Erinn Dooley: College Coaching 'At Home'
Erinn Dooley: College Coaching 'At Home'
There are many former elite gymnasts who now are coaches in the NCAA. This week we take an in-depth look at our next coach, Erinn Dooley. She is originally from Maryland and is now an assistant coach at the University of Maryland.
Dooley trained at Hill's alongside Olympians Dominique Dawes, Elise Ray, and Courtney Kupets, under well-known Olympic coach Kelli Hill. Dooley became a U.S. National team member from 1997-2000. She competed with both the 1997 and 1999 runner-up U.S. teams at the Pan-American games. She won the American Junior Classic all-around in 1997 and finished ninth in the 1999 World Team Trials. In 2000, she was a part of the gold-medal U.S. team at the Senior Pacific Alliance competition in New Zealand.
Dooley attended the University of Florida where she was a seven-time All-American gymnast for the Gators. Dooley was named Southeastern Conference Gymnast of the Week twice and was named to the All-SEC second team four times. She served as co-captain for the Gators for both her junior and senior years.
Dooley was hired by the University of Maryland in 2008 as an assistant coach. This is Dooley’s first position in the NCAA and has been a great asset to the Terrapins. Dooley enters her 7th year as assistant coach at Maryland.
Gymnastike recently caught up with Erinn Dooley
What is it like coaching among so many other former gymnasts and even former teammates?
It is great! When you have gone through the elite system you become really close and form a sisterhood bond. We have a great camaraderie and enjoy being around each other. I am really close with Elise Ray as we both trained at Hill’s. I am also close with Kristen Maloney as we competed about the same time.
What brought you to Maryland?
I am from Maryland so it is great to be home! I have known Brett [Nelligan] since I was young, so when he became head coach, he reached out to me. He gave me a call and I went in for an interview. I was excited to be able to start coaching in college, especially so close to home!
What are your goals as a coach?
One day I would love to be a head coach. I am going into my 7th year at Maryland and have learned so much. I want to be an assistant or head coach at a top program in the future. My biggest goal is getting the best out of my athletes inside and outside of the gym. I want to get them ready for the real world.
What is your role at Maryland?
I mostly coach beam, but I help out everywhere. I also help with our conditioning program because I was a personal trainer before coaching. I also help with administrative work and behind the scenes work.
Maryland had a great showing at Regionals last year. What is next for Maryland?
It was really special for us to finish 3rd. We have some great recruits coming in and we just want to keep moving up in the rankings. We just need to keep plugging away and get into the top 20. We ultimately want to make it to nationals and if we can’t as a team yet, we would love to get some individuals there first. It has been great for us being in the Big Ten and competing against the big guns. It makes us be better and it is exciting for us!
How does your time as a Florida gymnast help you today as a coach?
I was coached by Rhonda Faehn for three years when I was at Florida. Rhonda’s coaching style was similar to Kelli Hill so that was a great transition for me. Rhonda set high expectations for us gymnasts and I try to bring those same expectations to my gymnasts. Rhonda had a high respect level and she never showed her nervousness to her gymnasts. She really brought the best out of each athlete she coached. She was always supportive and helped mold me into the coach I am today. I have learned a lot from her and I try to bring some of those keys to my gymnasts.
What do you bring from your elite training to your coaching?
Kelli Hill is a very strong woman and I will always look up to her. She is very close with all of her gymnasts and pushed us all to be the best we could be. She molded us all and taught us the discipline and work ethic we needed. She will always be there for me and I turn to her for advice quite often.
Anything else you would like us to know about you?
Coming out of college I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do. I am so thankful to Brett for giving me the opportunity to join the college coaching world. I love what I do and I love being someone that my athletes can go to. I love coaching and look forward to what is ahead.
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