Only the Lonely : ‘Aging’ Gymnast Develops His Craft Before Audience of None

Dan McCann mounts the pommel horse. It’s 11 a.m. and Gymnastic Olympica, the warehouse-turned-gymnasium, is empty. The sounds of pop singer Steve Winwood fill the air as McCann begins his workout. After completing his routine, McCann dismounts. He chalks his hands and starts again. It is an endless regimen of repetition.

Each Monday, Wednesday and Friday McCann, an Encino resident, can be found here. Most of the time, the equipment is his only audience.

At age 24, McCann is considered by many in the gymnastics world to be over the hill.

“His age is definitely a factor,” said Dan Connelly of Gymnastic Olympica, McCann’s coach. “His body can’t withstand the demands of the sport. That’s why he doesn’t work out every day like my younger gymnasts.”

McCann, though, still managed to finish 10th in the recent Western regional championships at San Jose State, and he is one of 48 gymnasts who will compete July 7 in the United States Gymnastic Federation’s national championships in Minneapolis.

This is the third time McCann has competed in the regional meet but the first time he has qualified for nationals.

To qualify, a gymnast’s overall score has to be among the top 48 from the three different regional championships. McCann was 24th.

“Hopefully, if he has a great meet, he will make the national team,” Connelly said.

According to Connelly, the national team consists of the top 12 scorers at the meet.

Although McCann dedicates substantial time to gymnastics, it hasn’t always been his priority.

McCann dreamed of being a professional football player and competed in football, basketball and track during junior high. Stretching in a nearby park was part of his individual regimen.

It was during one of these workouts that McCann, then 12, was introduced to gymnastics.

“I saw these guys at the park on the rings,” McCann said. “It was a couple of guys from Dan Connelly’s college team (at Cal State Northridge) and they showed me how to do some things and I caught on pretty quick.”

Quickly enough to be named Los Angeles City All-Around Champion for three years in a row while a student at Monroe High.

McCann also competed on the United States Junior national team from 1978 to 1983. In 1982 he finished fourth in the national championship for the Junior Elite Division.

McCann competed in gymnastics at the University of Minnesota but left the cold country after a year and transferred to UCLA. After another season of competition he opted for a break from gymnastics.

“I decided to take a rest from it,” McCann said. “I continued to go to school but I didn’t work out. I played basketball in the park.”

Then Connelly, the coach who had helped introduce McCann to gymnastics, and Olympian Charles Lakes, brought him back to the sport after a two-year hiatus.

“Charlie wanted someone to work out with,” Connelly said. “So he talked to (McCann). I also suggested that if he would work out I would give him a job coaching at the gym.”

McCann accepted the offer and now, two years later, he still coaches for Connelly.

“I love coaching,” McCann said. “I’m pretty knowledgeable about it (gymnastics) and I have some good ideas about how to do it.”

But despite McCann’s recent success, Connelly isn’t counting his chickens. “With Dan it’s one meet at a time,” said Connelly.