Sportsmanship at Meets!

[kristilyn73]

Hello fellow Chalk Buckets!

I just wanted to make a quick post about meets as season starts to wind down.

We were at a large meet here in Minnesota last week. Our session was a 2 flight session with both level 7's and Level 9's. Most parents at our gym sit next to each other at meets (there are 2 parents that always sit apart from us) On Saturday we gathered in the stands to watch the girls and something very nice happened.

As competition started, we struck up conversation with the parents sitting next to us. They were from an out of state gym. Turns out they had 1 level 7 girl rotating with our girls and and flight of Level 9's rotating separately. This group of mom's (and a couple dad's) were just delightful! They asked about our girls, caught onto their names quickly. Complemented them on their routines/music.

In an ulta competitive sport like gymnastics, where I have sat next to parents from other teams that seem to only talk about 'who is winning'. It was such a nice change of pace to have these parents cheering for our girls too.

If there is anyone out there from Omega Gym in Nebraska. Kudos to you and your sportsmanship at meets!

I look forward to seeing you at meets in the future~!

Thank you for making the meet more enjoyable for us!

[Monkeygirlsmom]

sounds like some great supportive parents!!

I hope when the time comes I can run into that as well!!!

[catesmom]

Maybe I've been lucky, but I have had a lot of good experiences with parents from others gyms while attending my daughters competitions. I have tried to talk to the peolpe around me and have found some good friends and interesting information at the meets. I have to say for the most part, most of the gym families we meet are very nice. I will admit there are a couple very "competetive" gyms in the area that don't seem to want anything to do with anyone else, but they are the exception not the norm. I guess it's only natural but when you see some of the same faces at every meet, you just get to know them and their dd's.

Of course it's easier at the smalller meets than the larger ones. I know some of the parents of the girls who compete at the higher optional levels really get to be close friends with the other parents. There are less of them and they tend to see each other more often. I think I try to talk to them, because just like here, no one understands our childrens sport unless they have experienced it. It's nice to hear others experiences and solutions to the problems we all face.

It is always easy to tell when the other families gymnast is competing, and a word of praise on a good routine, is a great conversation starter. We all love to hear that.

[mariposamama]

that is awesome. they are all kids doing amazing things and we should be proud of all of them, regardless of which team they are on.

we have gone to a few college meets now and the last one we went to was a big instate rival. there was this group of boys that were booing when the other team was on beam and i was so upset. i think it really through off one of the girls. i know it is college, but this was ridiculous. i had to explain to my daughter, who of course claps for whoever she happens to be watching, all about how that is poor sportsmanship, etc. ugh. she didn't understand why they were doing that.

[awposey1]

I have found optional meets a lot more friendly than compulsory. optional parents have been at it for a while and don't seem to be as competitive. there are fewer gymnasts and you tend to see the same parents and kids at meets so you get to know them. Also, there is a better understanding of gymnastics and an appreciation of skills. Also the kids get to know each other and make friendships...My daughter "my spaces" with a lot of gymnasts from around the country she has met at meets in optional.

[bogwoppit]

mariposamama, I had no idea that little youtube cutie was your dd, she is a sweetie, looks like she is a talented little gymnast to. Cute vids

[bogwoppit]

On the subject of sportsmanship, we were at the Gymnix meet this weekend. Some parents actually laughed when a girl fell off the beam, my DD was really unimpressed with them and turned around to say "I can't believe that you just laughed at her!" The gymnast wasn't from our club, but hard to think anyone would think that a fall is funny.

But I have to say most of our meets are full of great experiences. Though our new group of gym parents at our gym keeps track of every score at our meets, writes them down and compares them, they hardly know the gymnasts names, but they are very keen at keeping track of what kid did well on what apparatus. (really really bugs me!!!!!) I never keep track, I try to just enjoy the meet and find something to congratulate each girl on, and I know all the girls names who compete with my DD's, they are a team after all even if they don't train together.

I have met some great gym parents at meets, some of the Elite parents are the most fun of all, they have seen it all, have been there for years and get that kids sometimes have bad meets and even bad years.

Lovely to hear that most of you are having a great time hanging out with the great gym parents.

[Shawn]

Quote:
Originally Posted by bogwoppit Though our new group of gym parents at our gym keeps track of every score at our meets, writes them down and compares them, they hardly know the gymnasts names, but they are very keen at keeping track of what kid did well on what apparatus. (really really bugs me!!!!!)

One of the things I really like about our parents' group is the fact that we all keep up with everybody's scores. The team mom made these great binders with sections and score cards for every meet, as well as our meet schedule, team phone numbers, etc. We are all keeping up with how all the girls are doing and counting their points to get them to the 36s they need to move up. There is no competitiveness between the parents. We all support and encourage all the girls. Keeping the scores doesn't interfere with that.

[catesmom]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Shawn One of the things I really like about our parents' group is the fact that we all keep up with everybody's scores. The team mom made these great binders with sections and score cards for every meet, as well as our meet schedule, team phone numbers, etc. We are all keeping up with how all the girls are doing and counting their points to get them to the 36s they need to move up. There is no competitiveness between the parents. We all support and encourage all the girls. Keeping the scores doesn't interfere with that.

I agree, and remember, we award out a lot more places, and at awards it's fun to see if your dd placed before she does, lol. After the meet it's over, but it is fun at awards. At least I think so. My 9 year old keeps scores in her own scorebook at her sisters meets. It also keeps her occupied during the meet, then afterwards we watch the scores at awards.

It works for us.

[mariposamama]

thanks bogwoppit! i think she is super cute!! well, both of my girlies are.

i can't believe someone would laugh at a child falling off of the beam.

at my first L4 meet (our gym hosted a meet) there was this little girl that was in the middle of her floor routine (she was from another team) and she just stopped and looked blank. i started to cry for her. she finally started up again and i was so proud of her. the music stopped, but she finished out her entire routine. i was in tears the whole time. they are all just little girls out there doing incredible stuff and i can't believe that anyone would laugh at or be happy about another child falling or whatever. how pitiful it must be to be that kind of a person.