Peters Announces His Resignation as U.S. Gym Coach

Don Peters resigned Monday as coach of the U.S. Olympic women’s gymnastics team, saying that he wanted to derail the “media sideshow” he believes threatens the success of the team.

Peters’ resignation, announced two days after the completion of the Olympic trials in Salt Lake City, opens the door for the appointment of Bela Karolyi. Five of the eight gymnasts who qualified for the Olympic team are members of Karolyi’s club in Houston.

Peters, who coached the U.S. team to a silver medal in 1984, did produce any 1988 team members from his SCATS club in Huntington Beach. Several on this year’s U.S. team said they wanted Karolyi as their coach.

In his statement Monday from Huntington Beach, Peters criticized Mike Jacki, the director of the United States Gymnastics Federation, for failing to defend the selection of Peters, who was named coach in March.

“(Jacki) has chosen to remain ‘neutral’ and has been ambiguous at best in his support,” Peters said.

“Principals involved with the team, both coaches and athletes, have been forced to take sides in what has become a media sideshow that currently threatens our team’s chances for success in Seoul.

“Taking into consideration all that has transpired, I feel that it is in the best interests of the U.S. team for me to step down and resign my position as a U.S. Olympic coach.”

Karolyi club members who qualified for the U.S. team were first-place finisher Phoebe Mills, Brandy Johnson and Chelle Stack and alternates Rhonda Faehn and Kristie Phillips.

Said Mills during the trials: “I definitely think we should train in Houston (instead of the SCATS gym in Huntington Beach).”

When asked if Karolyi should coach, she added: “I think that should be obvious.”

Phillips also criticized Peters last week, saying his practices are not as intense as Karolyi’s.

“I can promise you that his workouts are not what five of the top eight girls are used to,” she said. “If we have to work under his program, it will hurt us all.”

Peters was named coach after the January resignation of Greg Marsden. Karolyi then resigned his commission as head of the delegation, which would have gotten him to Seoul but would not have allowed him to work with the athletes.

Peters, elected by a 6-2 vote of the Executive Committee of the USGF Board of Directors, disagreed with those who said he should not coach the team because most of the members belonged to Karolyi’s camp.

“No one at the time (of Marsden’s resignation) seemed to be of the opinion that we should wait until the final day of the Olympic Trials to see which coach would have the most gymnasts on the team,” Peters said.

“Both the plan and my choice of assistants were subject to ratifications by the (USGF). I fulfilled those obligations and submitted in February a complete plan for the preparation of our Olympic team, including my selection of assistant coaches.”

Peters had chosen Marta Karolyi, Bela’s wife, and Tom McCarthy as assistants.

“I might add that many committee members applauded my foresight in selecting Marta Karolyi as one of my assistant coaches so that the Karolyi club would be represented on the staff and their gymnasts, should they be on the team, would feel comfortable with the training process.”

Peters said he hopes his resignation will be best for the team.

“We have a wonderful group of girls on this year’s team,” he said. “They have the potential to win many medals for the United States in Seoul.

“They deserve the greatest support that we can give them, and that demands a unified effort from all concerned. It is my hope that by stepping down now that all the controversy can end and that unified effort can become a reality.”