Greg Marsden tried to break the news to his team in a positive way.
He knew the Utes would be left in the hands of two coaches they already knew and trusted, but when he went to tell his gymnasts he was retiring he couldn’t hold back his emotions.
A day after the Red Rocks returned from the NCAA championships, the team had an end-of-season meeting, the kind that’s usually consumed by talking about goals for the next season, but Greg Marsden had a different topic to discuss.
As the longtime Utah coach started to speak he got choked up, and his team knew then that something was happening. As Marsden revealed the news that he was stepping down and that his wife, Megan Marsden, and assistant Tom Farden would take over as co-head coaches, there was one common emotive reaction: shock.
“Immediately all of our jaws just dropped, and we were all in tears,” said senior Georgia Dabritz. “It was a sad moment — he’s someone we all look up to … to see that and hear that happening, it was kind of a shock to all of our worlds.”
The father of Utah gymnastics was able to keep his retirement a secret from his team for an entire year, something the Red Rocks are actually quite thankful for.
“It was best for us to know at the end so we didn’t try to make it a picture-perfect season,” said freshman Kari Lee. “Even though it was almost a perfect season, and I think it’s amazing that we did that for him in his last year.”
For some though, Marsden’s retirement made losing the national championship by just .05, sting just a little more.
Dabritz said that immediately following the championship meet, the team was proud of what they had accomplished and were satisfied with the second place finish, but as the team found out Marsden was leaving, they quickly realized how much sweeter things would have been if they could have sent him out with another championship.
Speaking about what Marsden has meant to the sport, and also her specifically, Dabritz said she thinks every member from each of the 40 teams he has coached would want to personally thank Marsden for the effect he has had on their lives.
“I just think it’s special to be able to be here and be with him,” she said.
Senior Corrie Lothrop also expressed gratitude that she was able to finish her career with Marsden as her coach.
“I’m really glad that he stayed,” she said. “I know it wasn’t his plan to stay … but since it happened I am really glad I was in that last senior class, to be able to have him and … go out with a bang.”
Thinking back over the year, Lee said she can now see moments where Marsden took a backseat to his wife and Farden in the gym.
“Now that I look back on it I can see that he was just letting Megan and Tom prepare for what is to come,” she said. “I’m very excited to move forward, obviously, I am very grateful for Greg and to be a part of his legacy for my freshman year, but I am also excited for a new beginning.”
Dabritz will also get to see that new beginning, but it will be in an entirely new role. The 2015 uneven bars national champion is still a year away from graduation and will be the team manager next season.
“For me it’s going to be weird no matter what,” Dabritz said. “It will be just really interesting to see the new aspect of the team and the new chemistry of the team. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out, and I’m thankful I’ll get to be a part of it still.”
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