End of an era

I may have mentioned a few times about the gymnastics club I coach at every week. As I'm leaving for Oxford, sadly I have to leave the club as well - two and a half hours being a little too long a commute for three hours coaching.

Anyway, as it happens, the other qualified coach has just had a baby and she had to have a caesarian which means she can't coach for six weeks so they've actually had to shut down the club for a few weeks. Which makes me feel very guilty but there's not a lot I can do about it.

My last coaching session was on Saturday, and despite the mild hangover following my first of two leaving dos at work (details to follow perhaps) it was a bit emotional. When the first lot left at 11am they all came up and gave me a big hug, and then I got lots more hugs at the end.

There's one girl Zoe, who I will particularly miss. She had more potential than any of the other kids I had worked at at 7 and we sent her up to an elite gym club with purpose-built facilities, but she didn't like the discipline so she still trains with us. She's a mouthy little thing and she shouted at me telling me I shouldn't leave. I said jokily "why, are you going to miss me". She said grumpily "maybe" and stormed off. She came up to me at the end and I said "You're not going to hug me, are you?"

"No," said eight-year-old Zoe, "I'm going to shake your hand."

I shall miss them all. Hopefully I will be able to find a gymnastics club where I can help out in Oxford but it won't be the same.