AUBURN, Ala. – In his tenth season as Auburn's gymnastics coach Jeff Graba remains laser focused on the next practice, the next routine, the next meet.
But as Auburn's social media team has recently taken a digital stroll down memory lane, even the forward-thinking Graba has spent a few minutes reflecting on how far the Tigers' program has come in the past decade.
"You look back three or four or five years and it did wake me up to how small the crowds were when I first got here, and the expectations were different," said Graba, the three-time SEC Coach of the Year. "It's been a lot of fun to look back."
Attendance for Auburn gymnastics meets has nearly doubled since Graba's first season in 2011, when the Tigers averaged 3,583.
With arch-rival Alabama coming to town Friday for the Tigers' home opener, the 10th sellout of Graba's tenure is a possibility at Auburn Arena, which seats 7,424 for gymnastics.
"It is an advantage for us," Graba said. "We get a significant home-field advantage when we pack the place. Obviously, Alabama is used to a big crowd so that's not the issue.
"It's, can our people be as loud and obnoxious as they can, and give us some advantage, and maybe take some of the advantage away from a higher ranked team? I know our Auburn fans, that's how they're built so I hope they bring their A game."
Last season, Auburn's crowd helped the Tigers go 5-0 at Auburn Arena. "I think it will be really fun," senior Emma Slappey said. "Nothing gets our team pumped up more than a sellout crowd at Auburn Arena, so I'm really hoping that will happen this Friday, and especially Bama being our first meet, the Iron Bowl of gymnastics. I know we're really going to bring it on Friday."
SEC Network will broadcast Friday's meet, beginning at 8 p.m. CT.
"It is a big meet, but for us, it's just focusing on each skill," senior Gracie Day said. "Because if you hit each skill, you hit each routine and that's really what it comes down to."
The seniors have advice for Auburn's seven freshmen, who will get their first taste of the rivalry on Friday.
"Enjoy it, because it does go by really fast, so just taking each step and each turn as a blessing,' Day said.
"I know they're going to step up when we need them and I'm hoping they'll love the sell-out crowd in Auburn Arena on Friday night and I'm sure they'll get hyped about that," Slappey said.
"Nothing gets our team pumped up more than a sellout crowd at Auburn Arena."
— Jeff Shearer (@jeff_shearer) January 8, 2020
🗣 @e_slap13 @AuburnGym hosts @BamaGymnastics Friday at 8 p.m. CT on @SECNetwork
Here's Emma, @G2day0 & @CoachJeffGraba, who says of Auburn's 🤸♀️ fans: "I hope they bring their A game." ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/PrWREYV7jT
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer