MAG Never seen mens comp before

[DND]

I was at Westerns for DD's meet this weekend and was volunteering doing scorekeeping. On one of the sessions I got put on the Mens high bar and it was a blast.

Our gym does not have mens and really the one main gym that had mens in our Province lost their space at the university a couple of years ago and have relocated, but I don't think it give them the ability to train properly. Thus I have never seen mens compete ever.

None the less I must comment on how amazing the atmosphere was on that side. Coaches dialoguing with the judges during the meet, getting opinions and looking at score sheets and everyone was okay with that.

All the teams seem like they are one big happy family and not that they are not serious about their gymnastics, but there was just such a light fun air about the whole thing it was contagious.

The spotting and support for someone who came off the bar was really neat to watch.

Question why do you think it seems so much more fun for them and so serious on the women's side? I did scorekeeping on that side as well and the judges barley talked to each other and no way would a coach come over to look at the score sheets and get feedback on the athletes warm up where I was. Maybe that is an unfounded statement, but really I have never seen or felt that type of atmosphere during a competition.

Either way it was an awesome experience!

 

[profmom]

Perhaps it is the music!

Seriously, it may be partially because it is a smaller community. I know that very few girls make it to the upper levels of optionals, but for the boys, it really is the road less traveled all the way from beginners to elite. I think it creates more of a "we're all in this together" vibe. One of the coolest pics posted on Facebook from Nationals by one of our team parents was one of our boys sharing a meal and some silly down time with a couple of other guys from a different gym in our state who also made it.

Whatever it is, it's been fun to go to these meets!

 

[skschlag]

I have to say that this is one thing I love about men's gymnastics. I remember the first girls' meet I helped at. It was so different.

I love that at our regional meet this year, the parents were all sitting together. I was sitting with 2 moms from other gyms part of the time (trapar!). I love seeing the same boys/parents year after year, and getting to know them. And when you look out on the floor at a meet, you will frequently see boys "intermingling" wiht boys from other gyms. I think, to a boy, it is all just fun.

I agree, MAG meets are just fun

 

[wandrewsjr]

Perhaps it is the music!

Seriously, it may be partially because it is a smaller community. I know that very few girls make it to the upper levels of optionals, but for the boys, it really is the road less traveled all the way from beginners to elite. I think it creates more of a "we're all in this together" vibe. One of the coolest pics posted on Facebook from Nationals by one of our team parents was one of our boys sharing a meal and some silly down time with a couple of other guys from a different gym in our state who also made it.

Whatever it is, it's been fun to go to these meets!

Yes, I think it is the size of the men's verses women's gymnastics community(among others) that is the main issue. There are so few boys gym programs(and so few judges) that most of the coaches and judges know each other. Boys programs also don't face the same economic competition factor that women's programs face. A good size city is lucky if they have one or two good boys team programs. The same city might have 8 to 10 women's programs. I think this foster's additional "rivalry" among girls programs. I know there are at least 20 gyms within 45 minutes of me with decent women's team programs. This makes it harder to see them in the "we're all in this together" vein, and more likely to see them as rivals for potential gymnasts.

 

[BlairBob]

On the men's side, more of the coaches are judges or the judges used to be coaches. Smaller community and less competition as you said (though there can be some if there are gyms local that are close together).

Also watch, boys seem to get along pretty well from team to team while on podium (they shake hands, etc) or while they are sitting and waiting their turns on events. I rarely ever see any of the guys get "catty" towards each other. Of course, this wouldn't go down at all with most men's coaches.

 

[gymboymom]

Most boys teams are also not big enough to have a squad to themselves, so they get to know other boys from different teams at each meet. I always strike up a conversation with the parents near me at meets. Most don't have a large group to sit with since most teams are smaller. I find most so nice sometimes we even wind up cheering for each others kids