Senator Finegold Supports MIAA’s Reinstatement of Boys’ Gymnastics

This was submitted as a blog by Sen. Barry Finegold.

Senator Finegold (D – Andover) welcomes news that boys’ gymnastics will continue as a state-sanctioned sport in the upcoming athletic season.

Yesterday morning, the MIAA Board of Directors chose to reinstate boys’ gymnastics as a recognized sport by a vote of 13-0, with one abstention. This comes as a reversal of a vote taken on January 16^th, when the MIAA cited low participation rates as reason to terminate the program.

Only seven public high schools in the state offer boys’ gymnastics as a varsity sport, including Andover High School, who won the 2013 MIAA State Championship Title this spring.

Senator Finegold recently welcomed the Andover High School Boys’ Gymnastics Team to the State House to honor them for earning the 2013 State Championship. During their visit, the Senator congratulated the team for bringing home the school’s first state title in the sport since 1970. He added, “I hope that the gymnastics program continues and gives students like you the opportunity to participate and demonstrate their athletic strengths. I know that you will be great mentors to the incoming class of athletes.”

Finegold, who played football throughout his tenure at Andover High School, welcomes this morning’s good news along with Andover High School Boys’ Gymnastics Coaches Steve Sirois and Kwok Man. Coach Sirois attended this morning’s MIAA meeting and remarked on the importance of the vote. “The one thing I think the MIAA saw is that this is more than a sport. Through gymnastics, the athletes learn patience, tolerance and team.”

Prior to today’s vote, the MIAA heard testimony from athletes, coaches and athletic directors involved in the sport, which stressed the skills and values learned through boys’ gymnastics.