1. John Gerald Geddert was an American artistic gymnastics coach, who was a head coach of the gold-medal 2012 US women's Olympic team and regular coach of team member Jordyn Wieber.
19 Facts About John Geddert
1. 2.
From 1984, John Geddert was head coach at Great Lakes Gymnastics Club in Lansing, Michigan, where he first worked with Larry Nassar.
3.
In 1988, John Geddert was named Male Coach of the Year for the United States Gymnastic Federation in Michigan.
4.
John Geddert won the Federation's Regional Coach of the Year award in 1990 and 1991.
5.
John Geddert was later fired from Great Lakes Gymnastics Club.
6.
In 1996, John Geddert founded the Twistars USA Gymnastics Club in Dimondale.
7.
Many former gymnasts have described John Geddert's coaching style as intense, strict, and abusive.
8.
Several former gymnasts have recounted that John Geddert repeatedly told them to kill themselves.
9.
John Geddert was known to throw items in his gym when angered.
10.
On one occasion, John Geddert shoved a gymnast forcefully enough for her to sustain a black eye, ruptured lymph nodes in her neck, and torn muscles in her stomach.
11.
In 2013, John Geddert was under criminal investigation for his abusive treatment of gymnasts.
12.
The Eaton County Prosecutor's office stated there was enough evidence to charge John Geddert, but allowed John Geddert to seek counseling instead.
13.
In December 2013, a former employee of John Geddert contacted USA Gymnastics to inform them of John Geddert's abuse of his athletes.
14.
John Geddert retired from coaching on January 23,2018, one day after USA Gymnastics announced that he was suspended pending an investigation into his alleged abuse.
15.
Many former gymnasts and parents have asserted that the intense and abusive environment John Geddert created in his gym allowed for Nassar, a regular volunteer at John Geddert's gym, to easily groom gymnasts and gain their trust.
16.
Several gymnasts have admitted that John Geddert created such a hostile environment that they were unable to approach John Geddert about the abuse.
17.
At least one former gymnast testified that John Geddert walked in on a supposed medical session while Nassar was penetrating her with his fingers.
18.
The witness stated that John Geddert joked about her injury and left the room.
19.
Hours after being charged, John Geddert fatally shot himself at a rest area off Interstate 96 in Watertown Charter Township, Michigan.