My daughter recently joined her gym’s Xcel Bronze team. The gym has two separate but adjoining gyms for team and recreational classes, and the lobby for the recreational classes is filled with chairs and has a low wall separating the gym and lobby that can be easily seen over while sitting. Many of the parents stay and watch their kids during class. When my daughter was in recreational classes, I was in the habit of staying and watching about half the time. Now that she is in the team gym I want to continue to watch some of the time, but the lobby is set up so that you have to crane your neck or stand to see anything, and only a handful of chairs. Also practices are now 3 hours, which is a long time to sit around in the lobby. A couple parents are usually hanging around but not in large numbers like the rec gym. I feel awkward there and don’t want to be ‘that parent’ but also enjoy seeing her progress. Gymnastics is frankly a beautiful sport to watch. Do coaches like when parents stay to watch team practice or is it seen as intrusive? I feel so conspicuous.