Here’s a record that will never be broken:
Could there possibly have been more going on at Senior Night for the Michigan men’s gymnastics team? I tend to doubt it.
Before the meet, the team honored former coach Newt Loken for 60 years of perfect attendance at home meets. Coach Loken was completely surprised–although everyone else had known about it for weeks. His wife, Dottie (who he calls “a gemâ€) came with him, along with his usual companion, Bob Willoughby. Willoughby, a gymnast on one of Loken’s first teams, regularly drives the coach to and from the meets. In front of both the Michigan and Ohio State lineups, Willoughby presented Loken with a plaque honoring him as the “ultimate superfan.†All the Michigan gymnasts bowed as if they were being knighted, down on one knee with a hand over the heart. Even Ohio State head coach Miles Avery came over to shake Loken’s hand. And the entire crowd gave him a standing ovation. …
Loken was NCAA all-around gymnastics champion in 1942. That’s so long ago that he was also NCAA champion on the now defunct apparatus called Flying Rings.
He coached University of Michigan gymnastics team for 36 years from 1948-1983. Loken’s gymnasts won the NCAA championships in 1963 and 1970, as well as 12 Big Ten championships. His record as Michigan’s gymnastics coach was 250-72-1. Loken also coached the Michigan trampolining team to NCAA championships in 1969 and 1970.
He was also an All American Cheerleader and on the diving team.
Newt Loken Gymnastics Training Center – more photos
He published a number of books (now out of print) including:
Congratulations Newt. You are an inspiration to all us “young” coaches.
Gymnastics Coaching.com 