Army West Point Athletics
Gymnastics Blog: Rings and West Point Things
September 03, 2015 | Men's Gymnastics
"Oh my Gosh, sir/ma'am! What a beautiful ring! What a crass mass of brass and glass! What a bold mold of rolled gold! What a cool jewel you got from your school! See how it sparkles and shines? It must have cost you a fortune! May I touch it, may I touch it please, sir/ma'am?"
This rhyme, known as the "Ring Poop", was heard all around West Point as the firsties returned with their rings. This ritual was just the beginning of a special occasion called Ring Weekend. Ring Weekend includes a ceremony where seniors are awarded their West Point class ring and a formal dinner to celebrate. West Point was the first American school to have class rings, so the weekend is full of age-old traditions. My favorite tradition is watching the aforementioned "Ring Poop". After the firsties receive their rings, they are crowded by plebes saying the fun verse. This is pretty entertaining to witness because if any of the plebes say it incorrectly, the whole group has to start over. Another awesome aspect of Ring Weekend is the variety of rings. During Cow year, cadets design their rings and can customize the size, color, and stone. Gymnasts Jesse Glenn, Chris Short and Michael York all designed beautiful rings!
While the firsties were enjoying Ring Weekend festivities, the yearling and cow gymnasts enjoyed a different West Point tradition- the Indoor Obstacle Course Test (IOCT). The IOCT is administered in Hayes Gym by the Department of Physical Education and tests full body functional fitness. The test is composed of eleven different events performed in order. Some highlights and trouble areas for cadets are the 8-foot horizontal shelf, the 16-foot vertical rope, and the 350-meter sprint to finish. For me, the run is the most difficult portion because it is the last event and I feel like I've held my breath until that point. The coughing or shortness of breath that almost always follows the IOCT is widely known as Hayes Lung. Fortunately, Army West Point gymnasts have great training and are able to perform well at this graduation requirement. You can watch a video of the IOCT being performed at the following link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94tPO0fGtJo
To add onto a week full of activities, Army West Point gymnastics had team photos on Tuesday. We all suited up in our new warm-ups for a few pictures taken by Dr. Malinowski. We took a team shot on the second floor with the gym and recently added banners serving as our backdrop. Dr. Malinowski then took individual headshots and action shots of the plebes. After pictures, the team got back to business and had a successful practice. It will be nice to see how the pictures turn out!
Through all of the events and daily West Point requirements, Army West Point gymnasts have been in the gym on a consistent basis. We are getting better and stronger every day. We want another conference win and are working to make it happen. Stay tuned to read more about Army West Point gymnastics.
Go Army!
Joe Pritts
This rhyme, known as the "Ring Poop", was heard all around West Point as the firsties returned with their rings. This ritual was just the beginning of a special occasion called Ring Weekend. Ring Weekend includes a ceremony where seniors are awarded their West Point class ring and a formal dinner to celebrate. West Point was the first American school to have class rings, so the weekend is full of age-old traditions. My favorite tradition is watching the aforementioned "Ring Poop". After the firsties receive their rings, they are crowded by plebes saying the fun verse. This is pretty entertaining to witness because if any of the plebes say it incorrectly, the whole group has to start over. Another awesome aspect of Ring Weekend is the variety of rings. During Cow year, cadets design their rings and can customize the size, color, and stone. Gymnasts Jesse Glenn, Chris Short and Michael York all designed beautiful rings!
While the firsties were enjoying Ring Weekend festivities, the yearling and cow gymnasts enjoyed a different West Point tradition- the Indoor Obstacle Course Test (IOCT). The IOCT is administered in Hayes Gym by the Department of Physical Education and tests full body functional fitness. The test is composed of eleven different events performed in order. Some highlights and trouble areas for cadets are the 8-foot horizontal shelf, the 16-foot vertical rope, and the 350-meter sprint to finish. For me, the run is the most difficult portion because it is the last event and I feel like I've held my breath until that point. The coughing or shortness of breath that almost always follows the IOCT is widely known as Hayes Lung. Fortunately, Army West Point gymnasts have great training and are able to perform well at this graduation requirement. You can watch a video of the IOCT being performed at the following link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94tPO0fGtJo
To add onto a week full of activities, Army West Point gymnastics had team photos on Tuesday. We all suited up in our new warm-ups for a few pictures taken by Dr. Malinowski. We took a team shot on the second floor with the gym and recently added banners serving as our backdrop. Dr. Malinowski then took individual headshots and action shots of the plebes. After pictures, the team got back to business and had a successful practice. It will be nice to see how the pictures turn out!
Through all of the events and daily West Point requirements, Army West Point gymnasts have been in the gym on a consistent basis. We are getting better and stronger every day. We want another conference win and are working to make it happen. Stay tuned to read more about Army West Point gymnastics.
Go Army!
Joe Pritts
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