An interview with Tony Retrosi

photo credit Rebecca @ Syked Photography in Edmonton

 

In September, Jamie and I traveled to Edmonton to take a weekend clinic with Tony Retrosi. Since adding him on facebook early in 2013 I have become a huge fan of his coaching website Gym Momentum.

I am going to write my thoughts on the phenomenal clinic in the next few days however here is the email interview exchange we had.

How did you get into gymnastics?

I grew up in upstate NY where I did gymnastics at local YMCA’s . My mother was the program director. So I was a gym rat. 

When and why did you decide to coach WAG instead of MAG?

Like many coaches of “my generation” I started teaching gymnastics classes to help pay for my own training. I taught an equal amount of boys and girls classes. The place where I worked needed someone who could spot higher level skills (they loved me for my body not my brain!) so I started working with a girls team. 

When I was in college I was working out at a private club and teaching more girls classes and working with a boys developmental team. Again they used me as a spotter for upper level girl gymnasts.  I eventually finished my own competitive career and transferred to the University of NH where I took a job coaching at a small private club. I worked with both the boys and girls teams. Eventually they just needed me more with the girls teams. 

I still enjoy working with men's gymnastics although I am a little rusty!

Who was your most memorable and/or inspiring coach as an athlete?

I was very lucky to have some very good hard working coaches. The coach who gave me the LOVE of the sport and respect for training was John Bean in Rome, NY. 

One of the most FUN coaches I have had is Kip Reed.

Kip is still a friend of mine today and he works for me at Gym Momentum Camps. We recently did a clinic together for the USAIGC in NJ. Sometimes we get distracted by our own inside jokes!

(like the time I put a log in his pillow case)

The most influential coaches would be Don Tonry. Former coach at Yale. Taught me that there was a science to gymnastics. 

Dr. Joseph Massimo. Harvard Sports Psychologist and Coach. 

My Mom. Taught me to work hard. 

EVERY coach who comes to my clinics inspires me.

Memorable moment as an athlete?

Showing up to practice and finding out that Coach Bean had died over the weekend. It was a rough day but it made me realize how much influence one person can have in your life. 

You teach many clinics and give many talks, do you have a favorite speaking topic?
Lately I have really enjoyed teaching coaches HOW TO TEACH. A lecture title “Coaches as Educators”. I have been working on a book with the same title. I think there are many coaches who are better technicians than me but so many have forgotten that it really doesn’t matter WHAT you know if you can’t deliver it in a teachable fashion.

Do you have a clinic or talk that you've attended that has stuck in your memory or changed how you approached a certain skill or way of teaching?

I like to believe that I learn something every day. 

Last year in Calgary I had an epiphany on teaching different Round Offs. 

When did you know you were a career coach? 

My mother gave me pretty good advice when I went to the University. She said you can always coach- go get a degree in something else. I went to the University where I majored in History and Psychology and went to get my Masters in Psychology and secondary Education. 

I thought I was going to be a History Teacher. 

Through all of this I always coached on the side. 

As I developed my first group of elite gymnasts I could not do both so I focused on coaching. 

I love coaching, the interaction with kids. Teaching school you get that great kid for 1 year. In the gym I get to grow with them. 

How did you make the decision to open your own gym and work for yourself?

LOL- Long story short- I was going to be FIRED from the gym I was working at. It was either open up my own gym or move. 

(Andrea here.There is a longer story to this and it is hilarious to hear told by Tony)

What do think is key to athlete retention? 

Gymnastics needs to be FUN and Challenging. Sometimes you need to help the gymnasts set realistic and challenging goals and then help them reach them. Every kid is going to be different. If you have a “cookie cutter” program you are going to stagnate. 

Do you feel it's different between boys and girls? 

Boys mature so much later I think it is important to focus on the fun aspect of gymnastics. Teach them how to be “the cool kids” at school because they can do something others can’t. Guys want to be bad asses and rebels.

Girls like to be perfectionists and just blend in. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen my gymnasts out of the gym and they do everything they can to NOT be noticed. In the gym they can shine. 

Favorite Olympic moment?

When Aly Raisman was finishing her floor routine knowing she had locked the Gold medal in the Team the emotion was right there on the surface. I still get choked up thinking about it. Brestyan’s gymnastics is about an hour from me so we see each other at nearly every competition and training camp. I’ve seen her grow up. 

Watching that routine, my daughter was sitting next to me and we were both had tears in our eyes. 

(when Maddie, my daughter, asked me why I was getting emotional I told her it was because she was starting at the University in the fall and tuition was due. The USA winning Gold is great for our business.)

You just celebrated 23 years of marriage, how do you keep connected with travel and coaching hours?

My wife Stephanie is amazing. Here is something you may not know- We both do Stand Up Comedy. 

She never laughs at my jokes but her's CRACK me up. When we are home. We laugh a lot. 

When I am on the road we try to talk every day. Even if it is just a text message. 

Steph was a coach (which is how we met). So she gets what I do. When I am at the Ranch (National Team Training Camp in Houston) I never come home tanned and relaxed. She knows it’s work. 

Now my unsolicited advice to coaches

• Be passionate about coaching. It is a beautiful sport and you get to make a difference in the lives of many, many people. 
• Remember that you need to also have a hobby- something to work a different part of your brain. You need to relax so you don’t burn out. 
• The most important person you represent is yourself. Be ethical. 
• Learn something every day and pass it on.
• It’s not rocket science. Someone has already done it. Stop trying to reinvent the wheel
• Don’t let the kids listen to top 40 POP music in gym. Expand their musical tastes!

                                                                                

Tony is going to be returning to Alberta in March of 2014 for a two and a half day clinic so mark the 24th and 25th on your calendars because this is NOT to be missed. I am currently in the process of creating the registration website and facebook event and will post it up as soon as it is all ready. 

Please bear with us as this blog gets up and running. We will be adding to it constantly!

-Andrea