‘I coach people, not athletes’: Inside new Utah gymnastics head coach Carly Dockendorf’s approach to coaching
Standing inside the Dumke Center on the University of Utah campus Friday afternoon for her first official press conference as head coach of the university’s storied women’s gymnastics program, Carly Dockendorf certainly looked the part.
She was decked out head-to-toe in Utah gear, stood shorter than almost every reporter present — to be expected from a former collegiate gymnast — and didn’t shy away from the iPhones, recorders and television cameras thrust in her face.
When she spoke, Dockendorf was a little tentative at first, but after fielding numerous questions about Utah’s program and herself, she seemed fairly self assured.
The display was a microcosm of the last few weeks. Dockendorf, the new head coach of the Red Rocks, has had to get comfortable with a new and difficult role in a hurry.
Formerly an assistant coach under Tom Farden, Dockendorf was named the interim head coach of Utah’s gymnastics program on Nov. 12, after Farden was placed on paid administrative leave.
Dockendorf became the permanent head coach of the Red Rocks — via a four-year deal — less than a month later, following a mutual separation by Farden and the university.
It was such a whirlwind that she had to miss a three-day, 100-kilometer race in Argentina that she trained for all fall.
“It was last week,” she said. “Obviously I didn’t go, because the priority is here. And I really wanted to make sure it’s communicating the message that this (Utah gymnastics) is what the priority is.”
A week from now, her team will take the Huntsman Center floor for the annual Red Rocks Preview, and a couple weeks after that, the 2024 NCAA gymnastics season will commence.
Utah, ranked No. 4 in the WCGA preseason poll released Friday morning, will be one of the more interesting teams in the country.
The Red Rocks have finished third overall the past three years, all under the direction of Farden, and with the reigning all-around national champion Maile O’Keefe back, plus a star-studded freshman class and numerous other notable competitors, including two Olympians in Grace McCallum and Amelie Morgan, Utah has all the makings of a national title contender.
Of course, allegations of abuse by Farden have dominated discourse about Utah for months and their effect has been felt.
“You know, we’re really focusing on the next step,” Dockendorf said. “We’ve been through a challenging time and I think this team is really ready to take that next step forward. And you know, have some time to celebrate them and the work they’ve done this fall. I’m so excited for everyone to kind of get to know this year’s team. I don’t think you’ve had that opportunity yet. And I’m really looking forward for that opportunity to come this season.”
More than anything else, Dockendorf made it clear that she cares for her gymnasts.
She noted that she has had multiple opportunities to go coach elsewhere during her time at Utah — she began with the Red Rocks as a volunteer assistant coach in 2018 — but she stayed in Salt Lake City because of the “women that are on the team.”
“I’m a really positive and encouraging coach,” she said. “I feel like I coach people, not athletes. That’s kind of my mentality. And that’s where my focus is.”
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Down a coach with Farden’s departure, Dockendorf will continue to coach balance beam for the Red Rocks — an event on which she has thrived the last four years — while also helping on vault. Jimmy Pratt will coach vault and uneven bars, while Myia Hambrick will continue to coach floor exercise.
Dockendorf believes that Utah will be just fine with that arrangement and she personally feels more than up for the challenge.
“I think that part of the reason we’ve become so great on beam is just instilling confidence in the women that are there,” she said. “We’ve always had amazing beam workers. And that is just an area that I’ve really emphasized confidence in who they are and not necessarily just as gymnasts. I’m looking forward to kind of sprinkling that the whole team on the other events as well.”
Dockendorf isn’t obtuse to the controversy that has surrounded Utah gymnastics since late August, when the Deseret News first reported that the university had hired the law firm Husch Blackwell to investigate the program following allegations of abuse by Farden.
But she noted that the recent signing class, comprised of five-star recruits Avery Neff, Zoe Johnson and Clara Raposo, committed to more than just a coach. That is why they are still on board and set to become Red Rocks next fall (save for Raposo who is deferring her enrollment for a year while she attempts to compete at the Paris Olympics for Canada).
“When somebody commits to a school, they’re not just committing for one person,” Dockendorf said. “I think they’re committing to the whole program. And some of the discussions we had was this still is Red Rocks gymnastics. Come here and be a Red Rock.
“It really is about the teammates they get to share these memories with, and the fans and the whole atmosphere of being a part of Utah gymnastics.”
To prospective Utah gymnasts who may have hesitations about the program, Dockendorf said, “I think that that would be up to them to kind of read and decide for themselves what they believe is true or not true.”
She added: “I think that student health and well-being is the No. 1 priority. That is a huge focus for myself, as a female, and I have two daughters of my own. I just see their generation growing up and that’s a big focus for me. We do a lot of training with our sports psychologist, and just day-to-day emphasis on who they are as people and not necessarily as athletes is something we’re really focused on here.”
The first woman to be the solo head coach of the Red Rocks, Dockendorf hasn’t been allowed to ease into the role. And that won’t change any time soon.
But the opportunity to lead the Red Rocks is one she doesn’t take for granted, noting, “That really means a lot to me.”
