Iowa State’s athletics director cited ‘unreconcilable differences’ between athletes, coaches, and parents for the gymnastics season’s cancellation.
The athletics director’s letter acknowledged recurring conflicts within the program, raising concerns about its long-term viability.
Previous statements from the university attributed the cancellation to safety concerns, injuries, and other health issues.
In a letter to Cyclone gymnasts and their families, Iowa State’s athletics director said the school canceled its gymnastics season due to ‘unreconcilable differences’ between athletes, coaches and parents.
The Feb. 17 letter, obtained by USA TODAY Sports Network, came from ISU athletics director Jamie Pollard and addressed to ‘Women’s Gymnastics Student-Athletes & Families.’ In it, Pollard discusses why Iowa State canceled its gymnastics season on Feb. 8 and acknowledges — but does not alleviate — fears about the program’s viability.
‘The decision to suspend the season resulted from a series of complex internal conflicts between individual teammates, coaching staff members, and parents,’ Pollard wrote. ‘These conflicts created unreconcilable differences that not only prevented our team from competing, but they also prevented team members from carrying on their daily activities, including practice. In the end, suspending the remainder of the season was the only viable alternative.’
Pollard’s letter was sent hours after USA TODAY Sports Network published a story describing gymnasts’ and alumni’s anxiety about the season’s cancellation.
Iowa State’s previous public statements about the cancellation, attributed to senior associate athletics director Shamaree Brown and athletics department spokesman Nick Joos, did not specify a reason for the cancellation beyond safety concerns.
“After a careful and thoughtful review of the program over the last week, it became apparent that we do not have enough student-athletes available to safely compete, and thus have made the painful decision to cancel the remainder of our gymnastics season,” Brown said in a statement released by the school Feb. 8.
On Feb. 9, Joos said in an email to USA TODAY Sports Network that the reason for the cancellation was a ‘combination of injuries and other health issues that have impeded the ability to train and compete for multiple athletes.’
In the Feb. 17 letter, on official Iowa State letterhead, Pollard describes an environment of recurring conflict within the gymnastics program over an unspecified time period.
‘We also realize many of you have a concern about what this means for the long term viability of gymnastics at Iowa State University. We share that same concern,’ Pollard wrote. ‘Unfortunately, conflicts within our gymnastics team are not new. Comparable challenges have occurred multiple times in our program’s history.
‘Providing all our student-athletes with a positive, healthy, and supportive experience is at the core of our athletic program’s mission. Unfortunately, gymnastics is the only one of our 18 sports that has exhibited this type of recurring conflict. The fact it has happened multiple times, over an extended period, raises serious questions.’
Pollard wrote that Iowa State is working to address concerns about eligibility, the transfer portal and access to training. He said that Cyclone gymnasts will continue to have access to the school’s athletics trainers, strength coaches, academic support, mental health and nutrition specialists.
‘We will continue to analyze and evaluate the root cause of these continual issues with the members of our support staff that work daily with our student athletes,’ Pollard wrote. ‘Our goal is to understand what is preventing our gymnastics program from providing the type of experience we expect for every Cyclone student-athlete and to determine how best to move forward.’
Since the season’s cancellation, Iowa State has closed its gymnastics facilities to athletes because of ‘concerns that were raised,’ according to Brown. Gymnasts are training at private gyms, but being forced to coordinate schedules to work around an NCAA rule that says no more than two of them can practice together at the same time.
Iowa State administrators have been vague when questioned about whether the gymnastics program is in danger of being cut.
On Feb. 16, asked by USA TODAY Sports Network if there have been discussions about eliminating gymnastics, Brown responded in an email, ‘Our priority has remained on supporting the gymnasts in the aftermath of this decision, and we have not shifted our focus away from ensuring they continue to receive the care and resources they need.’
Iowa State head coach Ashley Miles Greig and members of her coaching staff are not mentioned by name in Pollard’s letter. On Feb. 16, Brown told USA TODAY Sports Network that the gymnastics coaching staff remained employed.