At first glance, the Venn diagram of transferable skills between a Studio Arts degree and being an NCAA gymnastics coach may give off two solitudes. If you ask Ohio State’s men’s assistant coach Jamie Henderson, communication skills and creativity are a big part of the overlap.
When Henderson initially signed to compete for Oklahoma as a freshman in the 2002 season, the rule of coaches contacting high school juniors or older hadn’t been introduced yet. He had committed long before knowing what he wanted to study, with gymnastics guiding how he chose a school. His interest in architecture as a teenager initially led him to want to pursue it as an undergrad, but with scheduling around gymnastics in mind, he instead found his way into the Studio Art program. He’d “gravitated toward it,” leaning into the process in foundation courses and studio work. The connections between his two worlds became apparent almost instantly in Norman, with his curiosity around architecture translating well to studying the human form in the studio.
“I’ll go to the gym, try to focus on my gymnastics, and then at the same time get images locked in my memory, and then go back to the studio and use that in my work there”, said Henderson about having balanced his two focuses. Time…
