STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford women’s gymnastics added Neal Gallant to its staff as an assistant coach for the 2015-16 season, as announced Monday by head coach Kristen Smyth.
Gallant brings 27 years of coaching experience, including 23 in the Bay Area, to The Farm and will make the transition across the bay from California Gymnastics Academy in Livermore, California, where he’s coached since 2010.
"Neal is one of the top club coaches in the Bay Area,” said Stanford head coach Kristen Smyth. “He has helped many young women earn college scholarships to top universities including our very own All-Americans, Ashley Morgan and Amanda Spinner. He is passionate about the sport, committed to providing a holistic experience for our scholar-athletes and is going to be a wonderful addition to our staff and SWG family.”
Gallant has experience coaching gymnasts in all four events and has helped guide many of his athletes to collegiate programs and watched them grow into leaders at their universities.
Gallant has worked with multiple gyms in the Bay Area including Bay Aerials Gymnastics, CalWest Gymnastics and Almaden Valley Gymnastics. He has coached individual event, all-around and team state champions and has helped gymnasts qualify to regional, western and Junior Olympic national championships.
Along with coaching in the gym, Gallant placed an emphasis on planning team functions and outings such as banquets and summer events.
“I feel privileged to become part of the highly accomplished Stanford women’s gymnastics team,” said Gallant. “I look forward to contributing to the continued success of the program, sharing my passion for the sport and working with the talented athletes and incredible staff.”
Gallant graduated from Arizona State in 1991 with a degree in exercise physiology.
Gallant joins a Stanford team that returned to the NCAA Championships for the 12th time in the past 15 years, six gymnasts combined for nine All-America honors and the Cardinal finished fifth at the NCAA Championships with a 197.250 – the team’s second-highest score ever at an NCAA Championships competition.
Stanford is one of seven teams in the nation to make at least seven Super Six appearances in the past 14 years (2002-15).
