Roger Counsil
Encyclopedia
Roger L. Counsil was one of the most successful gymnastics
coaches in the United States and headed the United States Gymnastics Federation, now known as USA Gymnastics
.
In his 17 years of coaching at Indiana State University
, Counsil's teams produced 46 All-Americans and his team won the 1977 NCAA Division I championship.
Named Olympic coach for the U.S.-boycotted 1980 Summer Olympics
, Counsil also held several other prestigious positions. These included chairman of the NCAA Gymnastics Committee, men's coach for the U. S. team in the 1978 World Games
, host coach for the 1975 NCAA National Championships in Terre Haute, National "Coach of the Year" and four-time recipient of Mideast "Coach of the Year" honors, and Executive Director of the USA Gymnastics
, a position he assumed after leaving ISU in February, 1980.
He was a standout athlete at Southern Illinois University
, where he excelled in track, swimming and gymnastics. He was the NAIA 1-meter diving champion in 1957, the same year he was named "Most Valuable Athlete" at SIU. In addition to his Bachelor's Degree, he also earned his Master's from SIU and completed his doctorate in Higher Education Administration at Indiana University
.
Among the outstanding individuals Counsil coached were former Sycamore great Kurt Thomas
and Dave Seal, another ISU Hall of Fame member.
In 1985, he was inducted into both the Indiana State University and Southern Illinois University Athletics Hall of Fame.Ref
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
coaches in the United States and headed the United States Gymnastics Federation, now known as USA Gymnastics
USA Gymnastics
United States of America Gymnastics or USAG is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. The mission of USA Gymnastics is to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of gymnastics....
.
In his 17 years of coaching at Indiana State University
Indiana State University
Indiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" seven years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
, Counsil's teams produced 46 All-Americans and his team won the 1977 NCAA Division I championship.
Named Olympic coach for the U.S.-boycotted 1980 Summer Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
, Counsil also held several other prestigious positions. These included chairman of the NCAA Gymnastics Committee, men's coach for the U. S. team in the 1978 World Games
World Games
The World Games, first held in 1981, are an international multi-sport event, meant for sports, or disciplines or events within a sport, that are not contested in the Olympic Games...
, host coach for the 1975 NCAA National Championships in Terre Haute, National "Coach of the Year" and four-time recipient of Mideast "Coach of the Year" honors, and Executive Director of the USA Gymnastics
USA Gymnastics
United States of America Gymnastics or USAG is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. The mission of USA Gymnastics is to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of gymnastics....
, a position he assumed after leaving ISU in February, 1980.
He was a standout athlete at Southern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University is a state university system based in Carbondale, Illinois, in the Southern Illinois region of the state, with multiple campuses...
, where he excelled in track, swimming and gymnastics. He was the NAIA 1-meter diving champion in 1957, the same year he was named "Most Valuable Athlete" at SIU. In addition to his Bachelor's Degree, he also earned his Master's from SIU and completed his doctorate in Higher Education Administration at Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
.
Among the outstanding individuals Counsil coached were former Sycamore great Kurt Thomas
Kurt Thomas (gymnast)
Kurt Bilteaux Thomas is an American Olympic gymnast.While at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana, Thomas became a member of the US Olympic team at the 1976 Summer Olympics. In 1978, Thomas was the first American male gymnast to win a gold medal in floor exercise in a world championship...
and Dave Seal, another ISU Hall of Fame member.
In 1985, he was inducted into both the Indiana State University and Southern Illinois University Athletics Hall of Fame.Ref