"As a parent of a former UWO gymnast, I will say that this experience was very disappointing. If you are seeking an inspiring and engaging training environment, then look elsewhere. This head coach creates a toxic environment filled with unnecessary drama. She gossips and talks about athletes behind their backs. She does not take accountability for her actions and manipulates situations to place blame on others. This environment is fueled by threats, fear and intimidation. She uses corporal punishment tactics like making the entire team run an excessive amount of stairs. All get punished vs only reprimanding the ones that made poor decisions. There is little to no team building and no team retreat. This coach plays favorites and those athletes receive preferential treatment and aren’t held to the same expectations as others. She does not genuinely care about her athletes - only concerned about herself and her image. Athletes are treated as commodities not human beings. She expects respect but does not treat her athletes with dignity and respect. There is little to no concern about athletes’ well being and she lacks compassion and empathy. Athletes are expected to defer surgery and continue training on injuries otherwise they are deemed as quitters. And if an athlete struggles to bounce back, she will push them to the side and ignore them. The lack of concern for physical and mental well being is disheartening. Athletes are dispensable to her and she’s more focused on acquiring new talent vs investing in current talent. Communication and feedback is limited unless you are one of her favorites. Not approachable and temperamental - athletes know to stay clear. Positive reinforcement or words of encouragement are limited, but passive aggressive comments are readily available. She doesn’t make an effort to connect with or get to know most of her athletes. She is very cold and uncaring - nothing nurturing about this environment. If you’re interested in this program, proceed with extreme caution. Don’t be fooled when visiting as she will play on whatever is important to you to lure you in. Once there, her demeanor changes. She plays mind games and is dishonest and deceptive. And now she is in the business of cutting athletes who she deems as “dead weight”. Just because you were good enough to get recruited doesn’t mean she’ll keep you around. This culture does not empower women, but rather forces them to be fearful and submissive to her rule. There is a price to pay for success in this program - a lack of leadership and a lot of ridiculous nonsense that takes away from the essence of DIII athletics and love of the sport. "