Gymnastics coach
- Thread starter TIGER-PAUL
- Start date
Interesting. I never got a good vibe from Snider. Having watched the press conference today, I do get a good vibe from Coach MacPherson. I like she’s going out of her way to meet each of her gymnasts one on one. I think she definitely has the “X’s and O’s” knowledge. I also think she will be a good leader for the team.
I don’t know the first thing about gymnastics, but the consensus seems to be that he gymnastics community was surprised that it took her this long to jump on a head coaching opportunity, and that they were surprised that Pitt was her choice (not anything personal against Pitt, but more about Pitt’s lack of tradition). The consensus seems to be that this is a really good hire for Pitt, and that she will be able to attract upper-level talent on the balance beam, in particular.
You could really say the same thing about our soccer coaches. Pitt mens and women’s soccer had a no tradition, except being terrible. Both hired top level coaches who could have gone to far more traditional powerhouse soccer programs. But some coaches can build programs and are motivated to do that. This tells me that this coach is given full reign to build the program their way with all the resources and backing by the athletic program.
In soccer, Pitt had the ACC; the chance to build a program in, by far, the top conference in the sport. Pitt got very lucky with Vidovich, being originally at Wake, and that he wanted back in college and specifically in the ACC, and most precisely that Pitt had that ACC head coaching spot open at the exact right time. Waldrum, similar story, (former successful college coach wanting to get back into college) but he doesn't come to Pitt if Vidovich isn't there and if Pitt isn't in the ACC.
Not so for gymnastics. The ACC will be a brand new 4-team mid-major type of league but Heather clearly did a great job selling the vision and the new facility.
Sure, soccer was in the ACC, but not that long. And they have been horrible. The coaches that took over were coaches with amazing histories that far exceeded what Pitt was worthy of having. This was an overhaul for them and it paid off. From traditionally horrible to actually ACC competitive.
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