Gymnastics is one of the toughest sports a kid can do. It's tough mentally, physically, and emotionally. It's also one of the most rewarding sports a kid can do. It teaches you lessons you can take away and use in your daily life and beyond. I did competitive gymnastics for 7 years while I was growing up, and here are 10 things it taught me:

1. Confidence

You can't tumble on a 4 inch piece of wood without a little bit of confidence. Having confidence is key in the sport of gymnastics. Without confidence, you start to doubt yourself. When you doubt yourself, you fall or mistakes happen.

2. Perseverance

Gymnastics goes well with the saying "fall down seven times, stand up eight." In this sport you fall. A lot. Sometimes when you're trying to learn a new skill it can be frustrating because it can take weeks, sometimes even months. It can get discouraging at times. As hard as it is, you have to keep pushing and working hard, and eventually things will work.

3. Balance

'Nuff said. 4 inches isn't wide, at all. You can't even stand with your feet side by side on a balance beam. It takes true balance to do what gymnasts do on this event. Gymnastics also teaches you how to balance your life. Training 20 hours a week, school, having a social life, and getting 8 hours of sleep is a lot to handle. You learn quickly how to balance everything going on in your life.

4. Friendship

When I was a gymnast I spent more time with my friends at the gym than I did with my school friends. You're at the gym most days of the week, and you share a special bond with your teammates. They see you at your worst, when you're injured or when you're struggling to perfect a new routine. But they also see you at your best, when you have the best meet of your life or just nailed a new skill. They're with you through it all.

5. Teamwork

Although gymnastics is widely an individual sport, there is a huge team component that goes along with it. Your teammates are there on the toughest practice days. They're there when you're terrified to throw a new skill, screaming your name for encouragement. They're there when you have great days and feel so proud of yourself. And even though gymnasts compete for individual titles, team awards are given out, too. You depend on each other, and that's the way it should be.

6. Patience

Whether it be waiting for your score to show or trying the same skill over and over again without success, gymnastics requires a lot of patience. Good things take time, especially when it comes to this sport.

7. Trust

A lot of trust is placed within this sport. You have to trust yourself, your teammates, and your coaches. You have to trust yourself when performing skills, so you don't fall and make a mistake. You have to trust your teammates when they're encouraging you to push through. You have to trust your coaches when they believe you're capable of doing something.

8. Strength

Gymnastics requires both mental and physical strength. You have to have mental strength to get past tough practices and mental blocks and you have to have physical strength so you can perform skills without injury.

9. Pain

Sore muscles, rips, injuries... you name it. Pain is normal, and sometimes it's a good thing. It shows that you've been working hard and are making progress. It's normal for gymnastics to work through pain; it teaches you how to toughen up.

10. Love

Through all of the hardships, tough practices and injuries, there's a sport that you love. You learn to love spending your life in a gym training all day. Your teammates and coaches become your family and you wouldn't have it any other way.