Boys gymnastics hopes for favorable IHSA board vote

Boys gymnastics coaches in the area have been making an appeal to Illinois High School Association officials in hopes of saving their sport at the high school level.

A motion will be voted on Tuesday by the IHSA board that would increase the level of participation needed for inclusion as a high school sport. That level is currently 5 percent; the motion proposes to increase the threshold to 10 percent. That's a level boys gymnastics would not meet.

"In my 10 years coaching now, this has come up before and fortunately it was voted down each time," said Palatine coach Scott Hagel. "This time, it's as serious as I ever recall.

"Hopefully, if it finds a way to pass, we can come up with a way to prove to the IHSA that we can be cost-effective and do whatever we can to accommodate the IHSA."

According to Hagel, the sport is "doing better than ever right now.

"I remember 15 to 20 years ago when teams were lucky to have 20 or 30 gymnasts in the program. Today most have more than 40 and many are in the 50s and 60s. From what I've heard, even if it is 10 percent, the IHSA might not act upon it right away. It gives us a chance to hope that things change down the road."

The team championship in boys gymnastics began in 1952. Individual event championships were awarded beginning in 1958.

Boys and girls lacrosse have already been approved as spring sports for the 2010-2011 school year.