Corrinne Tarver Explained

Corrinne Tarver
Also Known As:Corrinne Wright
Hometown:Mount Vernon, New York, U.S.
Height:4 ft 9 in
Natlteam:1985–1986 (U.S.)
Collegeteam:Georgia (1987–1990)
Formercoach:Suzanne Yoculan (Georgia)
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Current Team:Fisk (2022–)

Corrinne Wright Tarver (born 1968) is an American gymnastics coach and former artistic gymnast. In 1989, representing the Georgia Bulldogs, she won the NCAA All-Around Gymnastics Championships, becoming the first African-American woman to do so. In 2022, she became the inaugural coach of the Fisk University gymnastics team.

Early life

Corrinne Wright grew up in Mount Vernon, New York.[1] She took up gymnastics in the footsteps of her older sister. Early on she trained at a local YWCA without a dedicated space for gymnastics before beginning to commute to practice more intensively at a gymnastics facility in Stamford, Connecticut.[1] In 1985 and 1986, she competed for the U.S. national artistic gymnastics team. Recruited by the University of Georgia Bulldogs coach Suzanne Yoculan, Wright decided to go to Georgia after her first visit to the campus, in Athens.

NCAA career

Wright was the first African-American member of the Georgia Bulldogs gymnastics team. A nine-time All-American in her four years with the GymDogs, she helped win NCAA Team Championships in 1987 and 1989 as an early standout for Yoculan's burgeoning dynasty.[2] Yoculan remembered Wright as a stellar and fierce competitor who could sometimes be loath to practice.[2] Wright later called herself "a ham ... I loved having all the eyes on me".[1] She would be inducted into the Georgia Bulldogs' Circle of Honor in 2005.[3]

In her first year, while helping Georgia to win its first team NCAA title, Wright placed third in all-around at the 1987 NCAA Championships with a score of 37.80, 0.30 behind champion Kelly Garrison-Steves of Oklahoma, and second in floor exercise with a score of 9.70, 0.10 behind Kim Hamilton of UCLA.[4] In her floor routine, she became the first NCAA gymnast to perform three double saltos in one routine and the first to land a double layout.[5] She was considered a contender for all-around at the 1988 Championships, despite some consistency issues, and sought to increase the difficulty of her routines, but an ankle injury restricted her practice during the season.[3] [6] She ended up repeating her floor result for second place by the same margin behind Hamilton, and made all-American on vault, but did not contend for all-around.[3] [7]

As a junior in 1989, while helping to win a second team NCAA title for Georgia, Wright won the NCAA's all-around title, becoming the first African-American woman to do so.[2] Her total score of 38.90, tied for the all-around record at that point, edged her nearest competitors by 0.20.[8] Her strong floor routine—an ebullient display of tumbling, including a double layout, set to the music of Who Framed Roger Rabbit—earned her a score of 9.90, tied with Hamilton for first place.[9] [8] [10] The co-champion floor routines, performed back to back, were "as different as night and day": following Wright's effervescent and crowd-pleasing routine (with her coach describing her as "a little dynamo"), 5feet Hamilton's balletic performance "was all lines and grace".[9] [11] Wright additionally medaled in uneven bars (9.80 in the event finals) and vault (9.675).[9] [8] She finished her college career the next year with an all-American showing in all-around in 1990.[2]

Coaching career

After completing her Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree at Georgia in 1991, Wright went to New York Law School, earning her Juris Doctor (JD) in 1996.[12] She worked afterward in athletic administration for the NCAA's Northeast Conference and as a member of the athletic departments of Stockton and Syracuse.[12] She has worked as a gymnastics coach since the 1990s, including at Star Bound Gymnastics Academy in Bridgeton, New Jersey, and as an assistant coach for Pennsylvania beginning in 2009.[13]

In March 2022, Fisk University in Nashville hired Wright (by now known as Corrinne Tarver) as the head coach for its fledgling gymnastics program, the first such team at a historically black college in the country.[14] [15] While building the team, Tarver asked recruits, "Do you want to make history?"[16] Tarver additionally became Fisk's athletic director in July 2022.[17] The Fisk Lady Gymdogs held their first practice on August 8, 2022,[18] and made their competitive debut at a Super 16 meet in Las Vegas on January 6, 2023, but placed last out of four teams.[19] The Fisk team, composed of freshman and transfers, attracted support on social media.[20] They had a poor win–loss record but managed to close their first regular season with a home win over Greenville.[21] Three Gymdogs—Morgan Price, Liberty Mora, and Zyia Coleman—competed at the 2023 USA Gymnastics Collegiate National Championships, two winning All-American honors (Price on floor and Mora on beam).[22]

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. News: The HBCU Vaulting Into Gymnastics History. February 21, 2023. What A Day. Tolliver. Juanita. Crooked Media. podcast. April 14, 2023. April 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230415040521/https://crooked.com/podcast/the-hbcu-vaulting-into-gymnastics-history/. live.
  2. News: 'One Of The Best Experiences Of My Life'. Frierson. John. February 21, 2022. georgiadogs.com. University of Georgia. April 14, 2023. April 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230415040520/https://georgiadogs.com/news/2022/2/21/gymnastics-one-of-the-best-experiences-of-my-life. live.
  3. Web site: Gymnastics Circle of Honor. December 12, 2008. georgiadogs.com. University of Georgia. April 14, 2023. April 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230415040522/https://georgiadogs.com/news/2008/12/12/Gymnastics_Circle_of_Honor. live.
  4. News: Georgia women shine on balance beam, end Utah's reign. 6. April 29, 1987. 24. 18. The NCAA News. National Collegiate Athletic Association. Internet Archive.
  5. News: Fisk University and Corrinne Tarver Continue Blazing Trails. Billman. Claire. April 29, 2022. collegegymnews.com. April 14, 2023. April 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230415040522/https://collegegymnews.com/2022/04/29/fisk-university-and-corrinne-tarver-continue-blazing-trails/. live.
  6. Feeding Frenzy. Botkin. Mike. 34–35. March–April 1988. 17. 2. USA Gymnastics. United States Gymnastics Federation. Internet Archive.
  7. News: Alabama captures women's gym title. 6. April 27, 1988. 25. 17. The NCAA News. National Collegiate Athletic Association. Internet Archive.
  8. News: Georgia women win second women's gym crown since '87. 6–7. April 19, 1989. 26. 16. The NCAA News. National Collegiate Athletic Association. Internet Archive.
  9. News: 1989 NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championships. Starek. Joanna. 41–43. July–August 1989. 18. 4. USA Gymnastics. United States Gymnastics Federation. Internet Archive.
  10. News: NCAA Women's Gymnastics: UCLA's Hamilton Wins Two Titles as Bruins Impress. April 16, 1989. Los Angeles Times. April 14, 2023. April 18, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230418124044/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-04-16-sp-2577-story.html. live.
  11. Book: Perfect 10: The UGA GymDogs & the Rise of Women's College Gymnastics in America. 25, 130–131. Yoculan. Suzanne. Suzanne Yoculan. Donaldson. Bill. 2005. Hill Street Press. 1588181111. Internet Archive.
  12. News: What's New with our Gym Dog Alumni. September 2, 2002. georgiadogs.com. University of Georgia. April 14, 2023. April 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230415040520/https://georgiadogs.com/news/2002/9/2/What_s_New_with_our_Gym_Dog_Alumni. live.
  13. News: Corrinne Wright Named Assistant Gymnastics Coach. November 11, 2009. University of Pennsylvania. April 14, 2023. April 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230415040520/https://pennathletics.com/news/2016/6/27/5771b072e4b0028e72361a09_131492854313729552. live.
  14. News: Fisk University Names Ivy League Coach Corrinne Tarver to Lead its New Women's Gymnastics Program. Frederiksen. Jens. March 9, 2022. Fisk University. press release. April 14, 2023. April 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230415040522/https://www.fisk.edu/new-category/fisk-university-names-ivy-league-coach-corrinne-tarver-to-lead-its-new-womens-gymnastics-program/. live.
  15. News: Fisk names ex-national champ to lead new gymnastics program. White. Katelyn. March 9, 2022. NashvillePost.com. April 14, 2023. April 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230415040521/https://www.nashvillepost.com/business/education/fisk-names-ex-national-champ-to-lead-new-gymnastics-program/article_703952c0-9fe7-11ec-96d7-1fa154798178.html. live.
  16. News: 'Do you want to make history?' Fisk University competes as first HBCU with NCAA women's gymnastics team. Boone. Jade. March 21, 2023. CBS News. April 14, 2023. April 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230415040520/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fisk-university-ncaa-womens-gymnastics-hbcu/. live.
  17. News: Corrinne Tarver Promoted to Athletic Director at Fisk University. July 7, 2022. Fisk University. April 14, 2023. April 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230415040522/https://www.fisk.edu/university-news-and-publications/corrinne-tarver-promoted-to-athletic-director-at-fisk-university/. live.
  18. News: Fisk Launches First Ever HBCU Women's Gymnastics Program. Smith. Robin. Chattanooga News Chronicle. August 18, 2022. April 14, 2023. April 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230415040523/https://www.chattnewschronicle.com/sports/fisk-launches-first-ever-hbcu-womens-gymnastics-program/. live.
  19. News: Fisk University debuts as first HBCU team in NCAA gymnastics. Maine. D'Arcy. January 6, 2023. ESPN. April 14, 2023. April 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230415042022/https://www.espn.com/olympics/gymnastics/story/_/id/35392354/fisk-university-debuts-first-hbcu-team-ncaa-gymnastics. live.
  20. News: A closer look at Fisk gymnastics and what makes it different. Becton. Stan. January 30, 2023. NCAA. April 24, 2023. April 24, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230424223913/https://www.ncaa.com/news/gymnastics-women/article/2023-01-30/closer-look-fisk-gymnastics-and-what-makes-it-different. live.
  21. Web site: 2022-23 Gymnastics Schedule. https://web.archive.org/web/20230415031128/https://www.fiskathletics.com/sport/gymnastics/2022-23/schedule. April 15, 2023. Fisk University. fiskathletics.com.
  22. Fisk University Gymnasts Earn Medals and First-Team All-American Honors at 2023 National Championships. Mosley. Kyle T.. April 9, 2023. Sports Illustrated. April 24, 2023. April 24, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230424222924/https://www.si.com/college/hbcu/gymnastics/fisk-gymnasts-earn-medals-all-american-honors. live.

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