I'm at the point where I don't know if I'll watch NCAA as closely this year.
I agree with this so much. I am reading these posts on here degrading these gymnast because their bar routine is boring.. not thinking that these girls have been putting wear and tear on their bodies for over 10 years before they even got there! I mean they do want to be able to not be crippled by the time they graduate college. Even a simple tweak on bars doing single rail releases can impact gymnasts elbows, wrists, etc. Also, don't forget the mass majority of the girls aren't getting these 3.5 million dollar NIL deals just to be on the team like the football players. Time to put some perspective on college gymnastics. At the end of the day it is for fun since 99.9% of them are done after their stint in college. Its not like they can use their gymnastics to become a lawyer or a nurse. Whilst these football players/ basketball can go pro and make millions. Perspective people.
I will never understand the kid gloves so many fans (not nearly as prevalent here) have with coaches, athletes, and teams in this sport. Absolutely zero criticism of anything allowed in many corners.
But the point is that while yes it is a sport, it is different in that these girls are not circus acts to be put on display for our entertainment. It's not the hunger games to see how far they can go until they get injured. Pushing for harder skills is just asking for injuries. Its not if they are going to get injured its a when they will get injured. There is a study somewhere that shows the amount of impact some of these skill have on their bodies, its insane. So, just because fans think* that they should be doing harder skills either have never been a gymnast, talked to a gymnast, or have a perspective on what it does to their bodies.
I don't think anyone here is asking for it to go fully to the elite code? There is a balance between difficulty and wellbeing in any sport, a slight increase here and there isn't making them circus acts. A single bar release isn't the equivalent to a trapeze routine....
Completely agree, particularly about the elite part.
Did you not get that i said FANS, I did not say the specific group of people on this particular site... and how do you know most or majority of people on here did this sport? I never said a single bar release = a trapeze routine, but where does it stop? Do we just start increasing difficulty until that difficulty bar is then "boring" or not cool enough to watch any more and raise the bar again? At the end of the day this isn't the Olympics or even Elite gymnastics. Its college gymnastics. As far as basketball or any other sport for that matter they aren't moving the finish line constantly just because the fans are bored of watching. I mean then maybe we should ask the basketball players to use their bad arm to make a basket so we now can be entertained and the score wont be so high... or football players to wear eye masks to make it more interesting...
Many of these athletes are NOT downgrading their skill level for college level. Again most college gymnasts come from the L10 ranks. These skills are at level for maybe the top 10% of L10 athletes and the rest have never competed them. Now for the elites in college, yes, the small number of them it is a downgrade. Ultimately, I think we are somewhat saying the same thing, just different angles. But I would also say it is a bit naive to completely wave away the TV and entertainment aspect. And like all of this, it is a balance. But the sport cant grow and continue to evolve without the support of fans and television. If no deference was made to what is going to draw eyes with the general populace, we would have a sport conducted in empty gyms with a handful die-hards and parents watching, fighting for relevance. I also appreciate we dont want the "tail to wag the dog" either and get to a point where the "sport" is more show. That's why I think focus on improving judging first priority, and then second look at some small changes that might incentivize some variety in routine construction. I think some of the suggestions around 2 versus 3 pass routines could be considered, along those lines.
As long as they are hydrating eye masks I am in favor of this. Some of these NFL players are in desperate need of a skincare routine.
The vast majority of NCAA football and basketball players will never get the opportunity to go pro.
Obviously, but the majority of them have that is a goal and have the opportunity to extend their career. As where college gymastics, there is no next or anywhere else to go pro...
