Wednesday, September 13, 2000
Tracy steps aside as Olympic coach
Her gymnasts not competing
By Scott MacGregor
The Cincinnati Enquirer
With none of her own gymnasts to coach, Cincinnati's Mary Lee Tracy stepped down as assistant Olympic coach Tuesday, ensuring access to the Sydney Games to the coach of another gymnast.
Tracy, the owner of the Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy, last month was chosen as an assistant after placing one gymnast on the team (Morgan White) and one alternate (Alyssa Beckerman). But White pulled out Sunday with a stress fracture in her left foot and Beckerman was not chosen to replace her. The spot instead went to 15-year-old Tasha Schwikert on Monday.
Mary Lee Tracy
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Schwikert's coach, Cassie Rice of Las Vegas, was having trouble getting Olympic credentials, so Tracy volunteered to give up hers and get out of the way.
“Nothing is more important to me than making sure our team has the best chance for success,” Tracy said in a statement through USA Gymnastics. She was unavailable for further comment.
Tracy — who was also an assistant for the gold medal-winning U.S. squad in 1996, when she produced Olympians Amanda Borden and Jaycie Phelps — will remain in Sydney. Steve Rybacki, the coach of Olympian Jamie Dantzscher, will take Tra cy's place as assistantl.
One of Tracy's closest friends, Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy public relations director Lynne Ruhl, said Tracy was extremely saddened by her decision. “How can you not be?” Ruhl said.
“She knows what it's like to have a kid on the team. And some things are more important than how you feel. It's not fun, but it's the right thing to do.”
White, a 17-year-old Fairfield resident, pulled out because she believed the U.S. team would have a better chance of winning with another gymnast because of her foot injury.
If there is another injury, Beckerman, a 19-year-old Wyoming resident, can still be added to the Olympic team up until 24 hours before the start of competition next Sunday (Saturday here).
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