The future of high school boys gymnastics
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PATRICK NAGY Sports Reporter

Section VI has always been known for fielding strong boys gymnastics teams but they'll have one less region to compete with once the intersectional meet is held Nov. 11 at Brockport State College.

Section VI boys gymnastics chair and Williamsville coach Joe Buscaglia told me last week that Section V's Rush-Henrietta has dropped boys gymnastics. This leaves only Buffalo (Section VI), Syracuse (Section III), and Albany (Section II) with boys gymnastics teams.

The loss of a Section V team is a telling sign of where boys gymnastics is heading.

One reason for boys gymnastics' decline comes down to finances.

"It has to do with economics and school budgets," said Buscaglia. "They look at the numbers and look at the bottom line in the budget and say we can't do it anymore."

Buscaglia, once a standout gymnast for Williamsville South when it was combined with Williamsville North, knows how popular Section VI boys gymnastics can be. Buscaglia, the only person in Western New York to win state titles in floor exercise and vault five straight years, said when he competed Williamsville North-South, Williamsville East, Amherst, Hamburg, Sweet Home, Kenmore East-West, Jamestown, and Maryvale fielded teams. Out of those schools, only Amherst, Hamburg, Williamsville East, and Williamsville North and Williamsville South as separate teams, remain.

Section VI boys gymnastics did get a shot in the arm this fall with the addition of Clarence, which will field 15 gymnasts, however other section teams don't even come close to those kinds of numbers.

Williamsville East, North and South have a combined nine gymnasts. Amherst almost didn't even field a team until five gymnasts came out a few weeks ago. Hamburg has eight gymnasts.

"Every year it's a concern but every year we continue to march on," said Buscaglia. "It's a great sign that Clarence added a team. Adding Clarence will keep us going for a couple years just as long as the numbers remain."

Another good sign the sport should continue for a little while in Section VI is that 11 of the 14 gymnasts on Amherst and Williamsville East, North and South will return, seven of which are underclassmen. Two gymnasts, Williamsville South's Cody Stumpf and Nathaniel Roberson, will be in the eighth grade. Hamburg will have three returning gymnasts.

So what can be done to save Section VI boys

gymnastics from becoming extinct?

Hamburg coach Bob Beach has the right idea. Every year his high school team puts on a show for middle school students in an attempt to draw potential gymnasts. A gymnastics unit has also been incorporated into physical education classes at Hamburg Middle School, Casey Middle School in East Amherst, and for freshmen at Williamsville East.

Let's face it, gymnastics is not an easy sport. I've never once hung from rings or circled a pommel horse, but both are more challenging than running with a football or kicking a soccer ball. Regardless, something has to be done to keep the sport alive. Buscaglia is cautiously optimistic of its future.

"I'll go on as long as we can continue but who knows about the future," said Buscaglia. "I take it one year at a time."

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com