Arizona gymnastics coach John Court has been named interim head coach for the upcoming 2017-18 season after Tabitha Yim accepted a head coaching position at Stanford University. Due to Court’s many years working with the GymCats on vault and floor exercise, he was the logical choice.
“I love coach Tabitha, and if she did not retain me two years ago I wouldn’t be in this position, personal or professionally,” Court said. “So I owe that to her because she had that choice at that time.”
Serving as the GymCats recruiting coordinator as well as being the assistant coach for 19 years, Court assisted the team in extending its streak to 31-consecutive NCAA regional appearances as well as a trip to the 2002 NCAA Championships.
Court has also received the 2007 and 2012 South Central Regional Assistant Coach of the Year.
“Head coaching in general has always been a goal,” Court said. “After being the head coach for three years in Vermont you learn from everybody. You learn things that are great to do and things you don’t want to do as well.”
Prior to Arizona, Court was an assistant coach at the University of Vermont for five years and head coach for the last three years.
Before going to Vermont, Court was an assistant coach alongside his mother Jackie Court who was a head coach for 33 years.
Court learned many lessons working not only alongside his mother but also by competing against her.
“With her, it wasn’t about the X’s and O’s, it was about the student-athletes and dealing with people. How to be positive and listen, and knowing how to fight,” Court said.
Arizona has always been special to Court and has grown to be a part of him. He said he hopes that he can stay at Arizona for as long as possible. Court gives a lot of credit to the athletics department and how it has evolved over the past two decades.
“Watching the program grow has made us more competitive as an athletic department and also for the gymnastics team,” Court said. “I have always felt that [the athletics department] have always been good to me here. We have a fantastic coaching staff and are in the process of hiring a new coach. We have a great support staff here that helps the gymnastics team.”
The Arizona gymnastics season is still some time away, but the GymCats will be starting official workouts next week in preparation.
“We knew as a staff that last year could’ve been better. We devised a plan, and the new plan is really about the process including accountability and clearer lines of communication,” Court. “It’s not about me; it’s about us, and we are all going to take the journey together.”
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