MDI fields first gymnastics team

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Although Maine high school-sponsored gymnastics has been shrinking over the years, one school has found that interest in the winter sport is way up.

Mount Desert Island High’s gymnastics team is in its first year of competition. The six-member squad is made up of five freshmen and a sophomore – three experienced YMCA gymnasts and three student-athletes who have never before done gymnastics.

There were just nine high school gymnastics teams in Maine during the 2001-02 season. At least 16 schools have individuals who are eligible to compete. Those individuals typically practice and travel with school teams, but their scores do not count in team scoring. MDI allows a gymnast from Sumner of East Sullivan to participate with the team.

The Trojans kicked off their first season with a tall order – a meet in Waterville against a field that included defending state champion Skowhegan.

“We struggled, of course,” said Doug Springer, the team’s coach and the physical plant director for Mount Desert Island Hospital. “But I was really proud of them. We know we have a lot of work to do but our goal this year is to have fun.”

The girls practice in a Masonic Hall in Somesville. Most of the team’s equipment is regulation, although the floor exercise mat is 42 feet-by-18 feet instead of the regular 42-by-42. The girls are also waiting on some new equipment for their vault.

Because of the lack of a suitable facility, the Trojans aren’t going to host any meets this year. That means the team is on the road this year – the team is heading to Kennebunk later this week.

“We’re leaving at 8 in the morning for a meet that starts at 2,” Springer said. “That’s a lot of time on a bus.”

Springer, who has coached gymnastics for 16 years and was briefly a member of the U.S. Naval Academy team, also coaches the MDI YMCA squad. Although the Maine Principals Association prohibits coaches from coaching outside the season for that sport, the MPA grants waivers for gymnastics because there is a lack of qualified coaches in the state.

The team’s origin was simple enough. Some of Springer’s YMCA gymnasts approached him about starting a high school team. He took the idea to the school committee.

“They were great,” he said. “They said, if it’s something the kids want to do, go ahead.”

Springer said the team is not yet in the school budget, but he’s hoping for that next year.

Ticket prices, sites discussed

Among the issues the Maine Principals Association will look at in the future is raising ticket prices for the basketball tournament.

MPA executive director Dick Durost told principals at last month’s interscholastic business meeting to expect to hear more about a potential price increase.

“In the coming year we’ll take a look at ticket prices,” Durost said. “In the next one to two years there may be a recommendation coming your way.”

A change in ticket prices may be just one way the MPA will address a deficit in its interscholastic division. Durost said the interscholastic division brought in $9,000 while the professional division brought in $25,000. That’s a net of $16,000, but Durost told the group he would like to see more even numbers between the two divisions.

Durost said Maine currently prices tournament tickets at half of what other state associations charge. Tickets to the MPA basketball tournament are $5 for adults, $3 for students and $6 for reserved seats when available.

As Durost said, it’s an issue to look at over several years. Other items were voted into place at the meeting that will go into effect next school year.

The baseball committee suggested that the association begin discussions about the use of wooden bats and the introduction of a double elimination format for the playoffs. The site of the Western Maine championship games was moved to Gorham High from St. Joseph’s College in Standish.

The softball committee also approved a move for Western Maine and state championship games to Gorham High from St. Joseph’s.

The golf committee made a permanent change to its schedule that allows a two-week preseason and competition to start a week earlier than all other fall sports. The goal was to take advantage of weather and course conditions.

The tennis committee decided to move the state team championships to Bates College in Lewiston. Last year’s team championship was held in Portland’s Deering Oaks Park. The committee also adjusted its rulebook concerning player absence. If a team does not start with a full complement of players, the best three players must play singles.

The volleyball committee agreed to hold the state semifinals and finals at Husson College in Bangor. The state championship tournament had previously been held at the University of Maine-Machias.

Smaller team has its benefits

It’s a fact that the number of boys who participate in swimming and diving has been shrinking over the years.

Bangor coach Phil Emery said the Rams are down about 15 boys this year, putting the team at 27 swimmers.

But that’s OK with the 34-year coach for two big reasons. First, the time Emery has spent on the meet lineups has gone way down.

“It used to take me 21/2 hours just because you’re trying to make sure you don’t waste a spot, juggle the exhibition heats, call the other coach and find out if they have an open lane,” he said after the five-time defending state champs beat Belfast Friday. “This year we don’t have all those extra kids. We just have a few so we run a few exhibition events and everybody else swam four times [Friday] except two or three people.”

The second – and more important reason – is that his younger kids are getting experience now.

“The kids in a normal year who might be waiting for another year to blossom are right now in the heat of it, for better or worse,” he said.

Jessica Bloch can be reached at 990-8193, 1-800-310-8600 or jbloch@bangordailynews.net.