The League Learns Gymnastics
Skinner looked around at the other league members. Quatermain was still sulking, but at least he'd stand up and do a spin or something now and then. Mina was still in Vampire-mode, and looking fabulous. Jekyll and Dorian were pacing the beams, occasionally flailing their arms to regain balance. Nemo was twirling around on the bars, and Tom was bouncing on the springboard. If they listened to everything he said, Skinner thought, they'd know some basic gymnastics by the end of the day.
Good thing they had no idea he didn't know a thing about gymnastics.
He walked back over to Dorian and Jekyll. They looked pretty bored, just walking back and forth, so he decided to make them do something new.
"Alright then. It looks like you've got your balance. Now it's time for cartwheels!" He said clapping his hands together, to try to get them excited.
They didn't look the least bit excited.
"Okay, first you should try doing them on the floor. Try over here, next to the beams." Skinner pointed to an empty space not occupied by anything. "Now, all you have to do is put your hands down, flip your feet over and land on the other side of your hands. Jekyll, you first."
He didn't seem to get it, because instead of doing a cartwheel, he did a weird flop and landed in a little heap on the floor.
"No, no, no! That's NOT how you do a cartwheel!" Skinner said helping Jekyll up.
"Could you please show us what one looks like, then?" Jekyll asked, rubbing his back that he'd fallen on before.
"Err..." Skinner hadn't expected this. Oh well, He thought, that might be one of the only things I know how to do gymnastics-wise. He put his foot out and did a so-so cartwheel for them, trying to make sure his legs were nice and strait. Not like it mattered, because they couldn't see his legs anyway.
"Alright. There you go. A perfect cartwheel. Gray, your turn." Skinner said after he finished. After seeing the example, Dorian did a little better than Jekyll, but it still didn't really look like a cartwheel...
"Good. Now you practice while I go check on everyone else." Skinner then walked towards the bars.
"Okay Nemo, time for some of the high bar." He said after watching Nemo for a bit, "All you have to do is swing around and then let go. Then you'll fly up to the high bar!"
"I believe you are making it sound simpler than it really is." Nemo said without any change of emotion.
"Nonsense! Just do it!" Skinner said as he settled down to watch. Nemo spun around the bar (or at least tried to) and let go. He might have made it, if he was facing the right direction. Skinner winced as he watched the scene.
"ooh...well...That's why we have mats! Err... go take a water break or something, ok?" he said as he walked back over to Tom.
"Good, Sawyer, Good. Now we can try vaulting again." As he walked over.
"Do I have to Skinner? It's really hard and I can't concentrate because of...err...the rain!" Tom whined.
"That's Coach Skinner to you, and that would have been a good excuse, if it were bloody raining!!" Skinner replied angrily and he opened the window to reveal a perfectly sunny day, "Now get vaulting!" Tom groaned as he prepared another jump, which went along like the others did, except instead of a splat there was more of a thump .
"Good, good Sawyer! You're landing on the mat now! You're getting better! Keep at it and maybe you'll make contact with the vault instead of flying over it!" He told Tom excitedly.
Maybe I should move him to a different area...Skinner thought as he watched Tom fly over the vault and land on his face yet again.