Benefit Meet for Gymnastics Postponed Until Next Season

A proposed gymnastics invitational meet to benefit the Cal State Fullerton men’s team has been postponed until the 1991-92 season, Titan Athletic Director Ed Carroll said.

Disneyland offered to sponsor the mixed pairs meet after Fullerton announced last spring it would retain the men’s gymnastics team. The school’s athletics council recommended in March that the sport be discontinued in order to balance the athletics budget.

Carroll and Disneyland officials wanted to hold the meet this winter but couldn’t get enough schools committed to a Jan. 26 date in the Anaheim Convention Center.

“We want it to be an ongoing, first-class affair that is successful, but we didn’t have enough lead time for preparation,” Carroll said. “We have to get started earlier.”

By the time Carroll began sending invitations last summer, many schools had already finalized their schedules. Carroll was hoping to secure gymnasts from eight schools after sending invitations to 18, including Stanford, Minnesota, Nebraska, UCLA and Illinois. Fullerton, Brigham Young and Illinois were the only schools which could have competed Jan. 26.

Disneyland has offered to handle marketing and promotions for the event, and pay for travel costs, local accommodations and part of the rental fee for the convention center. Ticket proceeds will go to the Titan gymnastics team.

“We’ll get a date picked for next year and we should be able to get eight schools contracted for the meet,” Carroll said.