LETTERS: SUPPORT WOMEN GYMNASTS

To the editor:

The Southeast Missouri State University student body and the citizens of Cape Girardeau have many things to be proud of. Regrettably, how we support and cheer for our women's college gymnastics team isn't one of them.

My wife and I drive to Tuscaloosa, Ala., for the four-team gynmasitics meet. We witnessed the Crimson Tide roll over the other three teams. We were intimidated not only by the 'Bama team, but by their fans.

OK, sure, the University of Alabama is a larger school with more students than SEMO. But we saw entire families in attendance wearing crimson and white and rooting -- I mean shouting -- in support of their team. Can you imagine what kind of motivation a team gets from an average of 10,500 cheering fans per meet?

Our team is not just a group of beautiful women. These ladies are athletes who have worked longer and harder than many of their male counterparts in other sports. We have a team with champions aboard.

Let's support women's gymnastics. Come on, folks. Take your family to a meet. We have a team to be proud of.

ARNOLD R. NAGEL

Cape Girardeau