MAG Temple men's team cut

[profmom]

This is a real tragedy for the sport: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20131208_A_hard_fall_for_Temple_gymnasts_and_coach.html.

I wonder if anything can be done (as was done at UC Berkeley) to save the team. They've done so much not just as a college team, but to foster boys' love for the sport in Philadelphia.

 

[KCHAMP]

Just awful!

Here is a link to the Save Temple Gymnastics facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Tuggymnastics?directed_target_id=405185616195714

and a link to sign the petition they started
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/798/504/911/save-temple-university-mens-gymnastics/

Their goal is 10,000 signatures and right now they are at 3,562.

I hope they can find the same support the Cal program found.

 

[coachmolly]

This breaks my heart. I attended Temple for a year and it's a team with a lot of heart and guys who genuinely want to be there doing gymnastics. They are missing so many of the bells and whistles that other bigger name programs or sports have and are content to keep going with just the minimum. Hoping that things can come together to keep this team around.

 

[AlexsGymmyMom]

Oh no this is just awful! I signed the petition!! Good luck saving temple mens gym!!!

 

[Cosmos]

I just signed the petition to Temple's Board of Trustees...wondering what effect it can have if they reach the goal of 25K signers..Maybe at least it will trigger some fundraising program...USAG should work together with college programs. Maybe they could add a head tax at meets

 

[KCHAMP]

Temple University announced Friday that are cutting the Mens Gymnastics program. Please take a minute to sign the petition and like them on Facebook so they know how many people support the team. As other people have posted - this will have a domino effect across all gymnsatics programs.

Here is a link to the Save Temple Gymnastics facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Tuggymnastics?directed_target_id=405185616195714

and a link to sign the petition they started
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/798/504/911/save-temple-university-mens-gymnastics/

 

[J&A's mom]

I signed earlier this weekend. One of my son's old coaches is a senior. I also know its a program worth saving. They are also one of the men's gym teams that are known to be strong in academics.

 

[gymmomof1]

I signed. A teammate of dd is competing for girls team next year and she told us about it.

 

[BlairBob]

I was just about to post about this. I think they just got a big sponsor based on a post Rick did on his FB.

 

[KCHAMP]

I was just about to post about this. I think they just got a big sponsor based on a post Rick did on his FB.

That would be great - please share details when you know more!

 

[coachmolly]

I was just about to post about this. I think they just got a big sponsor based on a post Rick did on his FB.

The donation was made before the cuts and the donator was one who voted for the cuts it seems.
http://gymnasticscoaching.com/new/2013/12/katz-donates-25-million-to-temple/

 

[profmom]

If it were me, I think I would incorporate a lot of information about the work the team has done with the Philadelphia Boys' gymnastics program. In higher ed these days, there is a LOT of interest in "community engagement," and these guys are walking the walk and have been for years. Just sayin', if anyone is in communication with the folks in charge of the campaign to save the team.

 

[wallinbl]

Title IX can be rather difficult to work with for schools with a football program, as the football team represents a huge number of men's scholarships that aren't matched with a women's team, so men's teams in other sports either don't happen or get cut to make up for it.

 

[profmom]

OK, I wasn't gonna say it, but I will say it.

Cut the football team. Get rid of it. If it is like most programs at that level and of that caliber, all it is doing is losing scads of money and causing traumatic brain injuries.

 

[coachmolly]

YES! It's really that simple. Cut 1 sport, save the other 7. I attended Temple for a year as a freshman and the football team was not even good. I don't follow football, so I don't know if they've made a turn around in the years since (this was 07ish), but their money could be better spent. Put it towards scholarships for the other sports, put it towards academic scholarships, put it towards any number of other things. Because we all know the amount they spend on football could be divided multiple ways and still make a huge impact.
A previous poster mention the academic success of the Temple men and that's nothing to sneeze at at a school like Temple. It is a pretty academically demanding school (as opposed to a more stereotypical "jock" school where athletes can skip every class and still slide by), and I believe many of the gymnasts are enrolled in pretty demanding academic programs.
I also attended the same club gym as their assistant coach for a small period of time, and while I did not know him personally, I do know from all accounts that he is an all-around spectacular guy. And I am absolutely certain he is making an exceptional impact on the young men he is helping to coach on this team.

 

[dani4]

They also cut mens' and womens' crew- after years of making them row out of a tent by the side of the river (while all the other collegiate crews in Philly have boathouses). I don't know about their gymnastics team, but they have a good, well-respected rowing program, that did well with no real facility. Crazy.

http://articles.philly.com/2013-12-08/sports/44908799_1_new-boathouse-crew-coach-rowing-coach

 

[wallinbl]

OK, I wasn't gonna say it, but I will say it.

Cut the football team. Get rid of it. If it is like most programs at that level and of that caliber, all it is doing is losing scads of money and causing traumatic brain injuries.

The other side of that is that Title IX and football are likely keeping a lot of women's teams that wouldn't otherwise exist. Dropping football would remove the constraint that's keeping many women's sports at some schools.

 

[LilHawkMom]

It is just so sad about the state of men's gymnastics at college level with so so few colleges! I worry that there will be no gym programs when my son is ready to go to college. It seems like it needs an outside force like usag to help keep and ADD men's programs. Where will usag future senior team members come from?? The majority are currently in college programs or came from them.
Another good link trying to help men's college program situation http://www.migsp.org/home/

 

[skschlag]

LilHawkMom- We go to that meet every year. It is a great meet, and wonderful way to save teh sport!

 

[Granny Smith]

I think that Temple could accomplish a lot if they dropped down from D1 football to a lower division. They would lose those scholarships, freeing up money for other sports, but they would still be able to offer football and probably be more competitive. They are not a BCS bowl bound team and now all of the other sports are suffering. I have signed the petition, as has my dd. She will be attending Temple next yr on a gymnastics scholarship (womens). I really would like to see the men's team continue. I do not know any of the men, other than seeing them while she was on her OV, but the men's and women's team are like one huge family. They are now ripping this family apart.