Iowa State University Athletics
Kindler Leaves for Sooners
06.08.2006 | Gymnastics
AMES, Iowa - Former Iowa State University gymnastics coach K.J. Kindler has accepted a similar position at the University Oklahoma according to Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard.
"K.J. has played an integral role in making the gymnastics program at her alma mater one of the best in the country," Pollard said. "From her competitive days as an undergraduate to her time as an assistant coach under Amy Pyle to the past six years as head coach, she has raised the profile of the Cyclone program significantly."
Kindler's 2006 team won the Big 12 championship and qualified for the Super Six at the NCAA championships in April. The Super Six appearance was the first in Iowa State history.
"We are very disappointed to see Coach Kindler leave Iowa State University," Pollard said. "We offered her everything that we could reasonably offer."
Pollard and Senior Associate Athletics Director Calli Sanders met with Coach Kindler and offered her a five-year contract extension, a 60 percent salary increase (over two years), increased compensation packages for her two assistant coaches and bonus incentives for her staff for the first time in the history of the program.
In addition, the athletic department demonstrated a strong commitment to the program while Kindler was on staff by raising the sport's operating budget by nearly 50 percent in the last five years, successfully bidding to host the 2006 NCAA Regional, upgrading the home locker room for competitions and purchasing floor extensions for Hilton Coliseum.
"Coach Kindler told Calli and me that she is leaving Iowa State because she wants a new practice facility to replace the one she has in Beyer Hall. We have a vision for how we want to improve our overall facilities for Athletics and that information was shared with K.J. That plan, although it would enhance the gymnastics facilities significantly, didn't meet her timeframe," Pollard said.
Pollard said that finding Kindler's replacement is a top priority for his administration.
"Iowa State will remain nationally competitive in gymnastics and will not play second fiddle to any one," Pollard said. "The national search to identify a coach who can retain our national prominence and take us to even higher levels has begun. We will continue to invest in this program, hire a coach who shares our vision of gymnastics excellence and do everything in our power to keep the Big 12 gymnastics trophy in Ames."
Kindler was a three-time Big 12 Coach of the Year and was the 2005 NACGCW National Coach of the Year. Her Cyclone teams qualified for two NCAA Championships, won one Big 12 title and registered a dual mark of 79-40-1. The 2006 team won a school-record 16 duals and was ranked as high as fourth nationally.
