What's in store for boys gymnastics in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic

This wasn't the way that Rob Defano imagined 34 years coming to an end.

"It's very somber," Defano said. "But the crazy things that are happening in the world are changing the way we do so many things."

While the COVID-19 pandemic changed Defano's last run through a coaching career that has included more than three decades in high school gymnastics, he's hoping that it doesn't change high school gymnastics itself.

Defano, who would have coached his final season of boys gymnastics at Barrington High School this spring, knows that gymnastics was in a tenuous position before the COVID-19 pandemic hit and prematurely ended all high school spring sports in March.

"The state was meeting about us this year before this all started," Defano said. "It's about the numbers of how many schools offer boys gymnastics. But in gymnastics, the lower numbers really include every level, from high schools to colleges. Even at the Olympic level, the numbers have changed a lot in the last 20 years.

"But you could look at the numbers in a lot of sports, and you could say the same thing. Kids have a lot of options now, they have very stretched lives and a lot on their plates. I just hope gymnastics sticks around. It's a great sport."

The IHSA state finals were to be held this weekend at Hoffman Estates High School, where Glenbard West senior Alexander Demeris, last year's all-around champion, would have joined a host of others seeking more success.

Over his career at Barrington, which included many state appearances by his gymnasts, Defano would typically have between 35 to 40 gymnasts on his boys team. Heading into this spring season, Barrington had 15 boys on the roster.

One idea that boys gymnastics coaches have had over the years is that the IHSA look into changing the boys gymnastics season to the fall, where there would be fewer conflicts with club gymnastics and open the possibility for more gymnasts to compete for their high school teams in addition to their club teams.

"Numbers are a concern every year, and every year, the Boys Gymnastics Coaches Association always talks about moving the season to the fall," Stevenson boys gymnastics coach Joe Rogalski said. "I had the lowest number (15) of kids I ever had this year. We had a bunch of seniors who wanted to be on the team but they do club and they decided against it because they were worried about injuries.

"A fall season would be better for some of those club kids who do gymnastics year-round. And I also think it would be better for the kids who do gymnastics as a seasonal sport. It's a very technical sport. So if you can work with a kid in the summer, and he can take those skills right into a fall season, I think that's so much better for him and the chances of injury go down than if he works on his skills all summer and then really doesn't use them again until the following spring season."

And now, who knows when kids will again get a chance to work on keeping their gymnastics skills and tricks sharp.

With all gyms across the state of Illinois closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, gymnastics coaches everywhere are worried about their athletes falling behind, and getting rusty.

"It can be problematic," Rogalski said. "We have given our guys a lot of body weight stuff. And they can keep their fitness levels up and do some back flips in the backyard. But they really need that equipment to keep up on their skills."

Rogalski worries that this interruption in practice time might convince some of his gymnasts who aren't quite as serious about the sport to move on to other things.

"The whole situation is really rough and frustrating," Rogalski said. "I had some gymnasts this year who really had some good goals for the season and they were looking at trying to get to state next year. All of this (COVD-19) stuff may interrupt that. Who knows?

"I just hope they come back next year and we can raise those numbers up."