INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Dec. 22, 2009 – USA Gymnastics announced today that two-time Olympic head coach Kevin Mazeika of Houston has been named as the men’s National Team Coordinator. Mazeika, who was the head coach for the men’s team at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games, will assume his responsibilities immediately.
“Kevin has demonstrated that he can lead our gymnasts through the demands of training and competition to the medals podium,” said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. “He has the respect and confidence of the athletes and their coaches, and we believe his experience will be invaluable in reaching our potential as we prepare for London and beyond.”
As men’s national team coordinator, Mazeika is responsible for overall management and supervision of the technical aspects of the Men’s National Team Program for both the junior and senior elite programs.
“I am both honored and excited to accept the national team coordinator position,” said Mazeika. “The men’s team has won the silver and bronze medals the last two Olympics, and our goal is to return to the podium. We have a tremendous group of talented athletes and coaches with the work ethic and determination to build on the momentum from 2004 and 2008. Most of all, we have the intangible strength that has been the bedrock of the men’s team, U.S. spirit. I am looking forward to working with everyone over the next three years on our journey to London.”
Through his international coaching assignments, Mazeika has already demonstrated his ability to work closely and effectively with the athletes and their coaches to build a successful team approach. While serving as head coach, the U.S. Men’s Team has recorded some of the USA’s most successful performances in recent history. For the first time in history, the U.S. men won team medals in back-to-back Olympic Games. In 2008, the U.S. men followed up the 2004 Olympic silver team medal with the team bronze, representing the U.S. men’s best Olympic team finishes since they won the team gold medal in 1984. 2004 was the men’s first team medal in a non-boycotted Olympics since 1932. Mazeika also was the head coach for the 2007, 2003 and 2001 World Championships Team. The U.S. Men’s Team earned the team silver medal at both the 2001 and 2003 World Championships. Prior to 2001, the men had not won a world team medal since 1979. In 2007, the U.S. men finished fourth at the World Championships, staging a major comeback from the team’s 13th place finish in 2006.
Most recently, Mazeika was the men’s program manager at the Houston Gymnastics Academy and owner of Mazeika’s Elite Gymnastics. Among the athletes he has coached are 2008 Olympian Raj Bhavsar, who also was a 2004 U.S. Olympic Team alternate and a member of the 2001 and 2003 silver-medal World Championships Teams; Sean Golden, a member of the 2005 and 2007 World Championships Teams; Sean Townsend, 2001 parallel bars world champion and a member of the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team and the 2001 silver-medal World Championships Team; and Todd Thornton, a member of the 2005 World Championships Team.
Mazeika, a native of Houston, began coaching men’s gymnastics in 1984 and has served on the National Team Coaching Staff since 1988. Over the past nine years, he has coached at more than 35 international competitions and has been head or assistant coach at 15 international team events.