Gymnasts root each other on in double-dual meet at Rec Hall

By MANDY McTIGHE
Collegian Sports Writer

Between vaulters, the Lady Lion gymnasts turned their attention to the Lions, who were performing their floor exercises just yards away. Junior Bridget Foley cheered on junior Brandy Wood while waiting for her teammates to vault.

All evening, both teams cheered each other on during breaks in their own routines. Four events went on simultaneously Saturday night as the men's and women's gymnastics teams were both victorious in a double-dual meet against Michigan State.

The combination of teams drew 3,864 spectators, filling Rec Hall.

"I had a lot of fun tonight," Foley said. "It's a totally different experience from a regular meet."

Although having many events going on at the same time could be a distraction, most of the athletes seemed to think it only helped the crowd get more involved.

"The girls draw a good crowd, and combined with our crowd it really promotes school spirit," senior gymnast Mark Cooper said.

April Polito, a volunteer coach for the Lady Lions, said both the men's and women's teams practice together in Rec Hall, so they often feel like one big team.

Senior gymnast Tracy Kerner finished off the Lady Lion floor exercise rotation and brought the crowd into it with selections of Blue Band music. The crowd was prompted to cheer like it would at a Lion football game. At the same time, the Lion gymnasts were ending their high bar routines.

The music for the women's floor routines is sometimes a concern in meets with both teams.

"It's not the ideal situation," said Lady Lion Coach Steve Shephard, "but I think that it's great that both teams can compete at the same time in Rec Hall."

Polito, however, said the gymnasts are usually so focused on their routines that distractions are minimal.

"I know that the girls aren't bothered by the noise, and there's always so much going on in practice that I think everyone is used to it," she said.

And even though some gymnasts experienced a double meet for the first time on Saturday, the noise still was not a problem.

"This was my first experience in a double dual," sophomore gymnast Tom Ellefson said, "but it wasn't any bigger than Big Ten or regionals, so I wasn't distracted."