Tom Farden out as University of Utah gymnastics head coach

Tom Farden is no longer the head coach of the University of Utah’s nationally renowned women’s gymnastics program, the university announced Tuesday evening.

“The University and Head Gymnastics Coach Tom Farden have mutually agreed to part ways, effective immediately,” said Utah athletic director Mark Harlan in a statement. The announcement follows the university’s investigation into Farden’s treatment of athletes and recent decision to place Farden on paid administrative leave.

“The past several months have been an extremely challenging time for our gymnastics program,” Harlan said. “Changes like this are never easy, and only come after extensive analysis and discussion. In this case, the decision provides necessary clarity and stability for our student-athletes and prevents further distraction from their upcoming season.

“I want to acknowledge the tremendous contributions Tom has made both as an assistant and head coach for the Red Rocks, and the significant accomplishments of the program in which he has played a key role. I am grateful that Carly Dockendorf has stepped in as the interim head coach of our gymnastics program, and I am confident that she will provide tremendous leadership for the student-athletes as they strive to reach their championship goals this season.”

In his own statement, Farden shared his gratitude for the time he spent as a coach of the Red Rocks, a decade in total.

“I am grateful to the University of Utah for the privilege of coaching its storied gymnastics program. The University of Utah has been my home for a decade, and it is difficult to say goodbye, but the time has come for me to embark on a new chapter,” he said.

He continued, “I am immensely proud of the young women who have poured their hearts and souls into Utah gymnastics during my time here and who have brought so much to this community. It has truly been an honor to coach them, and I extend my heartfelt thanks and wishes for their continued success, now and in the years to come.”

Related

• University of Utah gymnastics program under review after allegations of emotional abuse

• Utah gymnastics coach Tom Farden placed on administrative leave

Prior to the parting of ways, Farden — sole head coach of the Red Rocks since the 2020 season — was placed on paid administrative leave following “recent conduct and actions by Coach Farden not related to student-athlete welfare, which simply do not align with our values and expectations,” per a Nov. 12 statement from Utah Athletics.

Earlier this year, the University of Utah hired the law firm Husch Blackwell to conduct a review of its gymnastics program after receiving allegations of abuse from multiple former gymnasts and parents, as first reported by the Deseret News.

The review determined that while Farden’s coaching methods left some gymnasts feeling “increased fear of failure” and pressure to retain athletics scholarships, the coach did not engage in “any severe, pervasive or egregious” acts of emotional, verbal or physical abuse or harassment as defined by NCAA regulations and the U.S. Center for SafeSport.

There was, however, at least one instance where Farden violated the Student-Athlete Health, Safety and Well Being Program of the university’s athletics department, when he told a gymnast “if she was not at Utah, she would be a ‘nobody working at a gas station’ in her hometown.”

“We find this comment was personally degrading and, although isolated, violates the Athletics’ Well Being Policy, which prohibits the use of degrading language,” the report reads.

The report from Husch Blackwell also noted that alleged comments made by Farden, if corroborated, would have likely resulted in a finding that the statements violated the school’s athlete wellness policy. But the alleged comments were deemed to be isolated occurrences that could not be independently corroborated and were denied by Farden, the report said.

The review of Utah’s gymnastics program by Husch Blackwell did lay out five recommendations for Farden moving forward, which the university said it would implement.

The recommendations were:

• Creating and managing a performance improvement plan for Farden, including training in appropriate communication with athletes, leadership and emotional intelligence for interactions with athletes and creating a healthy team culture.

• Continuing to support the role of the student-athlete advocate, including regular monitoring of team practices and competitions, and educating athletes about the advocate’s role, so that she can be an independent resource to address athletes’ concerns.

• Working to communicate and involve parents in the gymnastics program, while still adhering to the athletic department’s expectations for athletes to develop independence and complying with FERPA and HIPAA.

• Ensuring that all prospective and enrolled student-athletes understand the terms of their athletics scholarships. Further, consider whether the use of a multi-year award that only guarantees one year of an athletics scholarship is a best practice.

• Assigning athletics department leaders to attend more practices and conduct regular, documented meetings with women’s gymnastics.

In his statement about the report’s release, Harlan said, “I met with coach Farden this week to express my disappointment and to share with him my expectations moving forward. Both Chief Operating Officer/Deputy Director of Athletics Charmelle Green and I will be even more vigilant in monitoring his conduct and his coaching methods, and he will be held to a higher standard moving forward.”

Farden made a statement following the release of the Husch Blackwell report, in which he noted that, “it has been painful to learn of the negative impacts that my words and actions have created, and I have thoroughly examined the accounts of every person who shared their experience through their participation in the program review.”

He also said he would, “take to heart,” every lesson learned through the review process, with an eye on improvement.

“I also embrace and respect the courage of those who expressed negative experiences from their interactions with me. Their input has caused me to humbly reflect and hold myself accountable in order to improve,” Farden said.

However, in a recent interview with The Washington Post, Farden’s attorney, Brian C. Johnson, said that Farden has no intention of changing his coaching methods, even after former Utah All-American gymnasts Kara Eaker and Kim Tessen went public with allegations of emotional and verbal abuse experienced during their careers.

Johnson told The Washington Post that those allegations were, “false statements of fact.”

“He (Farden) has a long history of success as a coach. He’ll continue to do so in the fashion he’s done so,” Johnson said. Those statements led to a reevaluation of Farden’s status at the university.

During Farden’s time leading Utah gymnastics, the Red Rocks finished third at the NCAA gymnastics championships in three consecutive years, the best run for the program since a string of second- and third-place finishes in the late 2000s.

The Washington Post reported Monday that Farden was placed on administrative leave shortly after it approached the University of Utah with the attorney’s comments.

Dockendorf, Utah’s associate head coach, has been named the interim head coach of Utah’s gymnastics program, but neither she nor any current Utah gymnasts have been made available for interview by the university.

Utah will begin its 2024 season Jan. 5, hosting Boise State at the Huntsman Center. The team is also slated to stage its annual Red Rocks Preview on Dec. 15.