July 11, 2011
LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky gymnastics assistant coach Chuck Dickerson has been retained, while Mary McDaniel, a successful club coach in Kansas, has joined the staff as an assistant coach, gymnastics head coach Tim Garrison announced Monday.
“I think it is very important that you surround yourself and your program with high-character people who have a passion for their jobs,” Garrison said. “That would be the way I would describe both of these fine coaches. I am confident that Chuck and Mary both possess the type of coaching ability and leadership to give our student-athletes the best chance to succeed. We are excited about hitting the gym and getting started.”
Dickerson, who was the 2010 Gymnastics Assistant Coach of the Year for the central region by the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches, has enjoyed four very successful seasons as an assistant coach for Kentucky. Dickerson coached vault and uneven bars for the Wildcats in 2011, guiding UK to a school-record team score on vault of 49.4, while the Wildcats tied a school record team-score on bars with a 49.325.
In 2009, Dickerson led Kentucky to a school-record regional qualifying score on vault with a 49.15 mark. In 2010, under the tutelage of Dickerson, then-sophomore Whitney Rose became the first UK gymnast to qualify for nationals since 2006 when she scored a 9.9 to tie for first during regional competition.
“I am very happy that Chuck Dickerson will be continuing his role as assistant coach for the Wildcats,” Garrison said. “In his first four years, Chuck has guided this program to several school records and was named the 2010 Assistant Coach of the Year. On top of being an outstanding recruiter, he is a fantastic coach in the gym. I look forward to working with him as we continue to build this program into something the Commonwealth of Kentucky can be proud of.”
McDaniel comes to Kentucky from McCracken’s Gymnastics and Swim in Olathe, Kan., where she held countless titles, including head coach and meet director since 1991. While in Olathe, McDaniel was directly responsible for all aspects of McCracken’s team program, including personally training and coaching all level nine and 10 gymnasts and helping design routines, practice schedules and performance requirements.
The native of Olathe also coached at Gym Country Gymnastics is Tulsa, Okla., where she specialized as a beam and floor coach. Over her 20-plus years of coaching club, McDaniel has coached numerous athletes to USA Gymnastics Western Nationals and level 10 USA Gymnastics Junior Olympic Nationals. McDaniel has also coached numerous athletes to state and regional championships, while helping a large handful of gymnasts to Division I programs across the nation.
“I am also thrilled by the addition of Mary McDaniel to our staff and family here at Kentucky,” Garrison said. “I am confident that she has the wealth of knowledge and experience over her 20-plus years in coaching to really be an influential voice for our student-athletes. Her countless achievements in coaching have prepared her to be a great collegiate coach and I feel she is a perfect fit for our program.”
Kentucky’s season will begin in early January. For more information on the Kentucky gymnastics team, follow “UKGymnastics” on Twitter and Facebook.
