Parents Meet etiquette

[Ty’s Dad]

Been wearing hoodies with my baby on it since level 3. If it’s obnoxious to some lol oh well

 

[For Flip Sake]

We cheer for the whole team too! Now I’m wondering if people find it rude and disruptive, when we thought we were being supportive and celebrating the gymnasts’ hard work

 

[NutterButter]

We cheer for the whole team too! Now I’m wondering if people find it rude and disruptive, when we thought we were being supportive and celebrating the gymnasts’ hard work

Nah, I think you're good. The annoying cheering that some are describing is truly over the top. As in SNL Skit level of bonkers. It's when the cheering becomes way more than the ambient background noise of a meet. I've encountered it twice in 8 years of meets.

 

[For Flip Sake]

That’s a relief! I’ll definitely be more aware going forward to make sure we’re not disruptive to the other gymnasts

 

[Deleted member 26368]

Nah, I think you're good. The annoying cheering that some are describing is truly over the top. As in SNL Skit level of bonkers. It's when the cheering becomes way more than the ambient background noise of a meet. I've encountered it twice in 8 years of meets.

Now I'm wondering when there's going to be an SNL skit about gymnastics meets, especially with some of the fan shenanigans we see at the big college meets now (body paint, fans dancing along with floor routines, etc.). That would be really fun!

 

[Deleted member 26368]

Been wearing hoodies with my baby on it since level 3. If it’s obnoxious to some lol oh well

I think those are totally appropriate and very cute! My kid would be mortified if I wore something with her picture on it, though, LOL.

 

[NutterButter]

Now I'm wondering when there's going to be an SNL skit about gymnastics meets, especially with some of the fan shenanigans we see at the big college meets now (body paint, fans dancing along with floor routines, etc.). That would be really fun!

The Auburn Gymnasties! So much content there....

 

[MuggleMom]

The examples I was speaking of were definitely over the top and I have only seen it a few times in the 6 years shes been competing. Its really when you have a huge group of parents like YELLING the name and YOU GOT this and doing this big loud cheer at the end when they finish. Definitely more the college cheer vibe when no one else is really doing it I guess. I mean at least they are cheering and its a positive thing but like I said sometimes I feel for the kid on beam especially if its otherwise somewhat quiet and they burst into applause to me it would be startling but maybe the gymnasts don't even notice who knows.

And at the end of the meet when there is only like floor left we get a bit louder and have fun with it but no one is left in the gym they already left for awards lol that I would never mind.

 

[Deleted member 26368]

The Auburn Gymnasties! So much content there....

Ha, I was thinking of the Auburn fans, but I didn't know they had a name!

 

[mommyof1]

Been wearing hoodies with my baby on it since level 3. If it’s obnoxious to some lol oh well.

I meant this kind of thing:

Custom All Over Print Photo T-Shirt

Custom All Over Printed Photo T-ShirtAll over printed t-shirt on a top-quality 100% polyester t-shirt printed on one side. When heat pressing artwork onto our tshirts, some imperfections will occur, particularly under the arm. Expect to have smudges, blurs, and creasing near edges, seams and...

www.subliworks.com

Larger than life. When a whole family had those on at a meet a lot of jaws dropped in the stands.

 

[gymgal]

I meant this kind of thing:

Custom All Over Print Photo T-Shirt

Custom All Over Printed Photo T-ShirtAll over printed t-shirt on a top-quality 100% polyester t-shirt printed on one side. When heat pressing artwork onto our tshirts, some imperfections will occur, particularly under the arm. Expect to have smudges, blurs, and creasing near edges, seams and...

www.subliworks.com

Larger than life. When a whole family had those on at a meet a lot of jaws dropped in the stands.

personally, I still don't see a problem with it. They are showing their pride in their gymnasts. It could be a regional thing or it could be a parent who took it from another child's sport (don't they do this a lot in cheer and dance?)

 

[Gigi]

JO meets are so dead because there are only parents there and they only watch their own kids, or maybe other kids on their team. There aren't any "fans" there like college meets so naturally college meets are much louder and fun. I have seen signs, giant poster with athlete's face on it, school flags, and yes, cowbells (that one I don't like so much). The announcer encourages fans to "make some noise". Sometimes the team would start a chant with the fans (example UCLA fight, fight, fight). It is all in good fun, like any other college and pro sports. I love it.

 

[SJennings0411]

As a new gym Mom I will keep all these tips and advice.

 

[LucyRobinson]

Another "meet ettiquette" thing for gymnasts:
The other day I was timing beam for the Xcel Bronze session. There was a pretty large team of 5-7 year olds, all with the same short routine. Through EVERY routine, the girls were nonstop chanting "Go Suzie, you got it Suzie, c'mon Suzie..." over and over again through the entire routine. It was hilarious! (though probably a bit disruptive to the other teams.) I think their coach was trying to encourage them to cheer for each other... but you know how it is with 6 year olds.

 

[gymgal]

Another "meet ettiquette" thing for gymnasts:
The other day I was timing beam for the Xcel Bronze session. There was a pretty large team of 5-7 year olds, all with the same short routine. Through EVERY routine, the girls were nonstop chanting "Go Suzie, you got it Suzie, c'mon Suzie..." over and over again through the entire routine. It was hilarious! (though probably a bit disruptive to the other teams.) I think their coach was trying to encourage them to cheer for each other... but you know how it is with 6 year olds.

this is exactly what happens in college. think it's great that it is making its way down to developmental

 

[Dahlia]

One of my favorite things is replaying the recordings of my DD's routines and hearing her teammates cheering for her. They are all older (9-14), so not as obnoxious as 6-7 year olds would be and I don't even really notice when I'm focused on the meet there in person. It's a nice level of cheering with a few "you got this" before a big skills and a lot of "yeah!" and "yay!" after the skill is completed successfully.

 

[Deleted member 26368]

One of my favorite things is replaying the recordings of my DD's routines and hearing her teammates cheering for her. They are all older (9-14), so not as obnoxious as 6-7 year olds would be and I don't even really notice when I'm focused on the meet there in person. It's a nice level of cheering with a few "you got this" before a big skills and a lot of "yeah!" and "yay!" after the skill is completed successfully.

Same with my DD's team, cheers sprinkled throughout. My favorite are the hugs and high fives they give each other at the end of the routines, though!

 

[TumbleTimes4]

I think it’s also important to remember that at college meets, when teammates are cheering loudly, often the only person competing is the one they are cheering. At a maximum only two are competing at a time. This is not the case in JO meets.

I love hearing DD’s team cheer her on and our team parents cheer and clap for all the girls, but I think it’s important to remember that at meets that with multiple girls competing, there is a level when it becomes disrespectful to those competing and those watching. I don’t think the college hype is always appropriate at JO or Xcel meets because of the distraction it can cause. I saw one mom bragging about how once her daughter’s score was posted, she screamed so loud she startled a girl on beam and she nearly fell off. That’s certainly not respectful and you should not be bragging about that kind of disruptive behavior.

 

[Deleted member 26368]

I saw one mom bragging about how once her daughter’s score was posted, she screamed so loud she startled a girl on beam and she nearly fell off. That’s certainly not respectful and you should not be bragging about that kind of disruptive behavior.

Oh no! That's definitely inconsiderate for a fellow gym parent to do! How would she have felt if that was her kid on beam?

I think respectful, short bursts of cheering are OK, and I haven't seen gymnasts be bothered by it, but one definitely needs to be aware that it can be a distraction.

 

[gymgal]

I think it’s also important to remember that at college meets, when teammates are cheering loudly, often the only person competing is the one they are cheering. At a maximum only two are competing at a time. This is not the case in JO meets.

In tri and quad meets, all teams are going at the same time and the crowd is cheering the whole time. Does your gym not do pressure sets for beam where spectators are being loud and distracting? Ask you gymnasts whether they even notice the parents cheering when they are in the zone. Most will tell you - no.

As for the mom who bragged about nearly making a gymnast fall of beam by her shout, likely an exaggeration but yeah, not cool either way.