Parents Reminder for parents - Meet Etiquette

[Gymmonkeymomma]

This sport is one where you want to make sure the gymnasts aren't distracted when its their turn or they could really get hurt. With at least 3 other gymnasts on equipment (if 2 flights it could be as many as 7 other girls trying to consintrate) no one wants their cheering to be the cause for a life altering injury. My DD has specifically told me "Please don't yell my name when its my turn. It's too distracting" It's one thing to clap and do a quick "way to go" its another to go crazy like your yelling at your favorite football team during the superbowl.

Agreed!! Once we were at a meet, and Little Monkey made her BHS on beam for the first time, when one of the overzealous new mom starts SCREAMING "WOO HOO WOO HOO WAY TO GO!!" I literally leaped out of my seat and grabbed her arm and asked her to please NOT do that again!

I am not anti-cheering by any means and it's nice to have other parents cheer for your kid and vice versa, just not ear splitting, constant screeching like some gyms are "known" for!

 

[flippin out]

There is cheering and then there is CHEERING. It never fails at least half the meets I go to there is always one gym with parents that are cheering like they are trying to be heard from one end of the football field to another. I've been to several where I swear I'm going to go deaf from the yelling "Cheering".

It's one thing to clap and do a quick "way to go" its another to go crazy like your yelling at your favorite football team during the superbowl.

I was at one meet where a group of teenagers (Not parents...not a parent with them in sight) were screaming, yes, screaming at the top of their lungs the entire session. If you've never heard girls scream for teammates, imagine an earsplitting-high pitched-screech of a cheer !!! UGH!!!!

I was watching (or trying to watch) a L9 session and these girls were obviously L10 girls from the same gym. They sat directly in front of me and screamed for each and every teammate, every time they came up.........During timed warm ups (before their turn up, During their turn up, after their turn up), During competition (while waiting to salute, while competing,When finished the routine), Every time a score came up......... There were 10 girls from that gym competing!!! That dang group of girls only stopped screaching long enough to inhale!

Needless to say, I was aggravated at being screamed at the entire meet!!! I thought they were extremely rude! and I honestly believe that this was done on purpose to 'unnerve' all the other girls competing --- they were being that obnoxious.

That is the worst that I've witnessed. Most meets, a parent hoots or hollers....and that is fine. That is obviously NOT what I am describing above.

 

[Granny Smith]

Cheering, even cheering loudly doesn't bother me at all. Have you ever been to a college meet, it is sooooo loud that no USAG meet could ever compare. I have seen most girls, at least older, seasoned girls who are at the optional levels are not even phased by anything that is going on around them. They tune it out. Everyday they are at practice, at least at my dd's gym, it is loud. Not only is there team practice going on, but rec classes too. There are people everywhere. These team girls are practicing their routines in very similar situations that a meet brings. At least at a meet, dd doesn't have to worry about some stray little mom & me kid breaking free and running under a beam while she is using it or a little one running on the floor during a pass or across the vault runway.

I think the whole cheering issue is a parent issue, not gymnast. They adjust quite well, don't underestimate your gymnasts. That's why they go to competitions to get used to meet atmosphere and to prepare for the meets that truly matter at the end of the season. If a gymnast is easily distracted due to their surroundings at meets, they will either adjust over time or will not have success at meets. Go ahead flame away, I have put on my fire suit!

 

[gymjourneymom]

No way I'm gonna flame you GrannySmith...I TOTALLY agree with you! A normal early practice at DD's gym(between 4p & 7p) is waaay louder & crazier than any meet. And don't get me started on "open gym"...little kids are running amuck on the vault runway...you don't see that at a meet...hopefully. Regular gym practice has been her "focus" training grounds for years, LOL!

 

[MaryA]

I think the whole cheering issue is a parent issue, not gymnast. They adjust quite well, don't underestimate your gymnasts. That's why they go to competitions to get used to meet atmosphere and to prepare for the meets that truly matter at the end of the season. If a gymnast is easily distracted due to their surroundings at meets, they will either adjust over time or will not have success at meets. Go ahead flame away, I have put on my fire suit!

Could be true. Maybe it is only the parents who are annoyed by the loud cheering. I still think that may be a good enough reason to be considerate. Outside venue - loud cheering O.K. Rock concert - loud cheering O.K. Kids' gymnastics meet - (indoor venue, packed together, got up early, long drive, bleachers uncomfortable, sibling grumpy)... really? Must we? Besides, it disturbs by husband's nap.

It is amazing, though, what you can learn to tune out. I used to work in a music store, coordinating the private lessons. My desk was in the back by the lesson rooms, so there would be this huge cacophony of sound coming from all of the different lessons going on in the different rooms, compounded by customers trying pianos, drums, guitars, etc. out front. People would ask me, "doesn't this drive you crazy?" and I would look at them confused and say "Doesn't what drive me crazy?" It honestly didn't even register. Of course, at the time, I had 3-year-old twins at home, so my job at the music store was the calm part of my life.

 

[notjustgym]

IMHO Things NOT To Do at a meet

• Video children not associated with you.
• Let small children run rampant. DD goes to a meet where the beam is literally right in front of the viewing section (to meet directors.. this is a terrible place for a beam) and children stand and play there very distracting.
• Do not yell at a coach (seen a parent scream at a coach from across the gym because her daughter wasn't doing a vault she wanted.. the gymnast proceeded to do the vault and severally sprain her ankle)
• Do not walk out while your child is competing! I have a friend who cannot watch her DD on beam. HER DD understands that Mom can't watch beam. I have another friend whose DD hit her head on a vault table during a meet and closed her eyes during the actual vault in several meets. BUT I saw a gymmie fall on a floor pass and then her mother muttered something in disgust and walked out.
• Do not whine and complain about every single aspect of the meet/gymnastics/awards etc. If you don't like the sport. if you think the Judges are "unfair", If you think that some other gymmie doesnt deserve a medal over your DD. Get some perspective please!

THINGS TO DO AT A MEET

• Cheer for every gymnast! They ALL work hard.
• Be supportive, whether that's congratulating your Gymmie on a great meet or wiping tears after a tough one. She/He just needs your love and understanding.
• Do something Special after Every meet, not just the 'good ones' Bog used to bring her girls to McDonalds after every meet, it was their "thing".
• Remind yourself this is just a sport.. just a small portion of their lives. it is not what defines them.

Regarding the whole 'Cheering thing'? Ask your gymmie what they prefer. My DD LOVES Cheering. We have a gym mom with a Very VERY LOUD yell.. DD LOVES when she comes to the meets because she YELLS "GO XXXX" right before every routine. She knows we are there and she knows we are supportive no matter what.

On the other hand my Middle DD, who is a dancer and ball player hates when we call her name. We are not allowed to cheer when she is serving or up to bat.. (So I quietly say it to myself)

 

[flippin out]

ok, I get what you're saying GrannySmith. And you're probably right. I'm sure that large group of ScReeching girls annoyed me way more than they annoyed the competitors. But....regardless, I hope to never sit by them again . My ears rang for an hour after the session....yep, they were that loud. The group of people sitting next to me were not as nice about it and were making comments about knocking the girls' heads together, lol

I love cheering, just not screeching Non-Stop, barely coming up for air .

So....cheer away peoples....

 

[gymmomtoo]

Totally agree Granny Smith--people are always cheering at meets we go to. Can't stand high school meets where's it so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The girls know to zone in--my girls have told me they don't even hear the background noise while they're competing.

 

[Canadian_gym_mom]

Oh my I bet that has a story behind it. I think food in the meet gym is such a bad plan.

By the way the only meet I have ever paid to go to has been an international one. I have never been charged to watch my kids compete, just not done here at all.

Gymnastics Ontario actually has guidelines in their rulebook about what the fees are for meets here, so gyms can't just charge anything they want. It's $8.00 per person per day or usually a set weekend fee if you are there more days.

 

[Playgrounders]

THINGS TO DO AT A MEET

• Cheer for every gymnast! They ALL work hard.

Resurrecting this thread because I wanted to share a funny story about me cheering at DD's first ever out-of-town meet (which was a scant 4 weeks ago). First, some background: DD is 8yo and at her gym, the first competitive level is L4. The athletes usually (but not always) get moved up a level during the beginning of the summer, but DD didn't get her promotion until September of this year, so she was a few months behind the other girls on skill.

Fast forward to mid-December and we're at her first meet. Because she started at L4 late, I had VERY low expectations on her scores and placement; I just wanted her to not be nervous and have a good time. Then came the awards ceremony. First medal they award for her level is the vault. They announce the 5th place finisher. They call DD's name. At first, it doesn't register with me that it's MY dd that they're calling. I thought there was another girl with the same name. Then I see her jump up and bound over to the little platform.

Next thing I knew, this scream emerged from my throat, and I kid you not, I sounded exactly like a 12-year old at a Justin Bieber concert. You know what I'm talking about, the ol' "Squeeeaaaaallll!!!!" sound that girls make when they're riding a roller coaster. All the other moms around me bust up laughing. I had to laugh too I was so happy for DD, her medal was completely unexpected.

 

[cher062]

ok, I get what you're saying GrannySmith. And you're probably right. I'm sure that large group of ScReeching girls annoyed me way more than they annoyed the competitors. But....regardless, I hope to never sit by them again . My ears rang for an hour after the session....yep, they were that loud. The group of people sitting next to me were not as nice about it and were making comments about knocking the girls' heads together, lol

I love cheering, just not screeching Non-Stop, barely coming up for air .

So....cheer away peoples....

Yes this is what I said when I origianlly posted about cheering - there is cheering and then there is CHEERING. I am for cheering in general but it doesn't have to be full volume to the point everyone around you goes deaf for every little move. So support your team with cheering but remember a small indoor gym doesn't need max volume.