LSU gymnastics coach D-D Breaux, in her 38th year as coach, remembers when she was happy if her parents and close friends attended a meet.
But as she built the team to be the most dominant programs at one of the most athletically rich campuses in the nation, the fan base grew along with it.
“There was an atmosphere, but it was a much more quiet atmosphere,” Breaux said. “It was a very small group of rowdy people. That rowdiness has stayed the same, but we have grown the people behind them, which is very exciting. It’s going to go out on Facebook, Twitter and other places that this is a hard place to compete. Everybody used to come here and have their best meet, but [now] this is a hard place to compete because our fans are in your face.”
The crowds have been nothing short of record breaking this season.
The season-opening win against Iowa brought in the largest season-opening crowd in history, and LSU reigned victorious against Missouri in front of the fourth-largest crowd in program history.
At the midway point of the season, the crowd kept growing. Friday night, LSU’s victory against Georgia drew in the third-largest crowd in program history at 7,722.
“It says so much about our program,” said senior all-arounder Rheagan Courville. “We want [the fans] to get involved with us, so we can use that momentum to take us through the rest of the season. We want them to be a part of that, and I think we have done it. We have created a buzz and an excitement around campus. It’s really something that nobody can deny that they want to be a part of.”
LSU fans are proving their allegiance to the gymnastics team with an average attendance of 6,882 through the first three home meets. Friday night’s crowd of 7,722 was larger than six men’s basketball games this season, which averages a rate of 8,019.
Breaux said it’s no coincidence the LSU community is rallying around her team, and it involves more than athletic supremacy.
“It’s the momentum and charm of this team,” she said. “They have the highest GPA on campus, they have the most community service [hours] of any team on campus and they swept every female award at the academic gala on Monday. This team is special. It’s not just about the athletics.”
Last group for Feed My Starving Children made 208 boxes for hungry people around the world!Thats what I call teamwork pic.twitter.com/Q0tKzSONMZ
— Shae Zamardi (@Shae_Zamardi) February 7, 2015
The gymnasts’ work outside the gym has translated to success inside of it. But with a larger fan base comes larger expectations.
A Super Six Championship berth used to be the goal. Now, the Super Six is expected, and dropping a national championship banner in next year’s season-opener is the objective.
The gymnasts are up for the challenge, including freshman all-arounder Myia Hambrick, who said she thrives in the ambience of the large crowds at the PMAC.
“It’s weird for me to be on the floor because I grew up watching college gymnastics in the stands,” Hambrick said. “Now that I am down there and I see everyone up on their feet clapping and cheering for the team it makes me love what I do so much more. I’m definitely glad that I’ll be here in the PMAC for the next four years because it’s only going to get better.”
You can reach Jacob Hamilton on Twitter @jhamilton_TDR.
