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Tom Farden

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Tom Farden
Biographical details
Born (1974-03-28) 28 March 1974 (age 50)
Incheon, South Korea
Alma materSoutheast Missouri State University
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2003–2009SE Missouri
2010–2015Utah (Assistant Coach)
2015–2019Utah (Co-Head Coach)
2019–2023Utah
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
NCAA Region Coach of the Year (2008, 2020 & 2022)

Conference Coach of the Year 2006, '07, '08 & '09

Pac-12 Coach of the Year 2020

Thomas Farden (born Man-Ki Park; March 28, 1974) is a South Korea-born American college gymnastics coach. He began his career as the assistant coach of his alma mater the Southeast Missouri Redhawks women's program in 1999, and was promoted to head coach in 2003.[1][2] After his departure in 2009,[3] Farden briefly served as an assistant coach for the Arkansas Razorbacks for the 2010 season.[4] In 2011, Farden became an assistant coach for the Utah Red Rocks team; a position he held until 2015 when, following the retirement of long-time leader Greg Marsden,[5] he was made the co-head coach with Megan Marsden. After Marsden's retirement in 2019, Farden became the sole head coach of the program. In November 2023, the school put him on administrative leave.[6]

Life and career

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1980–99: beginnings

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At the age of six, in 1980, Farden commenced gymnastics training – he participated as a competitor from the ages of 6 to 18, insisting he was never a good gymnast. In 1992, following graduation from Anoka High School,[7] Farden started Spectrum Gymnastics in Anoka, Minnesota with Bill Corcoran and Bart Roskoski. The gym closed in 1996; he then started coaching at TAGS Gymnastics in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.[8]

1999–2010: Coaching at Southeast Missouri and Arkansas

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In 1999, SEMO women's gymnastics head coach Patty Stotzheim asked Farden whether he'd want to work as her assistant; he took the job for a salary of $15,000.[9] With the Redhawks program, he was a four-year assistant coach until, in May 2003, Farden was named the head coach of the Redhawks after Stotzheim left to attend law school.[10] In his first season, the Redhawks finished fourth at the MIC Championships.[11] In addition, Tara Boldt and Katie Bloom advanced to the NCAA Regionals in Lincoln, Nebraska and the team finished ranked 46th.[12]

Farden's Redhawks finished third at the 2006 MIC Championships and,[13] unlike the previous season, garnered a team NCAA Regional birth, finishing the year at #35.[14] The 2007 season didn't see the Redhawks earn a Regional birth either,[15] despite the team's third-place finish at MIC Championships in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.[16] The 2008 season, Farden's penultimate at SEMO, the team finished second at the MIC Championships,[17] and the team finished 5th at the South Central Regional (ahead of PAC 10 team ASU) and 30th nationally.[18] As a result, Farden was awarded NCAA Region Coach of the Year.[19]

Farden's final season in 2009 the program won the MIC Conference Championships and,[20] consequently, the team did not qualify to regionals, finishing the year ranked 37th.[21] From 2006 to 2009, Farden was awarded MIC Conference Coach of the Year.[22] He left to join the Arkansas Razorbacks program as an assistant coach.[22]

2011–present: Utah

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2011–15: Assistant coach

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Farden joined the Utah Red Rocks program as an assistant coach for the 2011 season.[23][24] He was hired as a replacement for Jeff Graba, who took the head coach role for the Auburn Tigers women's gymnastics program.[25]

Farden headed as Utah's bars head coach; his work was highlighted through the second-place finish of Georgia Dabritz at the 2013 Nationals,[26] and her latter National title in 2015.[27] Additionally, in his first season, the program's national bars ranking shot from #12 to #3.[28][29] Likewise, in 2015, Utah were co-leaders in the nation for the uneven bars, tied with Florida Gators.[30]

2016–2019: Co-head coach

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Upon the retirement of Greg Marsden, the long-time head coach of the Red Rocks,[31] Farden was appointed the co-Head Coach of the program along with Megan Marsden, long-time assistant coach and the spouse of Greg Marsden.[32] In his first season, the Red Rocks finished fifth in the all-around during the regular season;[33] they then had a second-place finish at the 2016 Pac-12 Championships, in Seattle, Washington.[34] However, the Red Rocks won the 2016 Regional to qualify to the 2016 NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championship in Fort Worth, Texas.[35]

2019-present: Head Coach

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Upon Megan Marsden's retirement, Farden became the sole head coach of the Utah program.[36] In the 2020 season, he led the program to its second undefeated season (1993 & 2020) and the first-ever Pac-12 regular season title. For these accomplishments, he was named Pac-12 Coach and Regional Coach of the Year.[37][38]

During Farden’s tenure, the Red Rocks won every Pac-12 regular season title (outright in 2020 and 2021, and shared in 2022 and 2023) and every Pac-12 Conference Championship (2021-2023). In the postseason, Utah won three regional titles and three third-place finishes at the NCAA National Championship (2021-2023).[39]

Administrative leave

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In October 2023, Tokyo Olympic alternate gymnast Kara Eaker said she had been subjected to abusive coaching by Farden while at Utah, and was withdrawing from the school and retiring.[6] Kim Tessen, who competed for Utah from 2017-20 and was a second-team All-American on vault and uneven bars as a senior, said that she suffered from "major depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation" during her time with the team, and that Farden verbally attacked her and made her feel physically unsafe.[40] In November 2023, the school put him on administrative leave.[6]

Personal life

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Born Man-Ki Park on March 28, 1974,[41] Farden was adopted from South Korea (born in Incheon), as he was an orphan –[42] stating that he was 'left in a basket on the sidewalk'.[43]

He is married to Christina Farden (née Faulkner), an alumna of Southeast Missouri State University. He and his wife have adopted a son from South Korea (the same region as Farden too) named Ki.[44][43]

References

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  1. ^ "Player Bio: Tom Farden - SEMO OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE". gosoutheast.cstv.com. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  2. ^ "Tom Farden Named Gymnastics Head Coach :: Farden served as interim coach last season". onlyfans.cstv.com. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  3. ^ "Ewasko Named Acting Head Coach of Southeast's Women's Gymnastics Team - SEMO OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE". gosoutheast.cstv.com. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  4. ^ Lya Wodraska The Salt Lake Tribune. "Utah gymnastics: Fresh faces hope to give Utes fresh results - The Salt Lake Tribune". archive.sltrib.com. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  5. ^ "Greg Marsden Announces Retirement after 40 Years as Utah Gymnastics Coach - The Official Athletic Site of the University of Utah". utahutes.com. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  6. ^ a b c "Utah places gymnastics coach Tom Farden on administrative leave after abuse complaints". USA TODAY.
  7. ^ "Facebook". facebook.com. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  8. ^ "Make It Right Gymnastics Camp". makeitrightgymnastics.com. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  9. ^ "Inside Look at the New Team at the Top - The Official Athletic Site of the University of Utah". utahutes.com. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  10. ^ "Tom Farden Named Gymnastics Head Coach: Farden served as interim coach last season". gosoutheast.cstv.com. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  11. ^ "Southeast Missouri Redhawks - Redhawks Finish Fourth at MIC Championships". gosoutheast.com. 26 March 2005. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  12. ^ "Southeast Missouri Redhawks - Bloom and Boldt End Season at NCAA Regional Championships". gosoutheast.com. 10 April 2005. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  13. ^ "Southeast Missouri Redhawks - Redhawks finish 3rd in the MIC Championships scoring a 192.300". gosoutheast.com. 25 March 2006. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  14. ^ "Southeast Missouri Redhawks - Southeast Gymanstics Team Earns NCAA Regional Berth". gosoutheast.com. 27 March 2006. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  15. ^ "Southeast Missouri Redhawks - 2007 Season Wrap-Up". gosoutheast.com. 26 April 2007. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  16. ^ "Southeast Missouri Redhawks - Redhawks Finish Third in MIC Championship Meet". gosoutheast.com. April 2007. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  17. ^ "Southeast Missouri Redhawks - Southeast Finishes Second at MIC Championship". gosoutheast.com. 29 March 2008. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  18. ^ "Southeast Missouri Redhawks - High-Flying Redhawks Gymnastics Program Finish the 2008 Season No. 30 in the Country". gosoutheast.com. 2 May 2008. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  19. ^ "High-Flying Redhawks Gymnastics Program Finish the 2008 Season No. 30 in the Country". Southeast Missouri State Redhawks. 2 May 2008. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  20. ^ "Southeast Missouri Redhawks - Women's Gymnastics Win 2009 Midwest Independent Conference Championship". gosoutheast.com. 21 March 2009. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  21. ^ "Southeast Missouri Redhawks - Redhawks Gymnasts Finish 2009 Season at NCAA Regional". gosoutheast.com. 5 April 2009. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  22. ^ a b "Farden joins staff as assistant | Arkansas Razorbacks". arkansasrazorbacks.com. 7 November 2014. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  23. ^ "Tom Farden Hired As Assistant Women's Gymnastics Coach At Utah - The Official Athletic Site of the University of Utah". utahutes.com. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  24. ^ "Tom Farden to Utah? in College Gymnastics Board Forum". collegegymnasticsboard.yuku.com. 12 August 2010. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  25. ^ "Tom Farden Named Assistant Coach at Utah - CollegeGymFans.com". collegegymfans.com. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  26. ^ "- UCLA Bruins Official Athletic Site | UCLABruins.com". uclabruins.com. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  27. ^ Lya Wodraska The Salt Lake Tribune. "Utah gymnastics: Dabritz puts on one last show, wins NCAA uneven bars title | The Salt Lake Tribune". sltrib.com. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  28. ^ "Team Standings". roadtonationals.com. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  29. ^ "Team Standings". roadtonationals.com. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  30. ^ "Team Standings". roadtonationals.com. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  31. ^ Lya Wodraska The Salt Lake Tribune. "Marsden retiring after 40 years, 10 U.S. gymnastics titles | The Salt Lake Tribune". sltrib.com. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  32. ^ Branch, John (21 April 2015). "The New York Times". Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  33. ^ "Team Standings". roadtonationals.com. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  34. ^ "Ute Gymnasts Roar Back to Place Second at Pac-12 Championship - The Official Athletic Site of the University of Utah". utahutes.com. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  35. ^ "SLC REGIONAL". utahutes.com. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  36. ^ Wodraska, Lya (20 May 2019). "The Marsden era is over. The Tom Farden era for Utah gymnastics has just begun". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  37. ^ McDonald, Ryan (25 March 2020). "Tom Farden's Coach of the Year honors lead Utah gymnastics' big postseason award haul from Pac-12 Conference". Deseret News. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  38. ^ "Utah Gymnastics Collects Region 2 Coaching Awards". Pac-12 Conference. 7 April 2022. Archived from the original on May 23, 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  39. ^ Sandmaier, Christy (22 November 2023). "Breaking News: Tom Farden Out; Utah Athletics Announces Change in Leadership of Gymnastics Program". Inside Gymnastics Magazine. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  40. ^ "Another University of Utah gymnast details abusive environment and names head coach". USA TODAY.
  41. ^ "Brad Rock: Ute gymnasts and their coach: They got a name". Deseret News. 12 April 2016. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016.
  42. ^ "Utah Gymnastics' Tom Farden's Story on Adoption and Gymnastics - Block U". blocku.com. 25 January 2016. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  43. ^ a b "Utah's Tom Farden on how adoption connected him to gymnastics, his son". pac-12.com. 21 January 2016. Archived from the original on January 30, 2016. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  44. ^ Yack, Melissa (1 March 2016). "Getting to know Utah gymnastics co-head coach Tom Farden". Deseret News. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
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