There are many former elite gymnasts who now are coaches in the NCAA. This week we take an in-depth look at our next coach, Courtney McCool-Griffeth. 
 

As an elite gymnast, McCool was a 2004 Olympic Silver Medalist with Team USA while training at GAGE under coaches Al and Armine Fong. McCool was the runner-up in the all-around at the Visa American Cup and at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials.

Following her successful elite career McCool went on to compete at the University of Georgia. McCool became an All-American and National Champion for the University of Georgia, winning three team titles (2007, 2008, and 2009), and was crowned 2008 NCAA Champion on floor exercise. 

McCool is now in her third year as coaches’ assistant at Texas Women’s University. McCool coaches alongside her husband Garrett Griffeth. McCool is the floor coach and also leads the team with their conditioning program. She also assists on beam with head coach Lisa Bowerman. 



Gymnastike recently caught up with Courtney McCool-Griffeth

 

 

Is it exciting to be coaching among so many friends and fellow elite gymnasts?

It is crazy where we are in life already. It is an honor to work with teammates and athletes that I looked up to growing up. It is fun to see how they coach. I am thankful to my coaches I had throughout as they were all great mentors to me. It is great to be coaching with coaches who coached me!

 

You mentioned you had great mentors, who were those mentors?

First I have to say Al and Armine, my club coaches. They have a huge place in my heart. They have done so much for me and made me a part of their family. I look up to Armine for her choreography and I learned a lot from her. Jay Clark, I look up to him in so many ways. He is why I went to Georgia. He loved the Georgia tradition and taught that to me. Jay helped me step back and grow and shine as people. It was so amazing to coach alongside him during my 5th year. It is a dream of mine to coach alongside him again. He is an all-around awesome person. Also Mary Lee Tracy is a mentor to me, she is an incredible teacher. She trained alongside her athletes growing up and I have coached at her camps for years now. I look up to her and I am just in ‘aw’ of her as a coach. Of course my mom is another mentor to me. She has always been there for me. She is incredible, strong, independent and a great listener. She left things in my arms and never told me what to do and I am so thankful for that. 

 

What is the best part about being a NCAA college coach?

I love teaching my athletes how to balance life. This is such an important time in their life and I enjoying teaching them on their journey. I love to teach them to use something they love to get them where they want to be. I love learning from them and love teaching them selflessness. I enjoy continuing relationships beyond gymnastics. I have had similar experiences as them and it is great to share that with them. 

 

What is it like coaching with your husband?

It is incredible to coach with him! We both come from different backgrounds with the sport of gymnastics and it is fun to learn from each other. We are very different as coaches and I think it is a great balance. We learn from each other inside and outside of the gym. We help each other figure things out and remind each other to take a step back sometimes. Coaching is continuing to strengthen our marriage. The mentors that we had growing up were coaching couples and we learned a lot from them. We are now excited to share our love for the sport with our little girl that we are expecting in November! We are so excited to teach our daughter and watch her grow. It is exciting to think about having our daughter in the gym with us and see our athletes interact with her. 

What brought you to Texas Women’s? 

The lord! He guided us here the week that our lease was up in Ohio. My husband and I knew that our heart was in college coaching so we starting applying for positions. We both got calls, but knew we wanted to coach together. We got the call from TWU and we were both hired on. Being a Division II school, TWU had flexibility to hire us both. Garrett was hired on as assistant coach and I was hired on as coaches’ assistant. That position allows me to work other camps and do choreography. At TWU I coach beam and floor while Garrett coaches Vault and Bars.  

You had a very successful career at Georgia, what can you bring from that experience to your athletes? 

I get fired up thinking about my time at Georgia, I loved being in the SEC! Sometimes I think I am too loud and intense here at TWU. I have a burning fire for my athletes to reach their goals and dreams. Growing up at Georgia was so incredible have a family feel and support. I want to pour my heart and soul from that into my athletes. I learned from adversity at Georgia and I want to bring my mistakes and experiences to them. 

You coach at a Division II school in Texas, what are your thoughts on getting more programs into Texas? 

Texas has so many gyms and clubs here. Texas could be a powerhouse! There are many gymnasts that might love to go to college so close to home. Division II is a different animal, however the goal is the same, to overcome challenges and shape you into a human being. I do love the intensity from division I and the SEC. I love being around hard working people and give 110%. 

 

What was it like to host such an exciting NCAA Championships last season? What did you learn from the experience? 

It was interesting to go in early and learn everything that it takes to put a championship together. I enjoyed watching the girls compete and gymnasts I grew up with. It was also great for my athletes to watch and they were extremely motivated after. It was cool to watch the coaches I grew up with as they coached their teams. It was interesting to see how they handled the success and defeat throughout the weekend. I learned new things as a coach and as a university, it was an incredible weekend! 

 

What are your goals as a coach?

I just want to continue to learn! I would fall over if I got the chance to assist with Jay Clark again. I just want to be all in where I am at and be prepared for what is next. I want to continue to coach with my husband. I also want to have the opportunity to lead- I would love to be a head coach in the SEC. I want to be able to bring my intensity and philosophy of gymnastics to my athletes. 

 

Anything else you would like to share with us?

I love the gymnastics community. I want young gymnasts and fans to love their character building days, those are the days that shape you. The tough/hard days are the days that bring you closer to your goals and dreams. Continue on the path and keep pushing. I like the unknown and new opportunities and challenges. I am so thankful for the mistakes and heartbreaks that I went through, those are the moments that shaped me to who I am today.  
 

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