THE UNCONTROLLED
LANDING
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Copyright Š 2014 by Hua Zong. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retreival systems, without permission in writing from the publisher. Photo by HuaZong Design by HuaZong Text by Hua Zong Edited by Betsy Manning Patrick McPeak
For 2014 Temple Men’s Gymnastics
Head Coach: Fred Turoff Assistant Coach: Patrick McLaughlin Volunteer Assistant Coaches: Tom Gibbs and Alex Tighe Trainer: Dan Senif Team Members: Charles Baldi Misha Kustin Michael Bittner John Leonard Wayne Conley Aaron Meland Grady Cooper Casey Polizzotto Blaise Cosenza Phillip Pruett Evan Eigner Jon Rydzefski Scott Haddaway Mark Vaccaro Patrick Henley Jakob Welsh Colton Howard Brendan Williams Andrew Kirk Antone Wright
Temple Men’s Gymnastics team portrait after the ECAC tournament on March 29, 2014 at the United States Naval Academy.
Foreward
Landing, a simple but necessary part in gymnastics, is a movement performed to show control when one gets off an event. From the safety point of view, it is necessary to practice landings like any other skill. A perfect landing in gymnastics is where one lands on his feet on the ground and doesn’t move. A perfect landing is called “stick” in gymnastics. It is the punctuation to end the whole gymnastics performance. It is also necessary to learn how to compensate when slightly missing a landing. Often, this means a step or hop. But if the landing is bad - that is, uncontrolled - it may involve a fall. Men’s Gymnastics is one of the sports that will be eliminated due to the athletic cuts in Temple University. The program will end its 88-yearhistory after June 30th, 2014. The team will compete as a club sport next year. This finish is UNCONTROLLED. Right: Evan Eigner lands from the rings performance in ECAC tournament individual finals, Annapolis, MD, March 29, 2014.
#HeartBroken 1.0
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#Save TUMG
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#HeartBroken 2.0
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#Stay Positive
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Previous: View from the 27th floor of Morgan Hall, where Temple held the Board of Trustees meeting in front of student athletes on Dec. 10, 2013. Top: President Neil D. Theobald faced the Board of Trustees meeting on Dec. 10, 2013. 14
The Decision Winter 2013 was tough. On Dec. 6, 2013, Temple University Athletic Director Kevin Clark got the approval from the President Neil D. Theobald and the Board of Trustees to eliminate seven intercollegiate sports from the university’s Division I sponsorship, including men’s gymnastics, men’s track & field, baseball, softball, men’s crew and women’s rowing (which were reinstated in February, 2014). The cuts would be effective July 1, 2014. Heartbreaks landed on campus on this chilly and rainy day, before the fall semester ended. It should have been a study day in fall semester. But student-athletes never saw it coming. According to The Temple News, a student-athlete recorded a short cellphone video from the decision announcement emergency meeting. One can clearly hear students weeping in the meeting. The cuts reduce the total number of varsity sports at Temple from 24 to 17. More than 200 students, about one third of the total number, would be affected and nine full-time coaches would lose their jobs. Temple University released its official statement on its website the same day, “The decision is the result of
a seven-month detailed analysis of Temple’s athletics situation. The analysis looked at the Athletics budget and its ongoing expectations for support; the facilities currently being used and how much it would cost to upgrade them; a detailed comparison with other universities in the American Athletic Conference; and comparisons with other institutions of higher education similar to Temple.” “Temple does not have the resources to equip, staff, and provide a positive competitive experience for 24 varsity sports. Continuing this model does a disservice to our student-athletes,” explained Clark. “We need to have the right-sized program to create a sustainable model for Temple University Athletics moving forward.” Clark said the decision was inevitable due to the operating cost rising and university budgets tightening. The cut would save about $3.6 million, from Temple’s $22 Intercollegiate Athletics Budget. Clark claimed that it was being announced at that time to give student-athletes as much time as possible to consider their options and plan their next steps. The university has granted blanket written permission for coaches from other institutions to contact student-
athletes about transfers. Temple will help students transfer their credits and eligibility if they choose to compete at another university. Students who decide to stay at Temple would keep their athletic scholarships. In addition, all impacted student-athletes will have the full use of the Nancy and Donald Resnick Academic Support Center to ensure continued assistance in the classroom. “Temple’s student-athletes are extraordinary ambassadors for the university,” said President Neil Theobald. “This is an extremely difficult decision, but it is being done in the best long-term interests of our student-athletes.” Dec. 10, 2013, four days after Temple announced the athletic cuts, the university held the Board of Trustee meeting in front of impacted student-athletes and coaches. But the unpopular decision left them with more difficulties in winter. Fred Turoff, men’s gymnastics head coach, fell into silence on the 27th floor of Morgan Hall. Winter 2013 has been more tough for this 38-year coach.
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Top: Almost 100 student-athletes attended the final Board of Trustees meeting on Dec. 10, 2013. Right: Fred Turoff (the right) closed his eyes to listen the Board of Trustees meeting, but the meeting did not address recent cuts to student athletics. 16
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The Legend Ends Fred Turoff, age 67, is a member in USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame as a coach. Turoff has coached 18 EIGL/ ECAC title teams and has a lifetime coaching record of 432-184 (.701). As a native Philadelphian, Turoff began his gymnastics career in the Philadelphia Junior High Public League. Turoff entered Temple in 1966 as a student athlete and was a team member until 1969. During his Temple career, Turoff was the EIGL all-around and horizontal bar champion in 1968. He earned the ECAC ScholarAthlete Award in his senior season and graduated cum laude with a physics degree. After graduating, Turoff represented the United States at four international competitions, the 1969 Cup of the Americas, the 1969 Maccabiah Games, the 1970 World University Games and the 1970 World Championships. He returned to Temple as the head coach in Men’s Gymnastics and keeps the position up to now. Turoff’s international coaching activities began with the 1978 Golden Sands competition in Bulgaria. The next year, he was assistant coach of the World Championship team in Fort Worth, Texas. In 1991, he was assistant coach for the U.S. men’s 18
team at the World University Games held in Sheffield, England, and the Pan American Games in Santiago de Cuba. In 1992, he was an assistant on the U.S. Olympic team. In November of 1993, Turoff coached at the Nike International Invitational in Sydney, Australia. He was a member of the U.S. coaching staff for the 1994 Team World Championships in Dortmund, Germany, plus the 1995 American Cup and Visa Challenge. The National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches honored Turoff with its Special Service Award after he served for two terms each as the association’s president and secretary-treasurer. He previously served six years on the NCAA Men’s Gymnastics Committee from 1987to 1993, the last two as chair, a role he currently holds again. Turoff was voted NCAA Eastern Region Coach of the Year in 1981, 1985, 1986, 1991, 1998, 2000, 2007, 2012 and 2013. In 2003, the College Gymnastics Association presented Turoff with the Honor Coach Award, the highest honor given by the Association, which is composed of present and former At the age 68, Turoff still could do some simple collegiate gymnastics coaches. gymnastics workouts. But now, the living legend has to end.
Fred Turoff’s pommel horse performance in 1968. Image from Fred Turoff’s archive. 19
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Left: On Dec. 16, 2013, Temple University had let out for winter break. Fred Turoff still had two students training. “I wish I could have a good holiday”, said Turoff. Bottom:The head coach ended the training on Dec. 18. And the whole team got together on Dec, 28 to prepare for the coming 2014 season. Men’s Gymnastics had the first meet on Jan. 17, 2014 at West Point Open.
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Bottom: Misha Kustin, a freshmen in the college of engineering, stayed on campus for regular training. Kustin lives in New Jersey and has spent most his winter break in the gym. Right: Evan Eigner, sophomore in sports management, is the son of Turoff. Eigner said the team wants to focus on the coming season and did not think about the future plan after July 1st.
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A Hard Fall
“What went into that decision?” Fred Turoff questioned, “Did they have all the information?” In its 88-year history, the Men’s Gymnastics program at Temple has been one of the university’s top performing teams. It earned more conference titles than any other sport. Since Turoff has been coaching, the program has been competitive successful, winning 18 conference championships in 38 years. “We are doing something right.” Turoff claimed. Men’s Gymnastics program supplies a terrific opportunity and experience to student-athletes. “We are maintaining a good academic standing”, said Turoff, “we have the highest GPA in the past three years, and the highest four out the past five years.” The NCAA cites Temple Men’s Gymnastics for graduation rate and high academic standing. “We provide [student-athletes] a variety of experience and give back to the community”, said Turoff. Turoff runs two on-going programs that serve Temple community. “We have clinics on Sundays, running as a fund-raiser for both men’s and women’s teams”, said Turoff. The Sunday Clinic also provides an opportunity for the community to experience gymnastics. The Sunday Clinic, which has been running since 24
1982, is an open workout. Team members from both men and women’s teams volunteer to give two to three Sundays each semester. “In an hour and half, they teach gymnastics to those people who joy”, explained Turoff, “for the kids who come, it’s 10 dollars for an hour and half of instruction.” The money raised from Sunday Clinics spills between men and women’s team. “We have the boys team program, which is now on its 11th year here”, said Turoff. It provides the competitive opportunities and training opportunities for quite a few boys in the Philadelphia area, including the suburbs and even in south Jersey. Turoff is required to raise a certain amount of money every year to be a part of men’s team operating budget. The money from these two programs is a big part of it. The amount he had last year and this year is 29,000. Last year, Turoff raised over $58,000 and what is left over rolls into this season. Turoff is only allowed to give four full-scholarships, but he has 20 student-athletes in his team right now. If he did give out the four full-scholarships, it means 16 are paying total tuitions to come Temple. “And most of the guys in team are out-of-state.” said Turoff. With the most student-athletes in the team, the program costs
($140,000 per year including the salaries and operating budget) are actually covered and bring extra money to the school. “Why would you cut a program where you actually make money?” Turoff questioned.
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Grady Cooper (left), sophomore, and Patrick Henley (right), sophomore, enjoyed the Sunday, Feb. 23, 2014 with kids in a gymnastics clinic. 27
Top: Colton Howard, junior, is the most popular student-athlete in Men’s Gymnastics team at the Sunday Clinic. The Sunday Clinic offers an opportunity for the kids around Temple Community to enjoy the gymnastics. Right: Antone Wright, freshmen, coaches in Fred Turoff’s boys’ team on Sunday, Feb. 23. Turoff’s boys team also offers a part-time jot opportunity for team members. 28
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Michael Bittner, junior, is the assistant coach on Turoff’s boys team. The boy’ team has various ages of kids from different areas around Philadelphia. 31
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Including staff salaries and the operating budget, the total cost for Men’s Gymnastics program at Temple is $140,000 annually. It is only 0.6% of Temple University’s Intercollegiate Athletics budget, according to 2013 data. After winning two ECAC conference championships in a row, student-athletes in Men’s Gymnastics team never expected the cut until Athletic Director Kevin Clark’s speech. But Temple needs to meet Title IX standards. Title IX, the Education Amendments of 1972, intends to end sex discrimination in education. It especially requires schools provide girls with equal athletic opportunities. Title IX asks schools to make sure the ratio of female to male student-athletes is proportionate to the students body. It means if the school has a football team, it would
Title IX
have a large number of male players and more female sports program should be operating to balance the female-male ration. Currently, Temple has 51.3% Tempe’s student boy is female, but only 49.2 of Temple athletes are women. With the cuts on Dec. 6, 2013, a total of 172 male student-athletes and 84 female student-athletes would be affected. It would help the school to close the student body proportion. While Temple’s new athletic administration is targeting on being big on football, it might bring more football players in the future. But the Temple Football record is poor and it generates a equally poor revenue. During the 2011-12 academic year, football generated $16.9 million in revenue, which accounted for 43.5 percent of the athletic department’s revenue, according
to data from the U.S. Department of Education. That figure went down to $13 million in 2012-13. The revenue decreased $3.9 million in the past two football seasons. And the athletic cuts would help save about $3.6 million on the budget. “More and more athletic directors are businessmen,” said Fred Turoff, “They just look at facts and figures and don’t pay attention to the history or value.” Athletic Directors would rather cut men’s teams to balance the budget and Title IX, not think about how to make more money to cover the women and maintain the teams. When Turoff started coaching, there were 138 men’s gymnastics programs in Division I level. But now, only 17 universities still maintain men’s gymnastics, the smallest number in the NCAA. Next season, only 16 teams could compete.
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Three years ago, Fred Turoff moved out his office at 1700 N. Broad St. to 106J McGonigle Hall, making room for the football team staff. Turoff still has some unpacked packages from moving his office the last time. But after June 30, 2014, Turoff has to move all his things out.
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#Save TUMG
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Fred Turoff started to contact different people right away after the decision on Dec. 6, 2013. And assistant coach Patrick McLaughlin designed the “Save TUMG” T-shirt and built the website of “savetemplegymnasticsstore.com”. This website is used as T-shirt selling to raise the money. On Feb. 2, 2014, Temple Men’s Gymnastics held the first home meet in 2014 season at the McGonigle Hall. Men’s gymnastics alumni were back to the school for annually gymnastics alumni event. At the alumni brunch, Turoff introduced the situation the men’s team had at that time. And Turoff got the $330,000 donation pledge from alumni for the next five years. And on Feb. 3, 2014, some alumni modeled the “Save TUMG Calendar” to help Turoff’s fundraising. Image: Temple Men’s Gymnastics alumni and Temple Women’s Gymnastics cheer on TUMG at the first home meet on Feb. 2, 2014 at McGonigle Hall. 39
Left: Temple Women’s Gymnastics also came to the home meet to support the men competing on the mat. Right: Fred Turoff got his tremendous coaching success with many current and former student-athletes. These former Temple Men’s Gymnastics also regard the team as a brotherhood and enjoyed the time in the alumni home meet on Feb. 2, 2014.
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Jakob Welsh, High Bar Jon Rydzefski, High Bar
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Evan Eigner, Rings Blaise Cosenza, Parallel Bars
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The Last Home Meet
After 88 years, Temple Men’s Gymnastics program held its last home meet on Feb. 15, 2014 at McGonigle Hall. Assistant Coach Patrick McLaughlin gave a speech to team members before the meet. The Owls were ready to take flight. 45
Top: Temple students made sign “Gymnastics Matters” to support Temple Men’s Gymnastics on Saturday night, Feb. 15, 2014. Right: The whole team exploded with a huge energy before the final home meet. Co-Captain Scott Haddaway, senior, asked all team members to shout at the final home meet. It might be the last chance in Owl Country. 46
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Previous: All team members were concentrating on the competing and ready to cheer. Right: John Leonard, senior, cheered for the competing gymnast in the last home meet. Turoff said Leonard was supposed to play a big role on the Men’s Gymnastics team this year but he injured his arm in training before the season started. It generated more difficulties to this young team, which has a lot of freshmen and sophomore students. As a senior student on the team, Leonard encouraged all boys off the mat. 50
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Men’s gymnastics placed third in the final home meet at McGonigle Hall, with Air Force placing first with 424.55 points. Illinois at Chicago placed second with 403.55 while Temple finished with 402.5. Evan Eigner (left) once again led Temple on the rings with a 14.4 and placing third in the meet for the rings event.
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Previous: Hugs between team members in the final home meet Fred Turoff’s hard work was at his usual pace at the final home meet. With the evening progressing, Turoff was helping run the event in every way possible. Before the meet, he checked the computer at the announcers’ table to make sure that the scoring was working properly. During the meet, Turoff made notes for all his boys, which would be the record for the whole team. 57
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Left: After the final home meet, Fred Turoff prepared a small ceremony for his senior boys to receive applause. Bottom: Senior students, Scott Haddaway, John Leonard, Brendan Williams and Charles Baldi (from left to right).
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While all the people left the McGonigle Hall after the final home meet on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2014, Fred Turoff was still in the empty arena for hours to make preparation for the boys’ team meet the second day. 63
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“I know how hard he works,� said Joseph Labolito, the University Photographer. 65
At around 11:50 pm on Saturday on Feb. 15, 2014, Fred Turoff finished all his work at McGonigle Hall and left.
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“The records [of Men’s Gymnastics program] never came into discussion at all.” — President Neil D. Theobald. 70
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Gymnastics Remains Suspended At the Board of Trustee meeting on Feb. 24, 2014, men’s crew and women’s rowing teams cuts were overturned. But men’s gymnastics, with four other sports, remains cut. On Feb. 24, 2014, the public board meeting was held, being attended by student-athletes, coaches and others interested. President Neil Theobald called for the reinstatement of men’s crew and women’s rowing. As the back of these two teams, the East Park Canoe House will be renovated due to donations from Gerry Lenfest and other city funds. President Theobald holds firm that the other five sports will still be cut. Men’s gymnastics, with men’s baseball, men’s outdoor and indoor track and field, and women’s softball, loses hope. Men’s Gymnastics program could be converted into a club team to compete next year.
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Fred Turoff immediately raised his hand when the Board of Trustee meeting opened to the public questions. Turoff emphasized his team is the “most successful program at Temple” and the school should not eliminate this program. “The records [of Men’s Gymnastics program] never came into discussion”, said Theobald. The president also stated that reinsatating cutting men’s crew and women’s rowing hurt Temple University in regards to Title IX. Athletic Director Kevin Clark claimed that no one wanted to make the cuts, but at the end of the day, he had to think of what was best for Temple University. “It’s not fair,” said Tom Gibbs, the volunteer coach in Turoff’s team.
Previous: Faces on the Board of Trustees meeting on Feb. 24, 2014. Left: After the speech on the Board of Trustees meeting, Fred Turoff took a bow. Right: As a boy grew up with Temple Men’s Gymnastics, Evan Eigner caught the emotional falling after the Board of Trustees meeting.
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After the Board of Trustees meeting on Feb. 24, 2014 in Sullivan Hall, Fred Turoff called a short meeting with all team members in Men’s Gymnastics team. Turoff told his boys to keep their spirits up and finish this season strong. 79
From Fred Turoff, “At the Temple Board of Trustees meeting Monday [Feb. 24, 2014], varsity men’s gymnastics along with four other sports was confirmed to be terminated after June 30. (Crew and Rowing were reinstated due to the outside funding received to renovate their boathouse, not costing TU anything.) It was stated that we would be assisted in a transition to university club status. While this will keep us from enjoying the type of competition we’ve had in the past 88 years, looking at the bright side, it will allow us to continue training young men toward collegiate competition, but not toward an NCAA Championship. However, there are meets we can enter as a club team and two national meets, so we should enjoy several challenging competitions each season. Of course, being a club means we no longer have a budget provided by the athletic department. Yet, one trustee, Lewis Katz, offered Fred a $70,000 yearly challenge grant - as long as that amount is raised, he would contribute $70,000 to our club. This will enable
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Fred to fund team travel, uniforms, personal equipment and be salaried. (Should enough be raised, we could even fund an assistant coach.) The pledges folks have made already for the next five years indicate that we can raise this kind of funding and provide a terrific experience for any male gymnasts who want to attend Temple and compete for our club team. We’ll still count on your support as long as we exist, and hope you will offer it to whomever follows coach Fred. We don’t yet know how and where to deposit donations for the club, and will contact all once more is known. A great concern is what this means to ECAC and NCAA men’s gymnastics. Thanks for all you’ve done for Temple Men’s Gymnastics and the support you’ve shown us. We’ll continue to search out ways to reverse the decision, but at least we have a future where we’ll continue gymnastics at Temple.”
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Turoff said, “I can’t do nothing here. Just stay positive.” After the Board of Trustees meeting on Feb. 24, 2014, Turoff was back to his coaching work. Turoff got a challenge grant from Lewis Katz, the member in the Board of Trustees. As long as Turoff could raise $70,000, Katz would match the same amount. But Turoff is not sure whether the challenge grant would be yearly.
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With the 2014 season processing, all team members in Temple Men’s Gymnastics team keep the working in training and enjoying the time in gym. But for the next season, Temple Men’s Gymnastics will compete as a club team. These boys can’t train while the women’s team is in the gym, even though ECAC still allows them to compete in the conference. All the training for the future has to be done after hours. 85
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The season continues. The trip for guest meet was also still on but for Fred Turoff, there was fundraising to be done. 87
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From March 28 to 29, Temple Men’s Gymnastics travelled to the United States Naval Academic in Annapolis, Maryland for ECAC Tournament. It is the last time for them to compete as a team for the men’s gymnastics program. Turoff and his boys stood for the National Anthem on March 29 in Macdonough Hall at the US Naval Academy. 89
Evan Eigner, Rings
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Brendan Williams, Pommel Horse 92
Jon Rydzefski, High Bar 93
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Evan Eigner won the third place in rings in ECAC Championships Individual Event Finals.
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Last time for Temple Men’s Gymnastics program to compete as a whole team, it means a lot to coach and all teammates.
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After the ECAC conference, three athletes from Temple Gymnastics qualified for the NCAA tournament in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Evan Eigner (left) qualified in the rings event, Jon Rydzefski (middle) and Jakob Welsh (right) qualified in the all-around national tournament. Turoff regarded it a good thing for these young athletes.
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Rigorous training for the NCAA Tournament made Jakob Welsh (top) and Jon Rydzefski (right) exhausted. Both of them had injuries before the NCAA trip. 104
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Left: Evan Eigner returned from Ann Arbor on April 13, 2014. The 2014 Season of Men’s Gymnastics was finished. Top: Some athletes of the men’s team watch the NCAA Tournament video in the gym on Monday, April 14.
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Right after Evan Eigner finished the NCAA trip, he was back in the gym furthering his training to prepare for next year. Eigner was focusing on the strength for the rings to aim at bigger goals in the future. As a club team next year, Eigner would not be able to compete at the NCAA Tournament.
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Misha Kustin (left) and Evan Eigner (right) still keep training in the postseason. As a junior next year, Eigner would have a crucial role in the team and he would compete more events.
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Recently, with Turoff’s efforts, another two challenge of $3,000 and $250,000 grants were added to the Save TUMG fundraising. On April 20, Fred Turoff got confirmation from Bill Cosby of the comedy show at Liacouras Center in August which would benefit Men’s Gymnastics.
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Fred Turoff said he didn’t know how long he could stay on as coach, “If I can help it, Men’s Gymnastics will still stay here [Temple University].” With Evan Eigner on the team, Turoff still enjoys his time in the gym. 114
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“If I can help it, men’s gymnastics will stay here [Temple University].” — Fred Turoff. 116
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