Bowling Green State University Athletics
Q and A with Kerrie Turner
Kerrie Turner is the second-longest tenured head coach currently at Bowling Green, beginning her 11th season with the gymnastics program at Bowling Green. In 2016, BGSU Gymnastics qualifed for the NCAA Regional Championships and in 2017, the squad was runner-up at the MAC Championship.
Name: Kerrie Turner
Sport: Gymnastics
Hometown: Wilton, Conn.
Major: Exercise and Sport Science at Ursinus College
You enter your eleventh season at BGSU. What makes you excited for this season?
I am particularly excited to build upon the results from the past several seasons. We have qualified to NCAA regionals, finished a close second at the MAC Championships and had several MAC champions on individual events.The excitement around the culture we have created of excellence and success in the gym, classroom and the community really motivates me, my staff and our student-athletes daily.
Every year brings the magic of competition and I really can’t wait to get the team out on the competition floor. We learn from every experience and it is incredibly rewarding to see the team improve and mature over time.
When you lose a championship by one-tenth of a point (as happened in 2017), how long before you move on from that?
I will move on when we win the MAC Championship. Until then, that one-tenth fuels the fire every day. I only have to say “one-tenth” and the team starts moving even faster and you can see the look in their eye that they want this win as much as our staff. It’s important to get very close to the win. That is when the mind is convinced it is within reach and the mental training is often even more important than the physical training. Everyone involved must believe it isn’t just possible, they must believe the win is the likely outcome.
Your husband is a professor on campus. Tell us a little about him and how it is to work at the same institution.
Adrian is a professor of Physical Education Teacher Education and he does a great deal of work with the coaching minor. Born and raised in England, I love Adrian’s sarcastic and witty humor. He absolutely loves soccer (or football as he would say), particularly the English Premier League team called Arsenal. We are fortunate to both get to impact the lives of students at Bowling Green State University. Even though we both work on campus, we don’t actually see each other that much but it is nice to know we can meet at the union and grab some coffee together if time permits.
Interesting fact is that I am a morning person ... typically up around 5:30 am. Adrian is not a morning person at all. Often I am on campus bright and early and getting as much work done as possible in the morning, while Adrian will stay late on campus and work on grading and research into the evening. I don’t know how he does it!
Overall, we both understand sport and higher education and that really helps us be patient with the busy schedules we keep. We are fortunate to have some time around the winter break and in the summer to travel together ... one of our shared interests.
Gymnastics is a physically demanding sport. What do your student-athletes do to prepare their bodies for the season?
Gymnastics is easily one of the most demanding sports on the human body and, pound for pound, studies have shown elite gymnasts are the strongest athletes. With the cyclical nature of our training schedule, it is incredibly important that we use various types of strength training to not only increase gymnastics ability but also keep our gymnasts safe. I prefer to use circuits that use movements that replicate gymnastics skills. We have one that is called the 1000 rep circuit. As you can imagine, that is a physical and mental challenge!
Our strength coach, Kenny Goodrich, is an invaluable part of our training plan. He really understands gymnastics and provides training programs to assist with the safety of the joints of our gymnasts.
Gymnastically, gymnasts must train year round in order to maintain current skills and progress new skills. Programs must be detailed to focus not only on skills but maintaining strong basics and doing drill work to help remind the gymnast what shapes her body must be in in order to do skills correctly.
In addition, mental training must always be addressed throughout the training cycle. Really the best athletes will train the mind just as much as the body. We work with sports psychology to develop skills in mental training and our assignments become pressure-focused as we get closer to the competitive season.
Why are scholarships important for you and your team?
Scholarships are essential to our program and truly impact the great success we have had in the program. Imagine the young gymnast, training every week of the year from the time they are in grade school through high school. Often gymnasts miss vacations, school dances and make tons of sacrifices to become a top level athlete. In addition, the discipline required to train close to 20 or 30 hours a week and maintain excellent grades is required of gymnasts ... it’s the norm for these student-athletes growing up. What does all this training, studying and discipline add up to? A scholarship. And really, earning the scholarship is only the beginning of a journey that will teach these collegiate student-athletes about excellence in all realms of their lives. It is an opportunity to become, not only an outstanding student-athlete, but also an incredible person and one who will continue to share this success upon graduation. This scholarship is an investment in our future leaders ... in this case female leaders. Scholarships have allowed us to recruit, not only all over the United States, but around the world. We have created a diverse team that shares experiences from all walks of life. For many, it is the only opportunity to receive a college degree. Scholarships are difference makers.
If you could have dinner on campus with 3 people, who’s invited?
Any interesting fact that you would like to add?
In my spare time, I love to bake and decorate cakes. I have had the fortune of making my own wedding cake, a wedding cake for one of our former administrators and the wedding cake for one of our current staff athletic trainers, Rob Whitehurst and his wife, former BGSU gymnast, Dawn. I enjoy doing all types of theme cakes. Some people draw or paint … my art is cakes!
Favorite gymnast of all-time?
This is a tough one but artistry is my favorite part of gymnastics so likely Lilia Podkopayeva from Ukraine. She did unique skills, had the most beautiful lines and just happened to win the all-around title at the 1996 Olympics Games.
Be sure to catch Head Coach Turner and the gymnastics team this year at Anderson Arena. Check out their schedule by CLICKING HERE.
Name: Kerrie TurnerSport: Gymnastics
Hometown: Wilton, Conn.
Major: Exercise and Sport Science at Ursinus College
You enter your eleventh season at BGSU. What makes you excited for this season?
I am particularly excited to build upon the results from the past several seasons. We have qualified to NCAA regionals, finished a close second at the MAC Championships and had several MAC champions on individual events.The excitement around the culture we have created of excellence and success in the gym, classroom and the community really motivates me, my staff and our student-athletes daily.
Every year brings the magic of competition and I really can’t wait to get the team out on the competition floor. We learn from every experience and it is incredibly rewarding to see the team improve and mature over time.
When you lose a championship by one-tenth of a point (as happened in 2017), how long before you move on from that?
I will move on when we win the MAC Championship. Until then, that one-tenth fuels the fire every day. I only have to say “one-tenth” and the team starts moving even faster and you can see the look in their eye that they want this win as much as our staff. It’s important to get very close to the win. That is when the mind is convinced it is within reach and the mental training is often even more important than the physical training. Everyone involved must believe it isn’t just possible, they must believe the win is the likely outcome.
Your husband is a professor on campus. Tell us a little about him and how it is to work at the same institution.Adrian is a professor of Physical Education Teacher Education and he does a great deal of work with the coaching minor. Born and raised in England, I love Adrian’s sarcastic and witty humor. He absolutely loves soccer (or football as he would say), particularly the English Premier League team called Arsenal. We are fortunate to both get to impact the lives of students at Bowling Green State University. Even though we both work on campus, we don’t actually see each other that much but it is nice to know we can meet at the union and grab some coffee together if time permits.
Interesting fact is that I am a morning person ... typically up around 5:30 am. Adrian is not a morning person at all. Often I am on campus bright and early and getting as much work done as possible in the morning, while Adrian will stay late on campus and work on grading and research into the evening. I don’t know how he does it!
Overall, we both understand sport and higher education and that really helps us be patient with the busy schedules we keep. We are fortunate to have some time around the winter break and in the summer to travel together ... one of our shared interests.
Gymnastics is a physically demanding sport. What do your student-athletes do to prepare their bodies for the season?
Gymnastics is easily one of the most demanding sports on the human body and, pound for pound, studies have shown elite gymnasts are the strongest athletes. With the cyclical nature of our training schedule, it is incredibly important that we use various types of strength training to not only increase gymnastics ability but also keep our gymnasts safe. I prefer to use circuits that use movements that replicate gymnastics skills. We have one that is called the 1000 rep circuit. As you can imagine, that is a physical and mental challenge!
Our strength coach, Kenny Goodrich, is an invaluable part of our training plan. He really understands gymnastics and provides training programs to assist with the safety of the joints of our gymnasts.
Gymnastically, gymnasts must train year round in order to maintain current skills and progress new skills. Programs must be detailed to focus not only on skills but maintaining strong basics and doing drill work to help remind the gymnast what shapes her body must be in in order to do skills correctly.
In addition, mental training must always be addressed throughout the training cycle. Really the best athletes will train the mind just as much as the body. We work with sports psychology to develop skills in mental training and our assignments become pressure-focused as we get closer to the competitive season.
Why are scholarships important for you and your team?Scholarships are essential to our program and truly impact the great success we have had in the program. Imagine the young gymnast, training every week of the year from the time they are in grade school through high school. Often gymnasts miss vacations, school dances and make tons of sacrifices to become a top level athlete. In addition, the discipline required to train close to 20 or 30 hours a week and maintain excellent grades is required of gymnasts ... it’s the norm for these student-athletes growing up. What does all this training, studying and discipline add up to? A scholarship. And really, earning the scholarship is only the beginning of a journey that will teach these collegiate student-athletes about excellence in all realms of their lives. It is an opportunity to become, not only an outstanding student-athlete, but also an incredible person and one who will continue to share this success upon graduation. This scholarship is an investment in our future leaders ... in this case female leaders. Scholarships have allowed us to recruit, not only all over the United States, but around the world. We have created a diverse team that shares experiences from all walks of life. For many, it is the only opportunity to receive a college degree. Scholarships are difference makers.
If you could have dinner on campus with 3 people, who’s invited?
- Lee and Marge Meserve… ok I know that’s two people but they are always together and they have supported and continue to support BGSU Athletics with such wonderful heart. The stories and history of the former students, athletes and coaches is always so fun to hear.
- Liz Murray, Author of “Breaking Night”: I’m an avid reader and her story follows her life from living with drug addicted parents, to being a homeless high school drop out, to earning an academic scholarship and getting admitted to and attending Harvard. Talk about inspiring young academics no matter what the circumstances, and the value of earning a scholarship!
- Bono – lead singer for the band U2 because I am a huge U2 fan and even Bob Moosbrugger guessed I might say this!
Any interesting fact that you would like to add?
In my spare time, I love to bake and decorate cakes. I have had the fortune of making my own wedding cake, a wedding cake for one of our former administrators and the wedding cake for one of our current staff athletic trainers, Rob Whitehurst and his wife, former BGSU gymnast, Dawn. I enjoy doing all types of theme cakes. Some people draw or paint … my art is cakes!
Favorite gymnast of all-time?
This is a tough one but artistry is my favorite part of gymnastics so likely Lilia Podkopayeva from Ukraine. She did unique skills, had the most beautiful lines and just happened to win the all-around title at the 1996 Olympics Games.
Be sure to catch Head Coach Turner and the gymnastics team this year at Anderson Arena. Check out their schedule by CLICKING HERE.