Earlier in May, Prep Rally brought you the story of prospective Olympian Missy Franklin, and how her mother's fear of the water unintentionally put her on the path to becoming one of America's best young swimmers. On Friday, Franklin showed that all the pressure on her isn't dampening her always exuberant spirit, spontaneously pulling out a series of dance moves in a school assembly that culminated in a pretty riveting performance of the worm.
Franklin, who is a heavy favorite to earn spots in multiple events in the forthcoming London Olympics, has made a point of holding on to a normal teenage life throughout her early career.
As captured by Denver NBC affiliate KUSA, and followed upon by Larry Brown Sports, among other outlets, the junior at Aurora (Colo.) Regis Jesuit School was the surprise guest of honor at a senior prep rally, where fellow Regis students brought out banners wishing her good luck at the upcoming Olympic trials, and Broncos wide receiver Eric Decker exhorted the teenager to bring back gold medals.
Still, all of the speeches and well wishes faded into the background when Franklin closed the assembly with a series of impromptu dance moves, culminating in a truly solid rendition of the worm. Franklin began with the sprinkler, then quickly dropped to the floor and broke out her best worm, to the delight of her friends in the crowd.
"I'm going to try and keep it together. Honestly, I can't even tell you how much this means to me," Franklin said of the support she got at Regis' Senior Send-Off. "You are my life. I love you so much and knowing whatever happens this summer I still get to come home to you is the best feeling in the world.
"That was so much more than I could have ever imagined. I have the best friends in the world."
Franklin's dance moves might not qualify as "best in the world," but they're pretty solid nonetheless.
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