💬 Sarah Patterson resigns as gymnastics coach- Dana Duckworth to be introduced today as new head coach
- Thread starter TerryP
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BAMANEWSBOT
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Legendary Alabama Gymnastics Coach Sarah Patterson Steps Down
Legendary Alabama gymnastics coach Sarah Patterson is stepping down as the Crimson Tide's head coach after 36 seasons, 1,006 wins and 43 postseason championships, she announced Tuesday morning.
"After much thought and prayer and after much consultation with Athletics Director Bill Battle and our President, Dr. Judy Bonner, I have decided to step down from the only job I have ever known since graduating from college," Patterson said. "This is something I have tried to postpone but, through ongoing consultation with my physicians, it has become evident that surgery to replace both knees is necessary. My physician shared with me that it will be a year or more before I am back to a normal lifestyle."
Patterson, who led Alabama to six NCAA Championships, winning the first in 1988, has been battling degenerative issues in both knees for several years. Despite constant focus and effort on her part to hold off the inevitable, it became increasingly obvious to Patterson's physicians that both knees will have to be replaced in the immediate future.
"Although this is certainly not how any of us wanted Sarah's incredible coaching career to come to an end, we are excited that Sarah has agreed to continue to serve the University and this department," Battle said. "At this point though, we are focused on her return to health. We will make every effort to continue the tremendous momentum that Sarah and David created and maintained for our gymnastics program."
Patterson will remain a part of Battle's staff as a Special Assistant to the Director of Athletics. She will also begin her role as a member of the NCAA Gymnastics Committee in September.
"Sarah Patterson is an extraordinary member of our University, not only as a coach, but as a mentor of young women and a champion for those in need in Alabama and beyond," Dr. Bonner said. "As this chapter of her spectacular career comes to a close I, for one, am very much looking forward to the next chapter, which I know will be equally amazing."
Dana Duckworth has been named as Patterson's successor, pending approval of The University of Alabama Board of Trustees. A member of the Crimson Tide family since her days as two-time individual NCAA Champion in the early 1990s, Duckworth will be introduced as the sixth head gymnastics coach in Alabama history at a press conference Tuesday at 5 p.m.
"I would like to thank Coach Battle and President Bonner for offering me the opportunity to take a complete year of medical leave and then return to coaching but, in this climate of early recruiting commitments, having a staff that changes at least twice in the next two years is not in the best interests of the continued success of Alabama gymnastics," Patterson said. "I know that Dana, along with Bryan Raschilla, will do an amazing job carrying on the championship tradition they have been a part of for so many years."
David Patterson will also step down from his role as the Tide's volunteer coach, a position he undertook after retiring from the University in 2008 after 30 years as the Tide's associate head coach, due to chronic back issues.
"After having been through brief periods in the past where both of us were out of the gym at different points for health reasons, Sarah and I have always said that neither of us ever wanted to coach without the other," David Patterson said. "The timing is not what any of us wants, but the necessity of surgery at this point, and preserving Sarah's health, has set the timetable."
The Pattersons began coaching Alabama in the fall of 1978 and quickly turned around a program that had been through four years (and four coaches) without a winning season, creating a national powerhouse. Earning their first NCAA Championship berth in 1983, where the Tide finished an astonishing fourth, Alabama is one of just two programs in the nation that have been to every NCAA championship meet since.
"I am grateful that, for 36 years, David and I were able to implement our coaching philosophy of trying to develop well-rounded young women who are ready to make a difference in the lives of others upon their graduation from this University," Patterson said.
The Pattersons, whose final Alabama team won the 2014 Southeastern Conference and NCAA Seattle Regional Championships and finished fourth at the NCAA Championships in Birmingham, led Alabama to a record 20 NCAA Super Six Team Finals appearances, and an NCAA-best 27 top-4 national finishes. Alabama also has won 29 regional titles, more than any program in NCAA history.
"I would like to thank Coach Battle, President Bonner and, of course, Marie Robbins, a member of our first national championship team in 1988 and now Alabama's senior woman administrator, for their unconditional support during this time," Patterson said. "This is certainly not a joyous time for David and I, but I know it is this right decision for us personally, as well as it being the best decision for the long-term success of the gymnastics program."
The Crimson Tide's Champions Plaza, which bears Sarah Patterson's name and was dedicated in October 2013, sits in front of Coleman Coliseum, the home of Alabama gymnastics since the mid-1980s. The arena is where the Pattersons led Alabama to NCAA titles in 1991, 1996 and 2002 and where, under their guidance, the gymnastics team has gone undefeated since mid-way through the 2009 season, both during the regular and postseasons.
Legendary Alabama gymnastics coach Sarah Patterson is stepping down as the Crimson Tide's head coach after 36 seasons, 1,006 wins and 43 postseason championships, she announced Tuesday morning.
"After much thought and prayer and after much consultation with Athletics Director Bill Battle and our President, Dr. Judy Bonner, I have decided to step down from the only job I have ever known since graduating from college," Patterson said. "This is something I have tried to postpone but, through ongoing consultation with my physicians, it has become evident that surgery to replace both knees is necessary. My physician shared with me that it will be a year or more before I am back to a normal lifestyle."
Patterson, who led Alabama to six NCAA Championships, winning the first in 1988, has been battling degenerative issues in both knees for several years. Despite constant focus and effort on her part to hold off the inevitable, it became increasingly obvious to Patterson's physicians that both knees will have to be replaced in the immediate future.
"Although this is certainly not how any of us wanted Sarah's incredible coaching career to come to an end, we are excited that Sarah has agreed to continue to serve the University and this department," Battle said. "At this point though, we are focused on her return to health. We will make every effort to continue the tremendous momentum that Sarah and David created and maintained for our gymnastics program."
Patterson will remain a part of Battle's staff as a Special Assistant to the Director of Athletics. She will also begin her role as a member of the NCAA Gymnastics Committee in September.
"Sarah Patterson is an extraordinary member of our University, not only as a coach, but as a mentor of young women and a champion for those in need in Alabama and beyond," Dr. Bonner said. "As this chapter of her spectacular career comes to a close I, for one, am very much looking forward to the next chapter, which I know will be equally amazing."
Dana Duckworth has been named as Patterson's successor, pending approval of The University of Alabama Board of Trustees. A member of the Crimson Tide family since her days as two-time individual NCAA Champion in the early 1990s, Duckworth will be introduced as the sixth head gymnastics coach in Alabama history at a press conference Tuesday at 5 p.m.
"I would like to thank Coach Battle and President Bonner for offering me the opportunity to take a complete year of medical leave and then return to coaching but, in this climate of early recruiting commitments, having a staff that changes at least twice in the next two years is not in the best interests of the continued success of Alabama gymnastics," Patterson said. "I know that Dana, along with Bryan Raschilla, will do an amazing job carrying on the championship tradition they have been a part of for so many years."
David Patterson will also step down from his role as the Tide's volunteer coach, a position he undertook after retiring from the University in 2008 after 30 years as the Tide's associate head coach, due to chronic back issues.
"After having been through brief periods in the past where both of us were out of the gym at different points for health reasons, Sarah and I have always said that neither of us ever wanted to coach without the other," David Patterson said. "The timing is not what any of us wants, but the necessity of surgery at this point, and preserving Sarah's health, has set the timetable."
The Pattersons began coaching Alabama in the fall of 1978 and quickly turned around a program that had been through four years (and four coaches) without a winning season, creating a national powerhouse. Earning their first NCAA Championship berth in 1983, where the Tide finished an astonishing fourth, Alabama is one of just two programs in the nation that have been to every NCAA championship meet since.
"I am grateful that, for 36 years, David and I were able to implement our coaching philosophy of trying to develop well-rounded young women who are ready to make a difference in the lives of others upon their graduation from this University," Patterson said.
The Pattersons, whose final Alabama team won the 2014 Southeastern Conference and NCAA Seattle Regional Championships and finished fourth at the NCAA Championships in Birmingham, led Alabama to a record 20 NCAA Super Six Team Finals appearances, and an NCAA-best 27 top-4 national finishes. Alabama also has won 29 regional titles, more than any program in NCAA history.
"I would like to thank Coach Battle, President Bonner and, of course, Marie Robbins, a member of our first national championship team in 1988 and now Alabama's senior woman administrator, for their unconditional support during this time," Patterson said. "This is certainly not a joyous time for David and I, but I know it is this right decision for us personally, as well as it being the best decision for the long-term success of the gymnastics program."
The Crimson Tide's Champions Plaza, which bears Sarah Patterson's name and was dedicated in October 2013, sits in front of Coleman Coliseum, the home of Alabama gymnastics since the mid-1980s. The arena is where the Pattersons led Alabama to NCAA titles in 1991, 1996 and 2002 and where, under their guidance, the gymnastics team has gone undefeated since mid-way through the 2009 season, both during the regular and postseasons.
BAMANEWSBOT
Staff
Two-time NCAA balance beam champion Dana Duckworth has been named head coach of the University of Alabama gymnastics team, Director of Athletics Bill Battle announced Tuesday.
"When it became evident that Sarah Patterson would be stepping down, we knew that the pieces were already in place to continue our championship tradition," Battle said. "We are proud to announce that Dana Duckworth, one of the most successful gymnasts in our storied history, will lead us into the future."
After four years as a gymnast, nine seasons as a volunteer coach and the last six as an assistant coach, Duckworth's first as head coach will be her 20th year with the Alabama program. She will be the Tide's first new head gymnastics coach in 36 years and its sixth overall. Duckworth's promotion is subject to approval by The University of Alabama Board of Trustees.
"This is such an amazing opportunity," Duckworth said. "It is the best job in all of gymnastics and I'm extremely proud to be able to continue to be a part of this incredible tradition."
"I am pleased that Dana has agreed to become Alabama's next championship gymnastics coach," UA President, Dr. Judy Bonner said. "Her ability to bring out the best in our student-athletes will mean continued success for the team and for each individual gymnast. I am confident that our student-athletes will continue to thrive in and out of the classroom, and I look forward to watching these young women compete at the highest levels for many years to come."
It was also announced that long-time assistant coach Bryan Raschilla will also remain a part of the Crimson Tide staff.
In addition to being a two-time individual national champion, Duckworth was an eight-time All-American, an Academic All-American and an NCAA and SEC Postgraduate Scholarship winner during her career as a student-athlete.
"I love our environment, I love our culture, I love our tradition and I love the fact that as an Alabama gymnast you represent all those things," Duckworth said.
It was those same elements that made her decision to leave a lucrative career with Pfizer Pharmaceuticals to join the Alabama coaching staff on a full-time basis in the fall of 2008 after nearly a decade as a volunteer coach such an easy one.
"I really enjoyed what I was doing at Pfizer and it's a tremendous company but my heart and my passion have always been here at the Capstone with our program," Duckworth said. "I felt like this was an opportunity for me to do what I love and everyone I have ever talked to has said, if you love what you do, you'll never go to another day of work in your life."
It was an equally easy decision for Sarah and David Patterson - Duckworth's mentors as a gymnast and as a coach - when they asked her to return to the program as a fulltime assistant coach.
"Dana has always been a great role model for our ladies," Sarah Patterson said. "She enjoyed tremendous success in all aspects of her Alabama career and her championship experience is an invaluable resource as she and Bryan move this program into the future."
Duckworth has experienced national team championships as both an athlete and a coach, having been a part of the Tide's 1991 NCAA title as a sophomore and the 2002, 2011 and 2012 NCAA championships as a coach. She has also won conference titles as an athlete (1990) and a coach (2003, 2009, 2011 and 2014).
As much as Duckworth appreciates the championship tradition she has been a part of for so long, it's the overall atmosphere created by the people who live, work and go to school at Alabama that she truly appreciates.
"The people at the University of Alabama make everything unique and special," Duckworth said. "I love the fact that the University of Alabama is about tradition and culture. I tell people all the time that I feel like Tuscaloosa is the best-kept secret because we have it all here and everyone approaches things with a great deal of passion. It makes everyone's experience very special."
After graduating from Alabama with a bachelor's degree in Telecommunications and Film, Duckworth moved up the corporate ladder quickly at AMX Corporation, a high-tech firm based in Dallas, Texas. She finished her tenure there as manager of the company's training programs. After receiving her master's degree from Alabama, she served as Director of Marketing of a Trussville-based automotive company followed by a stint as Vice-President of Corporate Solutions for a Birmingham company before returning to Tuscaloosa for a successful run with Pfizer.
The Michigan native is married Joe Duckworth, a Tuscaloosa native and co-owner of Duckworth-Morris Real Estate. The couple has a daughter, Camryn, and a son, Jace.
good luck to you Coach Patterson.
you are the epitome of class and everything else for which The University stands.
you will be missed greatly and always thought of with fond memories and a winning attitude.
again, good luck with your surgeries and i hope everything goes well and you are back on your feet as soon as possible.
ROLL TIDE!!!!!
you are the epitome of class and everything else for which The University stands.
you will be missed greatly and always thought of with fond memories and a winning attitude.
again, good luck with your surgeries and i hope everything goes well and you are back on your feet as soon as possible.
ROLL TIDE!!!!!
BAMANEWSBOT
Staff
Open Letter from Sarah Patterson—
After much thought and prayer and after much consultation with Athletics Director Bill Battle and our President, Dr. Judy Bonner, I have decided to step down from the only job I have ever known since graduating from college.
Though I haven't shared my physical problems outside my family and a few close friends, they have degenerated to a point where I will have multiple surgeries over the coming year. While, not life threatening, things have progressed to the point where my physicians have mandated that I have both knees replaced and they have estimated that it will be over a year until I am fully recovered.
I will have the first surgery after we receive our 2014 SEC championship rings at the Southern Miss football game and celebrate an amazing season with that team. I will have the second surgery in the spring after recovery from the first surgery.
I would like to thank Coach Battle and President Bonner for offering me the opportunity to take a complete year of medical leave and to then return to coaching. But David and I came to the conclusion that having a staff that changes multiple times in a significant way over a two-year span is not in the best interest our gymnasts or the continued success of our program.
Coaching is a 24/7 job that requires being at our best on a daily basis. I know myself well and I need to put my health first and foremost for the quality of my life in the future and I do not feel that I can do that and give my best as a coach.
I am grateful that for 36 years, David and I were able to implement our coaching philosophy of trying to develop well-rounded young women who are ready to make a difference in the lives of others upon their graduation from this University.
I would like to share how blessed David and I have been with the unconditional love and support of our daughters Jessie and Jordan throughout our career and this decision. They - along with our son-in-law Brett - have been our biggest fans and together we have all shared our love for this University and the amazing experiences that we have had.
This is not a joyous time for David and I as we step away from jobs that we have loved every day along the way, but I know it is this right decision for us personally, as well as it being the best decision for the long-term success of the gymnastics program. I want to thank Coach Bryant for taking a chance on a 22-year-old graduate of Slippery Rock State College and hiring me for the best coaching job in the country.
I want to express my appreciation and fond remembrances of Mal Moore for his support, and the overall vision he had for this department, and for hiring the coaches that have helped turn that vision into the championship program we enjoy as a department today.
Our current Athletic Director Bill Battle is one of the best leaders I have ever worked with and his vision will continue to give our department the opportunity to compete at the highest levels.
To Dr. Judy Bonner, one of the highlights of my career, and one of the very few times I was ever late to practice, was standing in the back of the room when you were announced as our president. I felt like at that point, I could go back to our ladies and tell them that at the University of Alabama, you could truly be whatever you wanted, even president.
I also need to thank Marie Robbins, a member of our first championship team in 1988 and now an associate athletics director and our senior woman administrator. From your first moments on campus, through this latest decision - your guidance, counsel and unwavering support have meant the world to us. I can't imagine how we would have managed without you.
I would like to give a heartfelt thank you to our staff and coaches, both past and present. Each one of you made a difference for our program, in the earliest days right through to the present moment, words can't express how grateful we are for everything along the way.
And more than anyone, I want to thank our ladies. From our first class, who took a chance on us when we began this journey and then took us to the national championships as seniors, to the freshmen of 2014 ... you are all a part of our championship legacy, all a part of the tradition of excellence that this program has highlighted for the last 36 years. You are all in our hearts and we can't begin to express what it has meant to us to continue to be a part of your lives.
While we close this chapter on our careers, this is not the end of the story. I am very much looking forward to the future and continuing as a part of the Alabama family, the Tuscaloosa community and the sport we love so much as a member of the NCAA Gymnastics Committee.
Thanks to everyone for their support over the many years and of course, Roll Tide!
Sarah Patterson
After much thought and prayer and after much consultation with Athletics Director Bill Battle and our President, Dr. Judy Bonner, I have decided to step down from the only job I have ever known since graduating from college.
Though I haven't shared my physical problems outside my family and a few close friends, they have degenerated to a point where I will have multiple surgeries over the coming year. While, not life threatening, things have progressed to the point where my physicians have mandated that I have both knees replaced and they have estimated that it will be over a year until I am fully recovered.
I will have the first surgery after we receive our 2014 SEC championship rings at the Southern Miss football game and celebrate an amazing season with that team. I will have the second surgery in the spring after recovery from the first surgery.
I would like to thank Coach Battle and President Bonner for offering me the opportunity to take a complete year of medical leave and to then return to coaching. But David and I came to the conclusion that having a staff that changes multiple times in a significant way over a two-year span is not in the best interest our gymnasts or the continued success of our program.
Coaching is a 24/7 job that requires being at our best on a daily basis. I know myself well and I need to put my health first and foremost for the quality of my life in the future and I do not feel that I can do that and give my best as a coach.
I am grateful that for 36 years, David and I were able to implement our coaching philosophy of trying to develop well-rounded young women who are ready to make a difference in the lives of others upon their graduation from this University.
I would like to share how blessed David and I have been with the unconditional love and support of our daughters Jessie and Jordan throughout our career and this decision. They - along with our son-in-law Brett - have been our biggest fans and together we have all shared our love for this University and the amazing experiences that we have had.
This is not a joyous time for David and I as we step away from jobs that we have loved every day along the way, but I know it is this right decision for us personally, as well as it being the best decision for the long-term success of the gymnastics program. I want to thank Coach Bryant for taking a chance on a 22-year-old graduate of Slippery Rock State College and hiring me for the best coaching job in the country.
I want to express my appreciation and fond remembrances of Mal Moore for his support, and the overall vision he had for this department, and for hiring the coaches that have helped turn that vision into the championship program we enjoy as a department today.
Our current Athletic Director Bill Battle is one of the best leaders I have ever worked with and his vision will continue to give our department the opportunity to compete at the highest levels.
To Dr. Judy Bonner, one of the highlights of my career, and one of the very few times I was ever late to practice, was standing in the back of the room when you were announced as our president. I felt like at that point, I could go back to our ladies and tell them that at the University of Alabama, you could truly be whatever you wanted, even president.
I also need to thank Marie Robbins, a member of our first championship team in 1988 and now an associate athletics director and our senior woman administrator. From your first moments on campus, through this latest decision - your guidance, counsel and unwavering support have meant the world to us. I can't imagine how we would have managed without you.
I would like to give a heartfelt thank you to our staff and coaches, both past and present. Each one of you made a difference for our program, in the earliest days right through to the present moment, words can't express how grateful we are for everything along the way.
And more than anyone, I want to thank our ladies. From our first class, who took a chance on us when we began this journey and then took us to the national championships as seniors, to the freshmen of 2014 ... you are all a part of our championship legacy, all a part of the tradition of excellence that this program has highlighted for the last 36 years. You are all in our hearts and we can't begin to express what it has meant to us to continue to be a part of your lives.
While we close this chapter on our careers, this is not the end of the story. I am very much looking forward to the future and continuing as a part of the Alabama family, the Tuscaloosa community and the sport we love so much as a member of the NCAA Gymnastics Committee.
Thanks to everyone for their support over the many years and of course, Roll Tide!
Sarah Patterson
planomateo
Member
She was probably the last of Coach Bryant's hires who is still involved with UA. As far as impact on her sport, she accomplished fully as much as Coach Bryant did. She has been a class act throughout, and I wish her the very best in her retirement. Knee replacement surgery and rehab is tough enough on one leg, and she is doing both, back to back.
planomateo
Member
planomateo
Member
PhillyGirl
Member
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