The men's gymanstics team is in a state of flux.

The NCAA will no longer sponsor a national championship for sports having under 40 schools at the varsity level. Since men's gymnastics currently has 36 schools, this could be the last year the NCAA will have a men's gymnastics national championship.

The loss of the championship could be seen as a negative, especially since the recent Big Ten Championships brought success to the State College area -- socially and economically. If the NCAA does discontinue its association with men's gymnastics, many teams would likely drop the program from varsity status in order to conform to budget constraints and gender equity.

But a light can still shine on the gym floor. Take, for instance, the Penn State Ice Hockey team. It has been relegated to the club level for years despite the numerous pleas to reach varisty status. Coach Joe Battista has been told over and over that the high insurance costs and gender equity won't allow his squad to compete for a NCAA national championship at the varsity level.

But the Icers survive. They recently joined the American Collegiate Hockey League. They have one of the best on-campus rinks in America and standing-room-only crowds night in and night out. And they won two national club championships.

The same can happen for the collegiate men's gymnastics community. The U.S. Gymnastics Federation could sponsor a national championship for all collegiate programs and use profits to develop the national gymanstics program further.

Being independent from the NCAA doesn't have to mean the downfall of the men's gymnastics program here or elsewhere. The experience can be turned into a positive situation, allowing gymnasts to continue to showcase their talent.