We are saddened to share the passing of former USA Gymnastics Board member and long-time community member, Rome Milan. A former captain of the University of Texas men’s gymnastics team, Rome followed his family into coaching and judging. Between 1982-2000, he coached gymnastics at Weatherford High School, then Boswell High School – both in Texas – qualifying teams to the state championships 14 out of 18 years and winning a Texas state championship along the way. Rome returned to coaching in the early 2010s and remained active for another eight years until diagnosed with ALS.
In addition to being a Brevet-rated judge, Rome was an active volunteer and worked in various roles across numerous international competitions, including the Pan American Games, Goodwill Games, World Championships and Olympic Games. He served on the USA Gymnastics Board of Directors until 2018 and continued to give back to the sport as a member of USAG’s Advisory Council. He also sat on the Gymnastics Association of Texas Board from 1992-2004, serving twice as the body’s president, and he remained an active presence on the Texas High School Hall of Fame Committee. Rome was an avid gymnastics historian, and over the years, he graciously and proudly displayed pieces from his vast collection at USA Gymnastics’ annual National Congress, U.S. Championships, and Olympic Trials.
Rome was introduced to gymnastics through family ties to Sokol, a gymnastics organization of Czech origin. He was a fourth-generation lifetime Sokol member and served as the American Sokol Southern District Director of Men, beginning in 1985. He was also active on the Sokol Awards Committee and Sokol Museum and Library Committee.
Our thoughts are with his wife, Pauline, and children Paris, Sydney and Athens during this difficult time.
Details of Rome’s memorial service have not yet been made available. Donations in his honor can be made to I Am ALS (iamals.org) or Sokol Fort Worth (6500 Boat Club Road, Fort Worth, Texas 76179).