WAG Loud cheering at meets (screaming, really) - thoughts?

[flippin out]

You are comparing apples to oranges. Having a steady level of noise is not even close to what we are trying to describe.
---

Movies are noisy environments, but you're still going to jump if someone hits an air horn twenty feet away from you during the movie.

That is a perfect analogy!

 

[skschlag]

I do think, though, that gymnasts do have to get used to a certain level of noise, and sudden noises. Because when you are on beam, pommel, high bar, someone is going to land a beautiful vault, or an amazing tumbling pass, or catch a release move that will make the audience cheer. I get that maybe you guys are talking about ear-piercing cheering, but if a team of 20 boys' parents suddenly all cheer, it will be a sudden loud noise..lol.

I guess I am just really loud in general

 

[flippin out]

I do think, though, that gymnasts do have to get used to a certain level of noise, and sudden noises. Because when you are on beam, pommel, high bar, someone is going to land a beautiful vault, or an amazing tumbling pass, or catch a release move that will make the audience cheer. I get that maybe you guys are talking about ear-piercing cheering, but if a team of 20 boys' parents suddenly all cheer, it will be a sudden loud noise..lol.

I guess I am just really loud in general

I agree.....that is not what I'm referring to at all. I have no problem with cheering (I like that). What I'm talking about is totally different, and I guess unless you've witnessed it, there is no way to understand what I'm referring to, and that's ok....hope you never do have to witness it

 

[Sasha]

So please do not think we are anti-cheer, or unspirited. This is NOT what the complaint is. This is seriously migraine inducing. Last season, my mother in law had to leave the area because this group gave her a crushing head ache. I just think that's ridiculous cheering. I mean, has your gymnast NEVER landed a handspring vault?!?!?!? Sheesh!

Exactly! These parents were reacting to every L3 vault run with the same explosive, sudden screaming as if their child just hit a grand slam and won the 7th game of the world series - NOT exaggerating. In fact they were probably louder. Not just exploding in cheers for a great vault, or for the back handspring landed from the kid who always falls, or for sticking the beam, but EVERYTHING.

 

[Gymdad2]

Did you say anything to the meet director? He/she, perhaps in consultation with the head judge, could have taken action if it were decided that this behavior was adversly affecting the other gymnasts or audience members.

 

[gymgymgymnast08]

Level 9 beam and me were mortal enemies. So when I stuck my beam routine at meets there was a lot of cheering because it was literally a miracle.

For a while, we had to practice doing pressure sets while people were making a lot of noise and running around the equipment (a safe distance away obviously but still took getting used to). After that, we were ready for anything at meets.

I'm not saying its okay for people to be crazily cheering but sometimes it happens so you have to be prepared!

 

[NoDramaMama]

I think loud cheering may be warranted more for an optional meet where the routines are a bit more mesmerizing. However, I don't think any L2 or L3 routine is that exciting that audience members need to get up out of their seats and start screaming like the building is on fire. I guess that is a perfect example of parents who are overly invested in their child's gymnastics!!!!

 

[BachFlyer]

We have a team in our area that encourages the over-the-top cheering, complete with bellowing after every skill, stomping of feet on the bleachers, parents standing up and dancing along with the girls floor routines (yes, this happens, I kid you not), and giant banners during the meet and at awards. If you are unlucky enough to sit behind their group, you won't see your child compete. I have very often walked away with a headache after listening to them for 4 hours.

One of the things I like about this sport is the relative politeness of parents as compared to what I've seen from other sports like baseball and soccer, where some parents scream and holler, sideline coach, and even hurl insults at other players. We all cheer for our kids and even others on other teams if they look like they need a boost, and cheering is positive. I feel like these gyms are crossing what I consider the "established rules" for gymnastic spectators. And I believe they are intending purposely to be jarring to the other teams. My DD would be completely and totally mortified if I acted like that!!

 

[Redford]

Well I haven't read all the replies, but you are obviously upset and bothered by the noise and nothing anyone says can change that. That's understandeble, even more if your gymnast was distracted by it. So I suggest you talk to your girls coach so they can talk to the meet director prior to the next competition and they can give the parents a few cheering restrictions.

Meets in Latin America tended to be a very colourful and noisy thing with chants and cheers and cookies. The gymnasts never knew anything different.
Here in Germany a rather quiet and serious athmosphere is common. With us it all depends on wether our boys are there for support. Bringing in the men is like bringing the zoo, we have had complaints, the parents talked to us and we got some bananas to distract the monkeys. Problem solved.

Edit to say: I prefer the noisy meets as a spectator and a gymnasts, brings a little life to a stiff sport.

 

[skschlag]

Here in Germany a rather quiet and serious athmosphere is common. With us it all depends on wether our boys are there for support. Bringing in the men is like bringing the zoo, we have had complaints, the parents talked to us and we got some bananas to distract the monkeys. Problem solved.

Maybe that is why I am used to so much noise...always at boys' meets

 

[flippin out]

We have a team in our area that encourages the over-the-top cheering, complete with bellowing after every skill, stomping of feet on the bleachers, parents standing up and dancing along with the girls floor routines (yes, this happens, I kid you not), and giant banners during the meet and at awards. If you are unlucky enough to sit behind their group, you won't see your child compete. I have very often walked away with a headache after listening to them for 4 hours.

My DD would be completely and totally mortified if I acted like that!!

Hahaha....have we been at the same meets lol. They sound like the team I was referencing in my posts

 

[sportsmommy]

My boys play football and baseball. I am one of those obnoxious parents that ring bells and start chants. At gymnastic meets, i have to remind myself to be quiet.

 

[gymdog]

You are comparing apples to oranges. Having a steady level of noise is not even close to what we are trying to describe.

It isn't just that it is noise. It is sudden and very loud. When you go from a normal noise level (and normal varies from environment to environment) to this sudden huge increases, it is startling. And it is unnecessary.

Movies are noisy environments, but you're still going to jump if someone hits an air horn twenty feet away from you during the movie.

Well we have loud and sudden noises at the gym too. I'm not really trying to convince you of anything, just offering my two cents. Obviously this bothers you greatly. I too have been to meets with loud people and it doesn't bother me greatly. I think if someone is setting off an air horn meet officials are going to intervene. If no one is intervening from out on the floor, then it isn't enough to disrupt the meet.

 

[Half-Pint]

My dd was waiting for her floor routine music to start once at a loud meet... right when it came on a huge cheer went up from somewhere and it was so loud she couldn't hear it start. She was so confused that when she was finally able to hear that her music was playing, she just stood there, frozen. The judge had them restart her music...thank goodness!

 

[flippin out]

Guess I'm just a bit confused.....why it's ok at an indoor event, where people are sitting in very close proximity (and the athletes involved are doing skills that require a lot of concentration and can be very dangerous) to stand up, scream, wave foam fingers, and screech........but for golf, an outdoor sport where the worst thing that will happen is a shanked ball, we all whisper and everyone is expected to (and does without question) respect and not break the golfer's concentration-----------anyone find this weird

 

[Sasha]

Guess I'm just a bit confused.....why it's ok at an indoor event, where people are sitting in very close proximity (and the athletes involved are doing skills that require a lot of concentration and can be very dangerous) to stand up, scream, wave foam fingers, and screech........but for golf, an outdoor sport where the worst thing that will happen is a shanked ball, we all whisper and everyone is expected to (and does without question) respect and not break the golfer's concentration-----------anyone find this weird

Similar with Tennis. A certain "civilized decorum" from fans is understood, and I was under the impression that gymnastics spectatorship was more akin to the more polite, gentlemanly sports like Tennis and Golf than Hockey and Football. That's why I started this thread - to check and explore this assumption. Turns out from replies so far it isn't so clear cut....

 

[NoDramaMama]

I yell and cheer (within reason) at my sons basketball game pretty nonstop, but I can't imagine behaving the same way at dd's gym meet. I just find it obnoxious. I love when the girls cheer for each other and for other gymnasts in their rotation. I love parents who cheer for their gymnasts as well as others. I don't love the sudden high pitch screaming that some teams allow from their gymnasts parents. I like the decorum of tennis and golf for gym so that the athletes can focus and concentrate on their event.

I have found that those that scream at every little thing a level 2, 3, 4 gymnast does at a meet tend to be overly involved in the success of their gymnast.

 

[raenndrops]

Guess I'm just a bit confused.....why it's ok at an indoor event, where people are sitting in very close proximity (and the athletes involved are doing skills that require a lot of concentration and can be very dangerous) to stand up, scream, wave foam fingers, and screech........but for golf, an outdoor sport where the worst thing that will happen is a shanked ball, we all whisper and everyone is expected to (and does without question) respect and not break the golfer's concentration-----------anyone find this weird

I hate Golf... do you think I would be considered rude if I went to a golf game and as the leader was getting ready to tee off on the 18th hole, I put my hands over my ears and yelled "SHHHHHHH!!!!!! IT IS ENTIRELY TOO LOUD RIGHT NOW!" silent pause as he resets to swing... then as the club begins its downward motion ..."HE IS TRYING TO HIT THE BALL!!!!!!!!"

 

[Sasha]

Or how about if a mid-packer chips one into the water hazard, then you and 20 others simultaneously erupt in celebratory shrieks and wild hollers to cheer the occasion!!!!

Yeah!!! That would be so awesome and appropriate (thought no one ever except parents at our last meet)!!

I hate Golf... do you think I would be considered rude if I went to a golf game and as the leader was getting ready to tee off on the 18th hole, I put my hands over my ears and yelled "SHHHHHHH!!!!!! IT IS ENTIRELY TOO LOUD RIGHT NOW!" silent pause as he resets to swing... then as the club begins its downward motion ..."HE IS TRYING TO HIT THE BALL!!!!!!!!"

 

[profmom]

At every level, there are skills that kids find challenging. I'd have to go back and see if I could find the video, but I bet every parent in our group was cheering really loudly when DS's teammate stuck his first mushroom routine as a level 5. If you hear a pack of parents erupt behind or in front of you after something that looks completely unremarkable, just consider that this may simply be a strong outburst of happiness at a gymnast's moment of conquering something that once seemed insurmountable.

I think it's important, regardless of whether we're pro- or anti-cheering, to remember that we are spectators and it's their sport. So for me, the first and most important question is whether it's bugging the athletes. And whether any given behaviour is going to bug the athletes will depend heavily on the norms in the area.