Faced with the possibility of dropping gymnastics as a sport, the Annandale School District has finally found a new gymnastics coach.
Tara Groth, a former University of Minnesota gymnast who won multiple state high school titles, was recently hired by Cardinals Activities Director Luke MacLean.
The gymnastics coaching position has been vacant since last March, when the school board accepted the resignations of Head Coach Danielle Leinonen and assistants Kelsey Hogie and Jen Mitchell.
The search for a new coach was not easy and as the 2017-18 season was approaching, there was talk of dropping the gymnastics program or finding a neighboring district that would consider pairing with Annandale for gymnastics.
Groth is a resident of Delano with considerable gymnastics and coaching experience. For the past six years she has been the sole owner, program director and head coach of the Mid-Minnesota Gymnastics Academy in Elk River.
She was the head coach from 2007 to 2011 at Olympic Gymnastics in Plymouth (USAG levels 5,6,7), where she created all of the lesson plans, taught all of the routines and supervised more than 40 gymnasts.
From 2005 to 2006, Groth was the head high school gymnastics coach at Wayzata High School, where she coached around 30 gymnasts.
"I designed and taught all of their routines and managed to build a very talented team," she said in her resume.
Accomplished gymnast
Groth grew up in Corcoran, but graduated from Maple Grove High School in 2000, where she was a state championship gymnast. She was the all-around state champion in 2000, and that same year also won state titles in floor exercise and the uneven parallel bars.
Groth graduated in 2004 from the University of Minnesota with a double major in criminal justice and communications. While at the university she competed in Division 1 gymnastics, on the floor and the vault for the Golden Gophers.
Assembling a staff
Groth has lined up three very experienced assistant coaches to help her with the Annandale team.
Briquelle Bowden was a level 10 gymnast and will be assisting the team twice a week. Bowden’s husband will also come with his wife as a spotter.
Margaret Schwieger, who worked with Groth at Mid-Minnesota Gymnastics Academy, will be helping out every day at practice.
According to Groth, Charlie Aydt was a great gymnast, judge and head coach, and he will be assisting with the team once a week.
"Gymnastics has been a huge part of my entire life," said Groth, who describes herself as a very involved, hands-on coach who has proven to be capable of running a successful gymnastics program.
She plans on creating a competitive feeder program, which Annandale does not now have.
"First, I want to get the high school program up and running," she said. "I will get to developing the feeder program next year."
Groth will attempt to get more Annandale girls to join the gymnastics team. She has set up meetings this week for all those that might be interested.