Momentum is a funny thing.
It can swing a meet in an instant. Gain it, and you’re like a locomotive without brakes. Lose it, and you’re a passenger on a stalled train, shaking your fist as everything grinds to a halt.
For Florida gymnastics, momentum inside the Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center doesn’t just build, it echoes through the dome and courses through every gymnast as the Gators surge. By the time UF takes the floor, the noise is already deafening. The energy Gator fans bring to Exactech is unmatched – and much needed. It turns Florida’s routines into spectacles that leave fans on their feet, while fueling athletes to push beyond expectations.
It’s this atmosphere and elite sports culture in Gainesville that shows up on the scoreboard and contributes to the success of Florida’s sports programs as a whole. In particular, gymnastics has felt the effects as much as any program. Through its last five seasons, Florida gymnastics has posted a 42-2 record at home, while going 22-6-1 on the road.
Logan Buscher, a 20-year-old junior studying music in combination with public relations, has attended his fair share of gymnastics meets and other sporting events at the O’Connell Center. He described UF gymnastics as “energetic” and believes gymnasts channel the support of the crowd during their floor routines.
A key difference he identified is that while gymnastics meets breed electric atmospheres similar to those found at other major sporting events, there’s a lot less cursing and ill wishes being directed towards opposing teams.
“As a Florida player, I’d eat it up,” Buscher said. “I certainly feel like there’s a lot less animosity and a lot more support … it has more of a positive but fiery environment.”
With the unwavering support UF shows its sports teams, getting people to show up and fill the O’Dome hasn’t been a problem for UF gymnastics. The team consistently boasts high attendance at its meets and is typically met with a slew of support from Gator fans.
As Buscher put it: “That’s how it’s always been.”
So what keeps the O’Dome full meet after meet? For many fans, it comes down to a combination of ease and connection to the sport. For others, it’s about the tradition, positive atmosphere and energetic chants the meets provide.
Katie Hur, a 19-year-old freshman majoring in finance, said she attends UF gymnastics meets because she was a competitive gymnast for eight years. When she misses competing herself, Hur just heads to a meet purely for “the vibes” and talented gymnasts.
She also said the ease of access for students to acquire tickets and attend meets makes it extremely welcoming for those looking for something to do on campus or test the atmosphere of a new sport.
“It’s always good to support school sports, and gymnastics is an easy one,” Hur said. “You don’t have to buy tickets, you don’t have to wait in line. It’s a really easy one for freshmen to go to if they don’t know what they’re into yet.”
Another aspect of Florida gymnastics’ high turnout and elite performance at home over the years can be attributed to gymnasts’ comfort level in the facility and the presence of an elite fan base at the O’Dome. Hur said Florida gymnasts know every crack of the beam and have a strong support system, which helps them perform much better at home and can be a difference maker in intense competitions.
The amusing chants and traditions gymnastics boasts are yet another reason UF’s gymnasts see such strong support from their fanbase. For Hur and many others, traditions like Tom Petty’s song blaring over the speakers are engaging and keep them coming back on Friday nights.
“I like the Tom Petty sing-alongs, or when they do their Gator chomps on the floor too, and everyone does it with them,” Hur said. “I think it’s really tailored to the gymnasts.”
Madeleine Baker, a 21-year-old senior majoring in education sciences, also did gymnastics growing up. She said competing against UF in the O’Dome would be nerve-racking, especially because Gator fans’ support for gymnastics is so powerful.
This rowdy — but supportive — atmosphere makes competitions exciting for the Gators, she said, which in turn helps them perform better. Moreover, this atmosphere and gymnastics culture built at Florida makes fans feel a part of something bigger and keeps them returning to the meets to both have a great time and support the gymnasts.
“I’ve always gone into it with a really good attitude, and I come out even better,” Baker said. “The super positive vibes and seeing everyone else get excited makes me excited.”
For the senior, it’s the connectedness and shared sense of community at the meets that allows her to enjoy gymnastics meets. Baker said the positive energy is what makes the events stand out and that Florida does a good job fostering a shared experience and engaging fans. In particular, she highlighted the Gator chomp gymnasts do during their floor routines as a fun tradition that adds to the excitement.
“Everyone wants to see the gymnasts do amazing, and I think that’s helping them bring the good energy,” Baker said. “I love during the floor routines when everyone does the Gator chomp at one point in their routine. I think that’s super fun and brings everyone together.”
Even those who have yet to attend a meet can see the supportive culture and buzzing atmosphere surrounding gymnastics at Florida.
Though Kate Padron, an 18-year-old UF freshman majoring in interior design, didn’t make it to a meet this year, she believes since UF exudes school spirit, it’s natural for that energy to follow through to gymnastics meets. She said gymnastics meets are often points of conversation around campus and that it appeals to such a large audience because it’s simple and engaging, even for people who don’t know much about sports. It also helps that the majority of Florida’s meets are conveniently scheduled on Friday nights, she said.
“A lot of people are always talking about the meets, so I think the support is definitely playing a role in their success,” Padron said. “Sports mean a lot to this school.”
While UF’s established sports culture is undeniable, does Florida’s high-intensity atmosphere truly contribute to the Gators success on their home floor?
Emma Jacks, a 21-year-old senior studying nutritional sciences at UF, said the resounding support from Gator fans improves the overall level of competition. She said everyone’s cheers make meets more fun and competitive, and that, for opponents, seeing a sea of people rooting against them adds a layer of stress.
“Our gymnastics girls are really good, and we stand 10 toes behind them for all of our meets, and people really show out for them,” Jacks said. “If there wasn’t people here to support them, they wouldn’t play as well.”
However, it still remains to be seen if Gator fans can make a difference in the NCAA Tournament and make sure UF stays hot on the road.
The Gators posted a 198.05 in Tempe, Arizona, on April 4 to win their 23rd NCAA Regional and earn a spot in the NCAA Championships, but there is still plenty of work to be done. Florida will now head to Fort Worth, Texas, April 16 for the NCAA Championships semifinal and will need to bring the energy and support of its fans on the road if the Gators plan on taking down LSU, Stanford and Georgia en route to their fourth NCAA championship.
Contact Curan Ahern at cahern@alligator.org. Follow him on X at @CuranAhern.
Curan is a junior sports journalism student in his fourth semester at The Alligator. He is currently the sports desk's football and enterprise beat writer, and previously served as a reporter for men's tennis, sports enterprise and football. He is currently pursuing a public relations minor and is an avid Duval sports fan. (#DTWD)
