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Ohio State's Avery named Team USA gymnastics assistant
Source: OhioStateBuckeyes.com
Posted: Monday, July 21, 2008 4:45:00 PM EST
Published: Monday, July 21, 2008 4:48:38 PM EST
Posted: Monday, July 21, 2008 4:45:00 PM EST
Published: Monday, July 21, 2008 4:48:38 PM EST
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Miles Avery, 10-year veteran Ohio State men's gymnastics head coach, was named assistant coach of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Monday at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. For Avery, the 2008 USA Gymnastics Coach of the Year honoree, the Beijing Games will mark his fourth consecutive Olympics serving as an assistant coach for his country. The Philadelphia native will join U.S. head coach Kevin Mazeika of Houston on the competition floor this August in China.
"It's an honor and a great responsibility that I am prepared for," Avery, the personal coach of three-time Olympians Paul and Morgan Hamm, said. "Part of my job in this role is to act as the mediator for the personal coaches of the athletes who are not on the floor during the competition. I will be there for both the personal coaches and the athletes so this team can live up to its full potential."
Avery, who first served as an assistant at the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta, has coached four Olympians, including former Buckeyes Kip Simons (1991-94) and Blaine Wilson (1994-97), as well as the Hamm twins. In addition, the decorated coach has had two gymnasts be named Olympic alternates in Jamie Natalie (2000 Sydney) and Raj Bhavsar (2004 Athens).
Paul Hamm became the first U.S. male to win a gold medal in the all-around at the 2004 Athens Games. Under the guidance of Avery, Paul and his brother Morgan have made an incredible comeback to the sport to compete in their final Olympic Games after taking time off to earn their undergraduate degrees at Ohio State.
In Beijing, the U.S. men's gymnastics team is in Subdivision I. Its group includes Italy, Spain and three mixed groups, which are comprised of gymnasts not competing on a full team for their country. The squad, which starts on rings, will compete at noon Beijing time Aug. 9.
"It's an honor and a great responsibility that I am prepared for," Avery, the personal coach of three-time Olympians Paul and Morgan Hamm, said. "Part of my job in this role is to act as the mediator for the personal coaches of the athletes who are not on the floor during the competition. I will be there for both the personal coaches and the athletes so this team can live up to its full potential."
Avery, who first served as an assistant at the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta, has coached four Olympians, including former Buckeyes Kip Simons (1991-94) and Blaine Wilson (1994-97), as well as the Hamm twins. In addition, the decorated coach has had two gymnasts be named Olympic alternates in Jamie Natalie (2000 Sydney) and Raj Bhavsar (2004 Athens).
Paul Hamm became the first U.S. male to win a gold medal in the all-around at the 2004 Athens Games. Under the guidance of Avery, Paul and his brother Morgan have made an incredible comeback to the sport to compete in their final Olympic Games after taking time off to earn their undergraduate degrees at Ohio State.
In Beijing, the U.S. men's gymnastics team is in Subdivision I. Its group includes Italy, Spain and three mixed groups, which are comprised of gymnasts not competing on a full team for their country. The squad, which starts on rings, will compete at noon Beijing time Aug. 9.
