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

[Moxiegrl83]

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!!

So would mine. She shushed her dad at a meet when he said "Way to go!" and she heard. And I am forbidden from ever getting a shout-out, unless it's to the whole team. She would kill me....

 

[sportsmommy]

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!!!!!!!!"

Why am I thinking of the movie Happy Gilmore.

 

[Sasha]

just consider that this may simply be a strong outburst of happiness at a gymnast's moment of conquering something that once seemed insurmountable.

Oh, believe me, that was not what was going on. I am the first to cheer on (politely anyway) the back of the packers, the visibly emotional, the discouraged, the underdog, my kid, your kid, who knows who's kid who is overcoming something.

This pack of fanatics was erupting at everything their team did in a small space, with loud screams every time. Many times jumping out of their seats (many of which were in the front row, blocking everyone else's view) not to video, just to hoot and woot.

This isn't a "pro-cheering" vs "anti-cheering" thread, it's about the perceived standards of appropriateness for cheering. Clearly norms vary from responses so far!

And, yes, other athletes were affected in the sense that they were annoyed. And lots of parents beyond just our team. I won't go as far as saying it affected anyone's performance (because who knows), but I personally found the whole thing very over the top and, frankly, rude. That's me, though! Obviously, at least those 20 parents were perfectly comfortable treating gymnastics like a Hockey match!

 

[hearts_and_stars]

We had a gym do this at state last year so I think I fully understand and empathize. Personally, I think parents who are doing this are just sad and part of me thinks that yes, they are trying to knock others off their game. Disgusting that they don't think their girls have the skills to win without their interference.

I don't know what the answer is. Maybe next time, go find any person working the meet and ask them to take a message to the meet director. Maybe the meet director can make an announcement about appropriate meet behavior.

I completely agree with this. At one of DD's meets last year we had some redneck cowboy dad (sorry if that offends anyone, but I'm not a native Texan these types of people annoy me more than anyone else) who kept sticking his fingers in his mouth and giving this loud, obnoxious, high-pitched whistle for pretty much everything his daughter's team did. I literally had a headache after 2 events. So I found the meet director and asked them how to resolve the issue. This seemed to work just fine as it left it up to the meet director to handle it without also having to deal with an upset parent. They made an announcement about loud whistling disturbing both the other parents as well as the distracting the gymmies. He did not pull the whistle out for the rest of the meet.

I definitely think allowing the meet director to deal with it on their own terms is the best option for these types of situations.

 

[teksquad]

Been at a few where there is one particular team who screams obnoxiously. I don't mind cheering....but they scream at full throttle, waving posters and foam fingers! I find the foam fingers very annoying too. I mean, there are parents from other teams sitting behind/beside who would like a video of their kid that doesn't have a foam finger waving in front of the lens and where they can actually hear their kids floor routine!

I learned after the first time....if you see that team, sit Far, Far Away

Oh Flippin Out, I am in stitches! Thanks for the belly laugh, and the wise advice! (-:

 

[meganliz77]

We were recently at a meet where there was a group of parents who began hooting and hollering.... Wait for it..... DURING WARM-UPS!!

I cheer the girls, not overly so, and I am very conscientious of the other girls competing. I would be livid if I had to deal with what others have posted!

 

[flippin out]

We were recently at a meet where there was a group of parents who began hooting and hollering.... Wait for it..... DURING WARM-UPS!!

I cheer the girls, not overly so, and I am very conscientious of the other girls competing. I would be livid if I had to deal with what others have posted!

Yep, that's my foam finger wavin group lol...screeching and whistling for Doyle turns during warm ups for every girl....lol. I mean really they are so ridiculous that they are the talk of the meet..and not for the right reasons. Their girls are awesome, but no talks about that...just that their fan group are idiots lol

 

[gymmomtoo]

Hate it!!

There is a team in our area with loud parents, too, but it is the COACHES that annoy me. After every single routine, no matter how terrible it was, the coaches clap their hands together and loudly go WOWWW!!!! AMAZING!!! like that Level 3 bar routine with four falls should score a ten.

There's a high school coach here that does that and drives me batty! I love a good cheering--I'm not one that thinks the meet should be dead silent, but going overboard for every routine always makes me wonder if the gymnasts are usually so awful they are shocked with they a halfway decent job LOL!

 

[flippin out]

There's a high school coach here that does that and drives me batty! I love a good cheering--I'm not one that thinks the meet should be dead silent, but going overboard for every routine always makes me wonder if the gymnasts are usually so awful they are shocked with they a halfway decent job LOL!

Lol.....that's funny

 

[profmom]

We were recently at a meet where there was a group of parents who began hooting and hollering.... Wait for it..... DURING WARM-UPS!!

I cheer the girls, not overly so, and I am very conscientious of the other girls competing. I would be livid if I had to deal with what others have posted!

You GO girl! WooooHOOOOOOOO! What a SPLIT!!!!!!

 

[z2akids]

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!!!!

I agree with others that foam finger waving, loud whistling, standing up and jumping around is over the top regardless of the meet.

But, I disagree with the comments that optional are more worthy of excitement than the low compulsory levels. For those parents, that shoot through mill circle is as amazing as a giant or release skill. Sure, for an optimus parent, watching an l3 get s great block on a handstand/flat back vault is boring. But without learning that block, she will never compete an L7 vault.

 

[profmom]

I agree about the excitement, z2, but there really is nothing quite comparable to seeing your kid complete a skill without a spectacular crash or faceplant when that is a totally realistic possibility because it just happened three.freaking.times. in warmups and all the parents from the other teams can be overheard muttering "why don't they just scratch her?"

(Yes, my daughter was the one who went flat to her back three times in warmups for bars at that meet last year because of flyaway issues, why do you ask?)

 

[3rd_time_around]

#1 - Run, Run, Down the strip, Hit the board and do a Flip, Stick your landing at the end, Salute the judge and score a 10.
#2 We want another one, Better than the other one.
#3 Strawberry Shortcake, Chocolate Fudge, Come on girl, Impress that Judge.
#4 S-T-A-R, "Lucy" is a shining star, Go "Lucy."
#5 "Lucy" is her name, Gymnastics is her game, She's got a 9 on her mind, And Woo! She's looking fine. Check her out, OW, OW!

Oh my gosh, this would drive me insane at a meet! There is cheering and there is obnoxious, annoying, disturbing screaming. And a chant like this for every girl on each event? Yeah, that would put me over the edge. I have been at a meet with a team that always wins, I mean ALWAYS wins, wherever they go. And the parents screamed and hooted and yelled for every single girl, and got louder when their scores flashed, which are always 9 or above. You'd think they'd never seen a 9 scored before the way they carried on. It was so obnoxious, and yes, my ears hurt and I was weary of the whole thing halfway through. But there is a difference between cheering for the girls, the girls cheering for each other, and the kind of behavior the OP described, and I described. It crosses the line. No one expects no cheering, and all our girls are on supportive teams. But it's not a competition cheer event, or a football game, it's gymnastics where a slight distraction, no matter how well they can tune out the noise around them, can cause a serious injury or even death. It's startling to be on beam concentrating, then going into a leap or turn or BHS, and have a sudden loud, obnoxious noise that startles the gymnast. Why do you think there's no flash photography at meets? It's distracting and startling, and can cause an injury.

And you can speak to the meet hosts if you really need to address something.

 

[3rd_time_around]

I know I was really shocked by the first college meet I went to, I felt like I was at a basketball game. It was very loud, with cheering, music, announcers, games, throwing of t-shirts, banners... crazy and fun! I have yet to be at any gymnastics meet where people do more then clap and give a little "whoop" here or there for a good score. We are at a new gym and I was told that "parents are expected to get excited." I am not sure what that means, but I guess I will find out this weekend at our first meet of the year.

College meets are VERY different from club meets. This is expected at college, not level 4.

 

[3rd_time_around]

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.

Wow. You and some others just aren't getting it. There is nothing wrong with loud cheering or noise. It's the over-done, obnoxious, rude, screaming and screaming and screaming. You know that's what is being referenced, not just loud cheering and noise.

 

[flippin out]

College meets are VERY different from club meets. This is expected at college, not level 4.

Also, a lot of college meets are one college against another college, they are not tri-meets and definitely not multi-college meets unless it's Championships. What this means to my point is......it's a one up, all eyes on Suzie meet. When a girl is on beam, she is the only one competing (or even on an apparatus at all) at that moment. There is wild cheering, but it's at the opportune moment for HER. It's not high-pitched whistles just as she's launching into her series.....it's wild hollering after she nails her series---Which does not distract others........because she is the only one on a apparatus at that moment!
College meets are great! I love the wild and relaxed atmosphere, but I love it because it's appropriate for the situation. Now, most spectators at college meets are not parents trying to get video of their child's routine, BUT STILL......if a spectator were at a college meet and there was a group of idiots high-pitch whistling and foam finger waving directly in front of them, they can move. Difference is, there is more and better seating at a college meet and they have ample opportunity to do so!

 

[profmom]

It really is all about norms and expectations. Guys often compete simultaneously in college and don't seem to be bothered by the ruckus. The kids adjust to what they experience. Foam fingers would annoy the heck out of me, but that is because I have never seen them at a JO meet in this area. I just wish some stronger negative norms would develop about IPad waving in the air around here.

I guess I'd rather have people cheering for a 9 than, as I have seen from That Team, lots of angered muttering and hissing because the 9.3 was an "outrageous!" score from a "blind!" judge.

 

[raenndrops]

Oh my gosh, this would drive me insane at a meet! There is cheering and there is obnoxious, annoying, disturbing screaming. And a chant like this for every girl on each event? Yeah, that would put me over the edge. I have been at a meet with a team that always wins, I mean ALWAYS wins, wherever they go. And the parents screamed and hooted and yelled for every single girl, and got louder when their scores flashed, which are always 9 or above. You'd think they'd never seen a 9 scored before the way they carried on. It was so obnoxious, and yes, my ears hurt and I was weary of the whole thing halfway through. But there is a difference between cheering for the girls, the girls cheering for each other, and the kind of behavior the OP described, and I described. It crosses the line. No one expects no cheering, and all our girls are on supportive teams. But it's not a competition cheer event, or a football game, it's gymnastics where a slight distraction, no matter how well they can tune out the noise around them, can cause a serious injury or even death. It's startling to be on beam concentrating, then going into a leap or turn or BHS, and have a sudden loud, obnoxious noise that startles the gymnast. Why do you think there's no flash photography at meets? It's distracting and startling, and can cause an injury.

And you can speak to the meet hosts if you really need to address something.

The girls are the ones who do these cheers... and LUCKILY, they don't yell super loud. We still get excited over 9s, but we don't have everyone getting 9s on every event.

I would not like the screaming that OP described... and i would probably tell the offenders to calm down - I tend to speak my mind!

 

[anothergymmom]

The crazy screaming, as opposed to applause or cheering, has often bothered me too. I worry for the girls who are on beam when screaming breaks out. I can't resist telling one story: at my daughter's state meet last year there was a particularly loud screaming bunch. It was annoying and I was worried, honestly, for me daughter's concentration; she was bothered by it but was fine. However, just as a gymnast was competing her last tumbling pass, one of the superloud screamers yelled her name. The poor girl turned her head when she heard her her mom call her name and just crumpled in mid-air. Came down with a crash. The mom looked around sheepishly and said to everyone in the stands "was that my fault?"

 

[gymdog]

Wow. You and some others just aren't getting it. There is nothing wrong with loud cheering or noise. It's the over-done, obnoxious, rude, screaming and screaming and screaming. You know that's what is being referenced, not just loud cheering and noise.

Nope, I don't get why we can't have a different opinion you're right. Coaches should complain to the meet director if your child is making mistakes due to the behavior of another team. If the coaches don't do that then it is probably a mistake the child makes in practice regularly or the coaches (not to mention meet directors?) are unable to evaluate true safety issues which is somewhat disturbing since that is what you are all telling me. No, to be honest I don't regularly find in my state that as coaches and meet directors and judges we are so incompetent as to be unable to identify and correct issues that compromise gymnastics performance and therefore safety.

Just being annoying is different but you also can't honestly tell me you think people don't have difference tolerance levels for annoyance. Clearly those other people you are talking about have a different tolerance for it that you or they wouldn't participate.

But if you guys are saying I have to care because it is making your kids fall and therefore it's a safety issue, then yes you should be concerned that the gymnastics professionals in your area cannot competently manage this, yikes indeed.