January/February 1985 four years Grossfeld terms as successful and in the worked on . My gymnasts have always listened to my advice and everything has worked out well for me, " college ranks his name became poison to opposing he said with his slight New York accent. teams. "My background helped me get a scholarship For the general television viewer, the men's gymwhich my family needed because they were too poor to pay for my college education. " After receiving a nastics competition was a seesaw battle for the gold masters degree from Illinois, the young Grossfeld medal between the United States and China. That batmoved into the real world, securing a job at the Coast tle was set up by a strong showing in the compulsories Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. "1 was by the United States. " I felt we outperformed them there one year then I moved to Southern Connecticut (China) in the compulsories . We performed a number of routines better than they did and the results were State College and now I'm at Southern Connecticut State University." correct, we did beat them by a point. " That move took place 21 years ago. After coaching After the meet was over, the Chinese claimed the American scores were and competing for five overrated, too high, and years, Grossfeld decided to put all of his energies into they actually should have won tha t portion of the coaching and dropped his meet. Under close inspecname from the competition arena . "I' ve been fairly tion by Grossfeld and successful," he admits . "other objective people," the results of the compulReviewing some of that sories were correct. In opmodest success shows his tional competition , the teams have captured 29 Chinese came back to deNCAA Division II individfeat the Americans . "They ual championships, three team titles and four secdidn't say anything about onds . Then with the acquithat but I guess they were sition of Peter Korman , looking at the optionals the same way they were lookMario McCutcheon and ing at the compulsories. It Wally Miller, SCU decided makes me laugh they to become a big duck in a would pick on the compulbig pond and moved up to sories rather than the Division 1. "The first two general." years we wound up third There are many things a and the next two we placed coach has to keep his mind fifth in the NCAA," he on during the competition. said . Not only did Grossfeld An important ingredient have to concentrate on the present in many of the routines the gymnasts great athletes and coaches were performing, he had who have taken advanto be aware of a million tage of their sport to incite other aspects of this meet others around them into tha t were happening all history making performaround, simultaneously. ances, is humility. Much of Inspecting the overall the time this is brought mental attitude the team about by the ability to see portrayed during the inthings for what they are tense competition, Grossand remember things for feld feels it was a strong what they were. "1 never point. But there were cerlose site of the fact that I tainly cracks in that strong competed and I try to look wall that if not dealt with at things from the athlete's immediately and surely, perspective. I feel I've been d ABlE GROSSFELD the final results could have th t d f a stu ent 0 e spor an USA COACHING CAREER been altered . "I tried to do have really taken great 1984 Men's Na tional and Olympic Team Coach what I could in terms of not pains to know what the 1983 Men's World Championships Coach, Budapes t Hunga ry 1981 Men's World Championships Coach, Moscow, USSR sport is all about." getting too high. By trying 1981 Men's Na tio nal Tea m Coach to get their thinking away His knowledge, coupled 1972 Men's O lympic Coach, Munich, West Germany (F RC) 1968 Women's Assistant Olympic Coach from, 'Hey, this is it, this is with his motivational 1966 Men's Wo rld Championshi ps Coach, Dortmo nd , Wes t Germany the Olympics,' because if skills, have made him a 1964 Men's Assistant O lympic Coach; Tokyo, Ja pan COLLEGIATE COACHING CAREER you think that way, you personable, but effective 125 NCAA All-A mericas can work yourself into a coach. "Motivating peo- 29 NCAA Champio ns nervous frenzy." 10-tim e Eas tern Coach of the Yea r ple, getting them to re3-time NCAA Coach of the Yea r The first crack in the spond, to work hard, is 3 NCAA Di vision II Tea m Champio nships (73-74-76) strong mental wall came something I have reall y 4 Nissa n Awa rd Wi nn ers USGF Coach of the Year
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