With the first meet of the season checked off the list, many first-timers on the Utah gymnastics team were relieved to get the opener out of the way. It was also the first competitive meet for co-head coaches Megan Marsden and Tom Farden, who took the reins from retired head coach Greg Marsden, as a duo.
Though it was a special day for the gymnastics team and their new coaches, Marsden had the same mindset and routines she’s always had when she was assistant to and co-head coach with her husband.
“The first meet went well for me,” Marsden said. “Everything really was the same. The only changes were that Tom and I had to think through a few logistics after the meet, like the media, that Greg usually took care of.”
Ever since the program came into being 40 years ago, Greg Marsden has been steering the ship. In order to transition seamlessly into a new era, the successful Utah coach promoted familiar faces in Farden and his wife, Megan, who has been with the Red Rocks program for 35 years.
“Greg has had a grand master plan for this program for a long time,” Marsden said. “It has been his and my baby for some time. He wanted to make sure that this was something I could be able to carry on, and be a seamless transition. I have to say, he did a great job.”
In order for that smooth transition to take place, Farden was also promoted to help Marsden. Both coaches brought different things to the table — Marsden will continue her work with the beam and floor routines, while Farden has quickly adapted into a rare role that Greg left with his retirement.
“Once we brought Tom in five years ago, I could quickly see that was somebody that I could transition the program on with,” Megan said. “Tom and I work really well together, and he fills a lot of the qualities that Greg had. I wanted to continue, wanted to have the same roll that I’ve had with the team all along, and have Tom take care of the other areas.”
Another goal of promoting internally was to help returning gymnasts feel comfortable with the transition. Having two coaches that have been with Utah for a combined 40 years made the team more relaxed than having to deal with the completely new faces.
Senior Breanna Hughes also felt that having Farden promoted to work with Marsden made the new era more comforting – especially for the returning sophomores, juniors and the leading senior group.
“It’s great having her as a head coach because she’s been like a mother figure to us,” Hughes said. “Having her on the team for so many years, and of course the whole time I’ve been here, has made the transition a lot easier on us.”
After Friday’s first test against BYU at home, it seems that Greg’s master plan is working, but there will be challenges on the road ahead for this Red Rocks team.
This is one major reason why Marsden and Farden made changes to help unite the team with a new leadership group comprised of the seniors. Each gymnast is accountable for each other and the team as a whole – which will hopefully bring the team together to climb up the rankings, return to the national championships and eventually win one. Of course, this has been Greg’s plan all along.
So with the season underway, Marsden and Farden are ready to lead the Red Rocks into the new era and continue Utah’s pedigree in college gymnastics.
@chad_marquez