Pete Novgrad is a man of many trades when it comes to gymnastics meets around the area. The coach of four squads in the Northern region, including West Potomac, Novgrad’s job description has numerous extras in addition to the standard mentor role played by most.
Just take a look at the roles he played in last weekend’s South Lakes Invitational, a meet all four of his teams attended. On top of keeping track of gymnasts scattered around various events, Novgrad was a primary equipment supplier for the meet, a spotter on vault, a driver for those that needed a ride to and from South Lakes, and a shoulder to lean on when things didn’t go someone’s way.
Not to mention, he’s the coach of an unthinkable four teams.
“I’m going back and forth between events usually,” said Novgrad of how he juggles his attention amongst his four teams — West Potomac, Edison, Jefferson, and T.C. Williams. “It just depends on where I’m need most as far as most difficult skills. I enjoy it, it keeps me busy.”
<b>THE FOUR-TEAM</b> set-up has created an interesting dynamic among all the gymnasts Novgrad coaches. While there may be just six members of the West Potomac gymnastics team, they all share a common bond with the gymnasts from Novgrad’s school.
All of the coach’s teams practice together and have developed relationships as if they all represent one big Novgrad-themed school.
“It’s like this one big family really,” said West Potomac senior captain Julie Ruamthong. “We’re always pushing each other to do better so it’s really good in the end. You can always get new ideas from them on how to improve your scores and then you can give them ideas.”
Part of the family atmosphere means Novgrad’s former gymnasts from both the high school and club level return during Christmas break to help out their old coach. Novgrad said one of the best parts of his situation is the sheer number of talented gymnasts he has had that come back to pass down routines they’ve learned in college.
It was in the college ranks where Novgrad began coaching during the 1970s as a graduate assistant at James Madison University. He began coaching high schools in the early 1990s. And while he does get paid for his quadruple duty, Novgrad said his coaching salary is the equivalent of someone in charge of two teams.
Many of the schools he’s taken over through the years have had no coach at all before Novgrad got there.
“I like to focus on my one team,” said South Lakes coach Becky Slaight. “But it’s like one team for him. I think it’s great because those programs wouldn’t have teams if he wasn’t coaching them.”
<b>THERE ARE DRAWBACKS</b> to Novgrad having four schools to keep track of. At the invitational this weekend, Novgrad had to rely on his assistants to watch the floor exercises while he spotted on vault and uneven bars. The coach simply can’t be everywhere at once.
“Having so many people sometimes, it can get hard when you’re trying to share one beam or something like that,” said West Potomac sophomore Tayler Aitken. “He’s always there for us, but sometimes I wish he was with us all the time because he’s such a good coach.”
With the sport of gymnastics already strapped for coaches and equipment, it makes the proposed Fairfax County budget cut that would eliminate the sport from public schools next season all the more perplexing. Cutting gymnastics would save $221,000 off a reported $170 million budget shortfall.
For now, though, Novgrad will continue to perform his role as multi-faceted coach. It’s a position he’s certainly grown fond of over the years.
“It’s really very rewarding because you get to know a whole lot of girls and you get to see them develop as far as their mindset and skills.”