Changes Force Teft to Switch Training Sites
At a pivotal time in her career, Olympic hopeful Katie Teft has had to deal with some unexpected changes. When her coach, John Geddert, was fired by Great Lakes Gymnastics, he had to find another place to train his gymnasts. That place is Spartan Gymnastics at Michigan State until he can open up his new Twistars USA club on August 1 at Lansing Ice Arena. But Teft can't work out at MSU because an NCAA rule prohibits athletes outside a 50-mile radius from coming to school to practice. The rule was enacted to keep college coaches from bringing in all the best talent from all over the state to play. "She lives 54 miles away," said a disgusted Geddert. "We petitioned the NCAA the minute it happened. I can't even talk to them since now I work for MSU, so I have to go through compliance officer. Dr. (Clarence) Underwood has been fantastic. But he's as frustrated as everyone else at how lackadaisically they have moved." The move to Grand Rapids has cut down the amount of coaching Teft gets. Only Geddert has been working with Teft. He usually has his staff working with her as well. But the good side is that she doesn't have to commute to Lansing every day. "She is a very happy girl right now," Geddert said. "The training in Grand Rapids may be a blessing in disguise because she doesn't have to travel two hours every day, she gets to sleep in her own bed. It's been killing me, but it's been a blessing to her." Teft doesn't let much effect her. She trains 6 1/2 hours a day starting at 7 a.m. She stretches for a half-hour and then works on her vaulting for at least an hour. Then she works on bars for 45 minutes to an hour before moving on to the beam and floor for an hour or so each. She then stretches for about 15 minutes before leaving. She comes back later in the day for two more hours of work. Doesn't she get sick of doing so much gymnastics? "Yes," Teft admitted. "But I think of my goals and if I give up, then I won't be able to make my goals." Her goal to make the Olympics started out as just a goal to hang with her sister, Jenny, now 23, who was in gymnastics. "She became an elite gymnast, but it wasn't as intense as what I'm doing now," Teft said. She turned out to be so good at it that she's closing in on her Olympic dream. But if she doesn't make it, she'll be OK. In the fall she is going back to Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central after taking the last semester off to concentrate on gymnastics. No more correspondence courses, no more gymnastics. Well, no more gymnastics for a while. A short while. Then it's back to training. The 2000 Olympics are just around the corner.
Article Courtesy Of: "The Lansing State Journal"
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