University of Georgia Athletics
Photo by: Tony Walsh/UGAAA
Roberts Brings Energy, Passion To Everything He Does
May 01, 2024 | Gymnastics, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
Remember those Most Interesting Man in the World beer commercials from a few years back? They presented a fictional cool guy in maybe his late 50s or early 60s who had experienced a bit of everything in life and did it all with panache.
Ryan Roberts, who last Thursday was named co-head coach of the Georgia gymnastics team along with Cecile Canqueteau–Landi, might actually be the most interesting guy around. Roberts was a collegiate gymnast who saw both schools he attended shut down their men's gymnastics programs. The day after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, he enlisted in the Marines.
After four years in the Corps, Roberts returned to school and earned a degree in psychology from UMass-Amherst, followed by a master's degree in theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. He then dedicated himself to coaching, eventually becoming the Norwegian National Team head coach. He then spent five years coaching at the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy in Texas, before deciding to give collegiate coaching a try. After four years coaching at Alabama, Roberts joined Courtney Kupets Carter's staff in 2022.
Kupets Carter was dismissed as head coach on April 19, and last week, Josh Brooks, Georgia's J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics, announced that Roberts and Canqueteau–Landi, perhaps best known as one of Simone Biles' personal coaches along with her husband, Laurent, would take over the program as co-head coaches.
"We had six days of wondering that felt like six weeks," Roberts said, adding with a laugh, "Friday was probably the most stressful day of my entire professional career. ... It's good stress, but there are a lot of things to do."
It is, clearly, a very interesting life that Roberts is living, though he laughed at the Most Interesting Man title.
"I don't know about that," he said. "A lot of the stuff in my younger days, it was because I didn't know what I wanted to do. I was a psychology major at the University of Massachusetts, ... and when 9/11 happened, I went to the recruiting office the next day — so 9/11 was a catalyst for me. I joined the Marines, did four years, and went right back into coaching afterward."
Having co-head coaches in collegiate sports isn't the norm, but it's not unheard of. California's women's gymnastics program is headed by Justin Howell and Elisabeth Crandall-Howell. Former Georgia All-American men's tennis player Mike Sell and his wife Julia led the LSU women's team from 2015-22, and Tennessee's women's tennis team was recently led by co-head coaches for nearly 20 years.
In all of those cases, the co-heads were married. That's not the case for the GymDogs, but Roberts and Canqueteau–Landi have known one another for many years and worked together at the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy. Roberts said he tried to get her to join the staff at Alabama when he was there.
"It is a little bit unorthodox. However, the mutual respect that Cecile and I have for each other, with decision-making, the way we operate, athlete-centric decision-making, we felt like teaming both of us up was what was best for the team," he said. "We're not 'yes' people, so iron sharpens iron, and we feel like we're going to be able to strengthen each other."
A lot of the coaching details and duties still have to be worked out, and some of that will depend on the coaching staff they assemble, Roberts said, but he is very confident that the GymDogs, who won 10 NCAA titles between 1985-2009 under Suzanne Yoculan Leebern, will one day soon be back among the top programs in the country.
"We felt like this was going to be the best scenario to get this team in the right direction," he said. "It's a bit unorthodox, but mark my words, it's going to work."
In announcing the hire, Brooks said "Cecile and Ryan are two of the most accomplished gymnastics coaches in the sport. The combination of their leadership and experiences will give us one the most dynamic coaching staffs in the country."
While Canqueteau–Landi competed for her native France in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Roberts' career included a U.S. Junior Olympic national all-around title and collegiate stops at New Mexico and UMass-Amherst. He was at New Mexico when it shut its program down, transferred to UMass-Amherst, and was wrapping up his career there when it announced it was ending its men's gymnastics program.
Roberts' time in the Marine Corps was "an informative experience," he said, and has shaped the rest of his life.
"I learned a lot — small-unit leadership, that's what we're doing right here. Morale, teamwork, discipline, proficiency, that's how I want to lead the team. You can go through tough times and have high morale still because we understand the benefit of what we're doing, and we can push ourselves as long as our morale is good."
Roberts is a high-energy guy who brings a strong passion for the sport with him to work every day. The passion started when he was a teenager playing a lot of different sports, but when his parents said he needed to focus on one, gymnastics was the obvious choice.
"I love the sport, and I had really good club coaches that taught me the passion for the sport, the technical expertise," he said. "None of my family did gymnastics so I guess it's interesting that I chose it, but I'm glad I did. The only time I've really been away from gymnastics since I was 5 years old is the four years I spent in the Marine Corps."
A most interesting man, indeed, and very interesting and exciting days and years are ahead for the GymDogs.
Staff Writer
Remember those Most Interesting Man in the World beer commercials from a few years back? They presented a fictional cool guy in maybe his late 50s or early 60s who had experienced a bit of everything in life and did it all with panache.
Ryan Roberts, who last Thursday was named co-head coach of the Georgia gymnastics team along with Cecile Canqueteau–Landi, might actually be the most interesting guy around. Roberts was a collegiate gymnast who saw both schools he attended shut down their men's gymnastics programs. The day after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, he enlisted in the Marines.
After four years in the Corps, Roberts returned to school and earned a degree in psychology from UMass-Amherst, followed by a master's degree in theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. He then dedicated himself to coaching, eventually becoming the Norwegian National Team head coach. He then spent five years coaching at the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy in Texas, before deciding to give collegiate coaching a try. After four years coaching at Alabama, Roberts joined Courtney Kupets Carter's staff in 2022.
Kupets Carter was dismissed as head coach on April 19, and last week, Josh Brooks, Georgia's J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics, announced that Roberts and Canqueteau–Landi, perhaps best known as one of Simone Biles' personal coaches along with her husband, Laurent, would take over the program as co-head coaches.
"We had six days of wondering that felt like six weeks," Roberts said, adding with a laugh, "Friday was probably the most stressful day of my entire professional career. ... It's good stress, but there are a lot of things to do."
It is, clearly, a very interesting life that Roberts is living, though he laughed at the Most Interesting Man title.
"I don't know about that," he said. "A lot of the stuff in my younger days, it was because I didn't know what I wanted to do. I was a psychology major at the University of Massachusetts, ... and when 9/11 happened, I went to the recruiting office the next day — so 9/11 was a catalyst for me. I joined the Marines, did four years, and went right back into coaching afterward."
Having co-head coaches in collegiate sports isn't the norm, but it's not unheard of. California's women's gymnastics program is headed by Justin Howell and Elisabeth Crandall-Howell. Former Georgia All-American men's tennis player Mike Sell and his wife Julia led the LSU women's team from 2015-22, and Tennessee's women's tennis team was recently led by co-head coaches for nearly 20 years.
In all of those cases, the co-heads were married. That's not the case for the GymDogs, but Roberts and Canqueteau–Landi have known one another for many years and worked together at the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy. Roberts said he tried to get her to join the staff at Alabama when he was there.
"It is a little bit unorthodox. However, the mutual respect that Cecile and I have for each other, with decision-making, the way we operate, athlete-centric decision-making, we felt like teaming both of us up was what was best for the team," he said. "We're not 'yes' people, so iron sharpens iron, and we feel like we're going to be able to strengthen each other."
A lot of the coaching details and duties still have to be worked out, and some of that will depend on the coaching staff they assemble, Roberts said, but he is very confident that the GymDogs, who won 10 NCAA titles between 1985-2009 under Suzanne Yoculan Leebern, will one day soon be back among the top programs in the country.
"We felt like this was going to be the best scenario to get this team in the right direction," he said. "It's a bit unorthodox, but mark my words, it's going to work."
In announcing the hire, Brooks said "Cecile and Ryan are two of the most accomplished gymnastics coaches in the sport. The combination of their leadership and experiences will give us one the most dynamic coaching staffs in the country."
While Canqueteau–Landi competed for her native France in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Roberts' career included a U.S. Junior Olympic national all-around title and collegiate stops at New Mexico and UMass-Amherst. He was at New Mexico when it shut its program down, transferred to UMass-Amherst, and was wrapping up his career there when it announced it was ending its men's gymnastics program.
Roberts' time in the Marine Corps was "an informative experience," he said, and has shaped the rest of his life.
"I learned a lot — small-unit leadership, that's what we're doing right here. Morale, teamwork, discipline, proficiency, that's how I want to lead the team. You can go through tough times and have high morale still because we understand the benefit of what we're doing, and we can push ourselves as long as our morale is good."
Roberts is a high-energy guy who brings a strong passion for the sport with him to work every day. The passion started when he was a teenager playing a lot of different sports, but when his parents said he needed to focus on one, gymnastics was the obvious choice.
"I love the sport, and I had really good club coaches that taught me the passion for the sport, the technical expertise," he said. "None of my family did gymnastics so I guess it's interesting that I chose it, but I'm glad I did. The only time I've really been away from gymnastics since I was 5 years old is the four years I spent in the Marine Corps."
A most interesting man, indeed, and very interesting and exciting days and years are ahead for the GymDogs.
Assistant Sports Communications Director John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
Georgia Gymnastics Pre NCAAs Presser - Co-Head Coaches Cécile Canqueteau-Landi and Ryan Roberts
Tuesday, April 14
Georgia Gymnastics Pre NCAAs Presser - Nyla Aquino and Ady Wahl
Tuesday, April 14
GymDogs Punch Ticket to Nationals
Sunday, April 05
Gym NCAA Regional - Nyla Aquino - Floor
Thursday, April 02