twirlers, I get into my own head, doubt my abilities, and really beat myself up over it. I used to work with a sports psychologist who told me that, in the moment, immediately after every performance (good or bad) the very first thing you should do is tell yourself 3 good things about it (no matter how small). This will solidify a positive feeling toward that routine, and then when you do it the next time, it will trigger those positive feelings and allow you to perform better.

Obviously, once you’re past the performance this tactic isn’t super helpful, but you can continue to feed yourself positive thoughts while you practice. This is much easier said than done (I’ve struggled with negative self-talk for so much of my career and it can be so difficult to get out of a ‘funk’ once you’re in it). Something that made a huge difference in the last year, was learning how to truly laugh at myself and my epic fails. That’s why I love what @twirkers celebrates about the twirling journey! I had to make myself realize that there is so much more than just twirling or that single performance that defines me. I had to detach my self-worth from my performances... because it happens! And trust me, it will happen again!

Something else that helped me was actively learning from my bad performances. I analyzed what was going through my mind, what factors impacted me before and during, and how I can prepare differently. If something isn’t working, video it and see if you can figure out what to change. If you can’t tell, always feel free to message them to me and I am always happy to help! But keep in mind, some of my favorite or most iconic tricks were invented on accident when I was experimenting with new ways to get other tricks. Embrace the process and always be open to creativity!

#positivitwirl