Few home showings bother gymnasts

By GEOFFREY MOSHER
and PAIGE A. MUNDY
Collegian Sports Writers

Penn State gymnast Tracy Kerner feels like she is connected with the audience every time she performs on the Rec Hall floor.

But at the conclusion of the season, the Lady Lions will have competed in the comfy confines of home only four times.

"There is no comparison than competing in Rec Hall," the senior tri-captain said. "It definitely gives us an edge."

But not having the home advantage is not a concern for some of Penn State's opposition.

"Penn State has always been looked at as one of the greatest places to compete, because of Rec Hall," said Roy Johnson, president of the Men's Gymnastics Coaches Association and men's coach at Massachusetts. "Penn State is one of the best away meets to travel to."

But due to scheduling conflicts over a highly-demanded Rec Hall, the Lions will also see their home crowd just four times by the end of the season.

"There was one particular date when every winter sport team wanted the gym at the same time, on the same night," Men's Coach Randy Jepson said. "It's difficult for the administrators to schedule when we turn in next year's schedule right now, when basketball TV contracts aren't solidified until summer."

The lack of home meets is not a foreign concept to women's gymnastics either.

"I'm upset," Women's Gymnastics Coach Steve Shephard said. "But I understand that Rec Hall is in competition with all other winter sports."

Johnson offered a different reason for a decline in scheduling home meets. He said schools may be tempted to schedule more away meets because of an NCAA rule concerning qualification for regionals.

"The rule says that two away scores must be counted toward qualification, while only one home meet is counted," Johnson said. "So for Penn State, it's in their best interest to have as many away meets, to qualify for regionals."

But Jepson strongly opposes this theory.

"That has absolutely nothing to do with it at Penn State," Jepson said.

Johnson does not defend the rule. In fact, he said it is a true detriment to the program.

"It's not a good rule at all," he said. "There is a decline in enthusiasm and support for men's gymnastics, and rules like this one don't help to increase support."

Nebraska Men's Gymnastics Coach Francis Allen agreed that the sport is in need of a popularity boost. He said cutting home meets is not an adequate method of improving the situation.

"It's not healthy to see a decline in (home) meets," Allen added. "Right now, the problem is finding quality teams. It doesn't do a Penn State or a Nebraska good to compete against teams that aren't up to their level. The crowd gets bored and it hurts the program."

But despite few home meets, Penn State is still able to draw ranked competitors, Shephard said. So far this season, the Lady Lions have hosted then-No. 1 Utah, then-No. 2 Alabama, and then-No. 6 Oregon State.

"We would like to have one or two more," he said. "But going away is a good learning experience."

Another reason for the lower number of home meets may be attributed to Penn State's isolated location.

"Have you ever tried to get to State College?" Utah Women's Gymnastics Coach Greg Marsden said.

Allen concurred with Marsden on Happy Valley's inconvenient location.

"The thing with Penn State is that they are so darn far away on the map," Allen said.

Although road wins look impressive, Shephard does enjoy the atmosphere of Rec Hall. He said the crowd is very much a factor.

"It's important to have a good crowd." he said. "Cheering fans really makes a difference."

Jepson said he agrees Penn State is an impressive gym to compete it. He is hoping the completion of the Bryce Jordan Center will decrease scheduling demands.

"Hopefully, when the convocation center is done, it will lighten up some of the congestion," Jepson said.