University of Georgia Athletics
Yoculan Blog: Competing at Full Potential
November 04, 2009 | Gymnastics
After spending more than 25 years as head coach of the Gym Dogs, Suzanne Yoculan provides a unique perspective on Georgia sports. During her tenure, the Gym Dogs won 10 national titles. In this entry, Yoculan comments on Keys to Competing at a Full Potential.
Since retirement, I've spoken to a number of civic clubs, management staffs and athletic teams. It seems everyone wants to know, "How did you do it?" How did our teams win five NCAA championship titles in a row? "Did you have the most talented athletes in all five of those years?" Is that how we did it? What is the secret to the Gymdogs' handling pressure, over-coming adversity, and no matter what the circumstances ---- finding a way to come out on top at the end of the year?
Their questions were legitimate; how did we do it? In 2005 we had four losses in a row and were ranked number 12 in the country, yet we came back to win the NCAA title. In 2006, I believe, we had the most talented team, but we had to figure out how NOT to mess it up. In 2007, Ashley Kupets and Kelsey Ericksen had career ending injuries two weeks prior to the NCAA's. They were both senior All Americans and starters on all four events, but somehow, we found a way to win. In 2008, the number one gymnast in the history of college gymnastics, Courtney Kupets, tore her Achilles and once again, everyone counted us out ----- everyone but us. Four different athletes stepped in for Courtney and we won again. In 2009, we had to overcome the pressure of defending four titles in a row, while two of the top athletes in college gymnastics and their coach handled their looming retirements. This was a different kind of pressure, but intense pressure nonetheless.
Giving these questions some thought forced me to compare the recent years of unlikely success to some of the previous years when were expected to win, but we fell off the beam under pressure, lost momentum early on and never recovered, or had uncharacteristic mistakes at the end of the year. Basically we competed below our potential, even though we had the talent to get the job done. What were the differences?
Trying to be succinct while providing a useful message, I came up with what I believe was critical for our team to compete at its full athletic potential:
KEYS TO COMPETING AT FULL POTENTIAL ----- HOW WE WON FIVE TITLES IN A ROW
1. We had a unified vision, shared jointly by everyone on the team and support staff..... to go all the way and to win the NCAA Title. There were NO naysayers. We were ALL believers.
2. We worked hard not to be distracted by our mistakes. We knew that mistakes would not cost us much but reacting to them could cost us a lot.
3. We respected each other so much that we never wanted to let anyone among us down. For this reason, we always worked harder and pushed more ---- for each other. When one person faltered, someone else picked it up ---- like it was natural. In and out of the gym, we had each others' back.
4. We had confidence in ourselves, in each other, and in the system. There was never any doubt in the foundation of the program or in what we were doing.
5. We all accepted leadership roles at different times and in different circumstances. Everyone embraced their roles as they changed from week to week. We all knew that leadership was not about position (seniors, top scorers, etc) but that leadership is about inspiring others and taking responsibility. Everyone embraced the way we approached leadership.
WE ALWAYS FOCUSED ON THE PROCESS AND WHAT WAS HAPPENING AT THE TIME, AND WE WORKED HARD NOT TO FOCUS ON THE END RESULTS.......
As a coach, once I was able to let go of "the need to win" and accepted just wanting to win, I became more effective in interactions with my teams. You see, I believe that when a coach feels "he needs to win," he feels he must prove something to someone. That need becomes an unbearable pressure. Years ago, when I felt like we had to win, I made emotional decisions instead of logical ones. In the last five years, my drive to win has been greater than ever, but I didn't feel the need to win any longer ----- experience perhaps? I guess.
Since retirement, I've spoken to a number of civic clubs, management staffs and athletic teams. It seems everyone wants to know, "How did you do it?" How did our teams win five NCAA championship titles in a row? "Did you have the most talented athletes in all five of those years?" Is that how we did it? What is the secret to the Gymdogs' handling pressure, over-coming adversity, and no matter what the circumstances ---- finding a way to come out on top at the end of the year?
Their questions were legitimate; how did we do it? In 2005 we had four losses in a row and were ranked number 12 in the country, yet we came back to win the NCAA title. In 2006, I believe, we had the most talented team, but we had to figure out how NOT to mess it up. In 2007, Ashley Kupets and Kelsey Ericksen had career ending injuries two weeks prior to the NCAA's. They were both senior All Americans and starters on all four events, but somehow, we found a way to win. In 2008, the number one gymnast in the history of college gymnastics, Courtney Kupets, tore her Achilles and once again, everyone counted us out ----- everyone but us. Four different athletes stepped in for Courtney and we won again. In 2009, we had to overcome the pressure of defending four titles in a row, while two of the top athletes in college gymnastics and their coach handled their looming retirements. This was a different kind of pressure, but intense pressure nonetheless.
Giving these questions some thought forced me to compare the recent years of unlikely success to some of the previous years when were expected to win, but we fell off the beam under pressure, lost momentum early on and never recovered, or had uncharacteristic mistakes at the end of the year. Basically we competed below our potential, even though we had the talent to get the job done. What were the differences?
Trying to be succinct while providing a useful message, I came up with what I believe was critical for our team to compete at its full athletic potential:
KEYS TO COMPETING AT FULL POTENTIAL ----- HOW WE WON FIVE TITLES IN A ROW
1. We had a unified vision, shared jointly by everyone on the team and support staff..... to go all the way and to win the NCAA Title. There were NO naysayers. We were ALL believers.
2. We worked hard not to be distracted by our mistakes. We knew that mistakes would not cost us much but reacting to them could cost us a lot.
3. We respected each other so much that we never wanted to let anyone among us down. For this reason, we always worked harder and pushed more ---- for each other. When one person faltered, someone else picked it up ---- like it was natural. In and out of the gym, we had each others' back.
4. We had confidence in ourselves, in each other, and in the system. There was never any doubt in the foundation of the program or in what we were doing.
5. We all accepted leadership roles at different times and in different circumstances. Everyone embraced their roles as they changed from week to week. We all knew that leadership was not about position (seniors, top scorers, etc) but that leadership is about inspiring others and taking responsibility. Everyone embraced the way we approached leadership.
WE ALWAYS FOCUSED ON THE PROCESS AND WHAT WAS HAPPENING AT THE TIME, AND WE WORKED HARD NOT TO FOCUS ON THE END RESULTS.......
As a coach, once I was able to let go of "the need to win" and accepted just wanting to win, I became more effective in interactions with my teams. You see, I believe that when a coach feels "he needs to win," he feels he must prove something to someone. That need becomes an unbearable pressure. Years ago, when I felt like we had to win, I made emotional decisions instead of logical ones. In the last five years, my drive to win has been greater than ever, but I didn't feel the need to win any longer ----- experience perhaps? I guess.
GymDogs Punch Ticket to Nationals
Sunday, April 05
Gym NCAA Regional - Nyla Aquino - Floor
Thursday, April 02
Gym NCAA Regional - Harley Tomlin - Floor
Thursday, April 02
Gym NCAA Regional - Kelise Woolford - Beam
Thursday, April 02