Political Tussle Bad Timing For G.R. Gymnast
Dispute between coach and gym leaves Teft in middle of tug-of-war.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.- Ask a ballplayer, or a financial advisor, or a salesman, even a Hollywood stunt double, and they'll all tell you the same thing:
Timing in everything.
Ask gymnast Katie Teft. Grand Rapids' youngest 1996 Olympic hopeful can tell you all about good timing, dating back to her conception.
She won't be 15 years old until September, which is the minimum age any 1996 Olympian must be some time this calendar year. If Tom and Joyce Teft would have had their youngest child three months later, Katie wouldn't even be thinking about going to Atlanta this summer.
Fortunately, Teft's Olympic dreams are alive this week at the Coca-Cola (read: major sponsor, no Pepsi to be found) U.S. National Gymnastics Championships. Teft needs a top 14 all-around finish to take her to the Olympic Trials in Boston at the end of the month, from which the top seven finishers will comprise the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics team.
She'll need to bounce back since the compulsory round left her in 13th place after a slip on the uneven bars, normally her best event. It's not an unusual thing- Teft often saves her best performances for the optional round.
Teft looks to do that today. It's that timing thing again.
But all of the timing involving Katie's gymnastics career has not been good, especially lately.
A not-so-friendly Rift
As Teft heads into the most important meets of he gymnastics career, the people who have worked together at Great Lakes Gymnastics to nurture Katie's talent are parting company in not very friendly fashion.
As a result, Teft is competing in Knoxville this week with her coach, John Geddert, and assistant coach Kathryn Geddert, John's wife. They have left Great Lakes, the Lansing gym owned by Don and Paula Hartwick.
The story became public knowledge this week just before Teft left for nationals. The Hartwicks cited "differences in philosophy" in a decision to terminate the employment of Geddert, Great Lakes' head coach and program director for 12 years.
Why couldn't this wait?
The timing of this business decision couldn't come at a worse time for Teft. She's as healthy as she's ever been after foot, back, and ankle injuries, ready to give the Olympics her best shot. It's the home stretch as far as the Trials are concerned and then-oh, by the way- find somewhere else to train.
For sure, the Hartwicks have the right to hire and fire anyone they want. And certainly, John Geddert doesn't have to stay anywhere he doesn't want to.
But couldn't this have waited, for Teft's sake?
Philosophical differences don't happen overnight.
Geddert said earlier this week he's had disagreements with one of his assistant coaches at the gym, Kim Hartwick Reinsch, the Hartwicks' daughter who also was Katie's floor exercise coach and choreographer. From Geddert's point of view, the "differences in philosophy" lie in their difficult relationship.
For sure, it isn't easy for Paula Hartwick to watch Katie to leave the gym. Teft lived with the Hartwicks for much of the winter, taking high school correspondence courses while training 35 hours a week at Great Lakes. Did she expect Katie to stay?
"It never crossed my mind," Paula said earlier this week, "that Katie would have to take sides."
But that's the result of this business decision. It hurt Katie at first. Leaving her friends behind at the gym left her in tears at times, but Teft is one tough customer. The same focus she's known for during competition has become evident in her training, and she nailed her first three routines this week at nationals before a physical mistake- not a mental one- cost her on bars.
It's too bad the adults in this situation couldn't have worked things out to benefit Teft, at least on a temporary basis. Could the Hartwicks have held off for another couple of months before making the decision to terminate Geddert? Could John have decided to stay through July, despite his "lame duck" status?
Both are moot points now. What's done is done, and John will open his own gym next month while the Hartwicks soon will have a new head coach and program director. But right now, in this Olympic summer, it's time to turn the focus back where it belongs. It's Katie's time to shine.
Article Courtesy Of: "The Grand Rapids Press"
Much thanks to Christine for typing this article!
Article Archive Home
