Dave sends this message sent to Cal Gymnastics Forever supporters …
“If you have not already heard, Cal Men’s Gymnastics & Baseball were not reinstated.
Women’s gymnastics, lacrosse and men’s rugby were reinstated.
I am just as disappointed as you are all. I have been in contact with the heads of the baseball fundraising effort and they are just as committed as ever to keep fighting this and gymnastics is as well. So I ask all of you to please keep the faith and that we are not done fighting this by any means.
Our strongest weapon right now is to keep the media pressure on and to keep raising money via pledges. We will be working side by side with Save Cal Sports so please email the following people with why you want be sending them money until all 5 sports are reinstated.
Chancellor Robert Birgeneau- chancellor@berkeley.edu
Vice Chancellor Frank Yeary- frankyeary@berkeley.edu
Athletic Director Sandy Barbour – athletic.director@berkeley.edu
And a link to the Cal women’s response by Head Coach Cari DuBois.
I was copied the email that went to Cal Gymnastics Alumni from legendary coach Hal Frey:
To all gymnastics enthusiasts I want you to know that I and a few other individuals are very involved in trying to reverse this cruel act by our Chancellor and A.D. Sandy Barbour. I will try to give you a synopsis on what happened and what may happen:
1. the rules of the game originally was that all five sports would raise a certain amount of money or all five sports would be dropped
2. The money was to put in a pool and shared in the fund raising.
3. Each sport was to raise money with their sport fans, followers, parents, etc.
4. Our Gymnastics supporters pledged over $900.000 and more pledges still filtering in
5. The sports that survived (Rugby and women Gymnastics and Lacrosse did not do a good job of fundraising but somehow they were bolstered by Rugby who seemed to have money from previous fund raising drives. In exchange they received Title Nine benefits and were reinstated.
6. I would recommend hanging tight on pledges and do not give up on our status. Baseball is very angry and seeking every avenue to be reinstated. They know that the campus is viewing their field and if dropped it will be snapped up .
7. Doing our best with the current Gymnastics team would be the ultimate rebuttal to what Sandy Barbour has done.
8. We have a fine team and they work hard and deserve our support and they are improving with each meet.
9. I was hoping for a one win over Stanford and we already have two wins over them. WE need at least one more.
10. you can write to any of our local newspapers expressing your dissatisfaction with the change of plan at the last minute on the five programs being divided and ignoring the original plan for fundraising and reinstatement …
I am A little Sad now but hope to cheer up for better days!
The fight goes on.
Which school will be next to face elimination?
Cal is only one battle in the bigger war that Men’s Collegiate Gymnastics is losing.
Gymnastics Coaching.com 