NC State’s women’s gymnastics team just wrapped up a history-making 2017-18 competition year by winning the East Atlantic Gymnastics League Championship, breaking numerous high scores and securing a spot to compete at and host the 2018 NCAA Regional Championships. The Wolfpack consistently cheered them on throughout the journey but, as a former gymnast, I was frequently asked: where is the men’s team?
In 1975, men’s gymnastics was established at NC State, a time period when there were over 200 men’s gymnastics programs around the country. Now there are only 17 NCAA teams left, as schools cut programs due to Title IX obligations, financial needs and dwindling interest, NC State included.
Title IX, enacted in 1972, states that “no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” Many colleges and universities used to be dominated by male varsity sports, with females not having the same amount of opportunities. College sports programs sought to shift to a more equitable gender standard, as most colleges now have the same number of male and female sports as a result of having to trim out male-only sports.
The number of sports at NC State is evenly split between men and women, with 10 men’s sports, 10 women’s sports, and one co-ed sport. If men’s gymnastics were to be revived, a women’s sport would have to be established. Conveniently, NC State has an excellent all-female dance team that is already established and has not been given varsity status. The dance team also has a space in Carmichael Gymnasium where they train and work out, with no extra facilities needed.
As an athlete, you feel invigorated watching your sport at the collegiate level, and garner so much pride and spirit for that team to be the best. Even for those who have never done or watched gymnastics, the sport definitely puts on a show. If you enjoyed women’s gymnastics, I promise men’s gymnastics will not disappoint.
Gymnastics is an expensive sport to fund. With women’s gymnastics having four competitive events and men’s gymnastics having six, the price starts to add up for equipment. The sport also requires large amounts of permanent space, something that is in high demand at most colleges.
Luckily, since the women’s gymnastics program is already established, a secure space for gymnastics is already in use, with three out of the six apparatuses present, bringing the cost down to only adding three. Additionally, with the renovation of Carmichael Gymnasium about to commence, more space will soon be available.
The question of men’s gymnastics having interest and generating money, if re-established, still lingers, but as a student who watched the women’s team dominate this year along with many other sports, I feel confident any varsity team at NC State could perform well. Many sporting events I attended this past athletic year were packed with screaming students. Pairing that with NC State consistently placing in the Director’s Cup top 10, a measure of athletic collegiate success, demonstrates how central sports are to our university’s culture.
NC State athletics is geared for a fantastic year with many triumphs but is still without a men’s gymnastics team. The students, fans and university as a whole are ready for another athletic program to cheer on and celebrate. Go men’s gymnastics! Go Pack!
