Ernestine Jean Russell (born June 10, 1938), later known by her married names Ernestine Carter and Ernestine Weaver, is a Canadian former gymnast and American former college gymnastics coach. She represented Canada in the 1956 and 1960 Summer Olympics. Although Russell won no medals in her two Olympic appearances, she is regarded as Canada's first notable female Olympic gymnast and contributed significantly to the growing popularity of women's gymnastics in Canada and the United States.
Russell later became a college gymnastics coach, leading the women's programs at Clarion State College and the University of Florida, where her teams won three college national championships.
Ernestine "Ernie" Russell was born and raised in Windsor, Ontario.[1] She learned ballet early on from her mother who taught dance training as an instructor at the British Royal Academy. As her training progressed, it became apparent that she lacked the body to become a ballerina.
Bernie Newman, the Russell family's neighbor and a future member of the provincial parliament, had formed a vocational boys' gymnastics team, and suggested to Russell that she try the trampoline. She was quoted as saying "I got on, and I never got off."
Russell would compete for the first time when she was 13 years old, and won nine Canadian championships. Newman would be a leading force that would encourage her throughout the years, hoping that he would one day see her in the Olympic Games.
International gymnastics career
Ernestine Russell 1956
Russell, at age 17, qualified for the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.[1] She was the first Canadian to compete in Olympic gymnastics events since 1908, and the first Canadian woman to ever compete in the Olympics. Although her routine was ill-prepared, she performed well in the floor exercise, the balance beam and the vault. She finished among the top twenty in the floor exercise, 45th in the vault, 56th in the all-around, and 61st in the balance beam and uneven bars.[1]
At the 1959 Pan American Games in Chicago, Russell won gold medals for all-around, vault, uneven bars, and floor exercise, and a silver in balance beam,[3] which made her the first Canadian medal winner in an international gymnastics competition.[4] The Canadian team finished second behind the U.S. team.[3]
At age 21, she qualified to participate in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. While receiving significant media coverage, she did not match her 1956 Olympic performance.[1][5]
College education
Russell received a tuition-only scholarship offer from Michigan State University, and the opportunity to train with the Michigan State Spartans men's gymnastics team under head coach George Szypula.[6] Russell married John Carter, a Michigan State Spartans baseball player in December 1959.[6] In addition to being coached by Szypula, she had access to one of the best athletic physical plants in the United States.[6] During her time as a Michigan State undergraduate, she also performed at a half-dozen gymnastics exhibitions on campus.[6] Following the 1960 Olympics, she completed her bachelor's degree in physical education and dance from Michigan State, and then taught high school for five years.
College coaching career
After teaching high school and coaching a cheerleading team for five years, Michigan State athletic director Clarence Munn invited Russell to become the head coach of the Michigan State women's gymnastics club team. In 1969, she became the women's gymnastics head coach at Clarion State College. Over the next decade, her Clarion State Golden Eagles teams compiled a perfect dual meet win–loss record of 58–0 in ten seasons and won Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) college national championships in 1977 and 1978.[7]
Russell then accepted an offer to become the head gymnastics coach for at the University of Florida, where she made a large impact upon joining the Florida Gators women's gymnastics team. With her as their head coach, the Gators won one AIAW national championship in 1982, and subsequently qualified for eleven consecutive NCAA national championship tournament appearances from 1982 to 1992.[8] The Gators earned a total of 35 All-America honors and claimed three national event titles.[8] Russell was named national coach of the year in 1982, when Florida won the AIAW gymnastics championship. Her Florida Gators teams also won five Southeastern Conference (SEC) championships, and she was named SEC Coach of the Year in 1989 and 1992.[8] Her Florida Gators gymnasts compiled an overall win–loss record of 185–48; her 23-year career record as a head coach was 243–48. Russell's program marketing and event showmanship contributed greatly to the development and popularity of the Gator gymnastics program, and it was studied and emulated by other programs.[8]
^ abcdeSports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Athletes, . Retrieved March 5, 2015.
^U.S. Gymnastics Hall of Fame, Inductees, Ernestine Russell. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
^ abUSAGymnastics.org, Press Box, Men's and Women's Pan American Games Results. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
^Lorraine Snyder and Carol Anne Letheren, "Gymnastics," The Canadian Encyclopedia (2012). Retrieved March 5, 2015.
^Shelley Divinich, "Ernestine Russell: Canada's First Female Olympic Gymnast," Best of Times Magazine, p. 308 (2006).
^ abcdJoe David Brown, "Beauty on the Bars: Luscious Ernie Russell, Canada's champion gymnast, should be the prettiest athlete in Rome this summer," Sports Illustrated (July 18, 1960). Retrieved March 5, 2015.
^UtahStateAggies.com, Gymnastics, Ernestine Russell. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
^ abcde"UF Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Class Includes Ernestine (Weaver) Russell & Chrissy Van Fleet," GatorZone.com (September 12, 2012). Retrieved March 5, 2015.
^F Club, Hall of Fame, Honorary Letter Winners. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
Media related to Ernestine Russell at Wikimedia Commons
January 06, 2023
ernestine, russell, ernestine, jean, russell, born, june, 1938, later, known, married, names, ernestine, carter, ernestine, weaver, canadian, former, gymnast, american, former, college, gymnastics, coach, represented, canada, 1956, 1960, summer, olympics, alth. Ernestine Jean Russell born June 10 1938 later known by her married names Ernestine Carter and Ernestine Weaver is a Canadian former gymnast and American former college gymnastics coach She represented Canada in the 1956 and 1960 Summer Olympics Although Russell won no medals in her two Olympic appearances she is regarded as Canada s first notable female Olympic gymnast and contributed significantly to the growing popularity of women s gymnastics in Canada and the United States Ernestine RussellRussell at the 1954 AAU ChampionshipsPersonal informationBorn 1938 06 10 June 10 1938 age 84 Windsor Ontario CanadaHeight153 cm 5 ft 0 in Weight52 kg 115 lb SportSportArtistic gymnasticsMedal record Representing CanadaPan American Games1959 Chicago All around1959 Chicago Vault1959 Chicago Uneven bars1959 Chicago Floor1959 Chicago Balance beamRussell later became a college gymnastics coach leading the women s programs at Clarion State College and the University of Florida where her teams won three college national championships Contents 1 Early years 2 International gymnastics career 3 College education 4 College coaching career 5 Olympic results 6 See also 7 ReferencesEarly years EditErnestine Ernie Russell was born and raised in Windsor Ontario 1 She learned ballet early on from her mother who taught dance training as an instructor at the British Royal Academy As her training progressed it became apparent that she lacked the body to become a ballerina Bernie Newman the Russell family s neighbor and a future member of the provincial parliament had formed a vocational boys gymnastics team and suggested to Russell that she try the trampoline She was quoted as saying I got on and I never got off Russell would compete for the first time when she was 13 years old and won nine Canadian championships Newman would be a leading force that would encourage her throughout the years hoping that he would one day see her in the Olympic Games International gymnastics career Edit Ernestine Russell 1956 Russell at age 17 qualified for the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne Australia 1 She was the first Canadian to compete in Olympic gymnastics events since 1908 and the first Canadian woman to ever compete in the Olympics Although her routine was ill prepared she performed well in the floor exercise the balance beam and the vault She finished among the top twenty in the floor exercise 45th in the vault 56th in the all around and 61st in the balance beam and uneven bars 1 After she graduated from Kennedy Collegiate Institute in 1956 she continued to pursue her focus in gymnastics 2 At the 1959 Pan American Games in Chicago Russell won gold medals for all around vault uneven bars and floor exercise and a silver in balance beam 3 which made her the first Canadian medal winner in an international gymnastics competition 4 The Canadian team finished second behind the U S team 3 At age 21 she qualified to participate in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome While receiving significant media coverage she did not match her 1956 Olympic performance 1 5 College education EditRussell received a tuition only scholarship offer from Michigan State University and the opportunity to train with the Michigan State Spartans men s gymnastics team under head coach George Szypula 6 Russell married John Carter a Michigan State Spartans baseball player in December 1959 6 In addition to being coached by Szypula she had access to one of the best athletic physical plants in the United States 6 During her time as a Michigan State undergraduate she also performed at a half dozen gymnastics exhibitions on campus 6 Following the 1960 Olympics she completed her bachelor s degree in physical education and dance from Michigan State and then taught high school for five years College coaching career EditAfter teaching high school and coaching a cheerleading team for five years Michigan State athletic director Clarence Munn invited Russell to become the head coach of the Michigan State women s gymnastics club team In 1969 she became the women s gymnastics head coach at Clarion State College Over the next decade her Clarion State Golden Eagles teams compiled a perfect dual meet win loss record of 58 0 in ten seasons and won Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women AIAW college national championships in 1977 and 1978 7 Russell then accepted an offer to become the head gymnastics coach for at the University of Florida where she made a large impact upon joining the Florida Gators women s gymnastics team With her as their head coach the Gators won one AIAW national championship in 1982 and subsequently qualified for eleven consecutive NCAA national championship tournament appearances from 1982 to 1992 8 The Gators earned a total of 35 All America honors and claimed three national event titles 8 Russell was named national coach of the year in 1982 when Florida won the AIAW gymnastics championship Her Florida Gators teams also won five Southeastern Conference SEC championships and she was named SEC Coach of the Year in 1989 and 1992 8 Her Florida Gators gymnasts compiled an overall win loss record of 185 48 her 23 year career record as a head coach was 243 48 Russell s program marketing and event showmanship contributed greatly to the development and popularity of the Gator gymnastics program and it was studied and emulated by other programs 8 She was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as an Honorary Letterwinner in 2013 8 9 Olympic results EditGames Age City Sport Event Team Finish1956 18 Melbourne Gymnastics Women s Floor Exercise Canada 20T1956 18 Melbourne Gymnastics Women s Horse Vault Canada 451956 18 Melbourne Gymnastics Women s Uneven Bars Canada 611956 18 Melbourne Gymnastics Women s Balance Beam Canada 611956 18 Melbourne Gymnastics Women s Individual All Around Canada 561960 21 Rome Gymnastics Women s Floor Exercise Canada 86 QR1960 21 Rome Gymnastics Women s Horse Vault Canada 75 QR1960 21 Rome Gymnastics Women s Uneven Bars Canada 76 QR1960 21 Rome Gymnastics Women s Balance Beam Canada 68 T QR1960 21 Rome Gymnastics Women s Individual All Around Canada 76Women s Floor ExerciseGames Age City Sport Country Phase Unit Finish Points1956 18 Melbourne Gymnastics Canada Final Standing 20T 18 2001960 21 Rome Gymnastics Canada Final Standing 86QR1960 21 Rome Gymnastics Canada Qualifying 86 17 433Women s Horse VaultGames Age City Sport Country Phase Unit Finish Points1956 18 Melbourne Gymnastics Canada Final Standing 45 17 8331960 21 Rome Gymnastics Canada Final Standing 75 QR1960 21 Rome Gymnastics Canada Qualifying 75 17 00Women s Uneven BarsGames Age City Sport Country Phase Unit Finish Points1956 18 Melbourne Gymnastics Canada Final Standing 61 16 1331960 21 Rome Gymnastics Canada Final Standing 76 QR1960 21 Rome Gymnastics Canada Qualifying 76 17 466Women s Balance BeamGames Age City Sport Country Phase Unit Finish Points1956 18 Melbourne Gymnastics Canada Final Standing 61 15 7661960 21 Rome Gymnastics Canada Final Standing 68T QR1960 21 Rome Gymnastics Canada Qualifying 68T 17 033Women s Individual All AroundGames Age City Sport Country Phase Unit Finish Points1956 18 Melbourne Gymnastics Canada Final Standing 56 67 9331960 21 Rome Gymnastics Canada Final Standing 76 68 932Source Sports Reference com 1 See also EditCanadian Olympic Hall of Fame University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame List of Olympic female gymnasts for Canada List of University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame membersReferences Edit a b c d e Sports Reference com Olympic Sports Athletes Ernestine Russell Carter Retrieved March 5 2015 U S Gymnastics Hall of Fame Inductees Ernestine Russell Retrieved March 5 2015 a b USAGymnastics org Press Box Men s and Women s Pan American Games Results Retrieved March 5 2015 Lorraine Snyder and Carol Anne Letheren Gymnastics The Canadian Encyclopedia 2012 Retrieved March 5 2015 Shelley Divinich Ernestine Russell Canada s First Female Olympic Gymnast Best of Times Magazine p 308 2006 a b c d Joe David Brown Beauty on the Bars Luscious Ernie Russell Canada s champion gymnast should be the prettiest athlete in Rome this summer Sports Illustrated July 18 1960 Retrieved March 5 2015 UtahStateAggies com Gymnastics Ernestine Russell Retrieved March 5 2015 a b c d e UF Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Class Includes Ernestine Weaver Russell amp Chrissy Van Fleet GatorZone com September 12 2012 Retrieved March 5 2015 F Club Hall of Fame Honorary Letter Winners Retrieved March 5 2015 Media related to Ernestine Russell at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ernestine Russell amp oldid 1075511645, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
