Jerry Reighard receives contract extension

Future recruits for the Central Michigan gymnastics program are now assured that Jerry Reighard will coach them after Reighard signed a four-year extension to continue his head coaching duties at CMU that he has held the last 28 years.

Reighard a record a nine time Mid-American coach of the year says the extension will help ease recruit’s parents.

“I think it’s a great thing for me,” Reighard said. “It gives me some continuity, I think it will be a great thing for recruiting. One question I get asked by recruit’s parents is “Will I be here for their daughter’s entire career?” those questions won’t come up now.”

After winning their third straight MAC title, and taking his team to the NCAA regional’s for a fourth straight year Reighard says the extension means that the administration sees the value of the program and the direction it’s going.

In 28 years Reighard has 429 victories and has won the MAC 13 times.

He feels that he can continue to meet the high expectations that have been placed on his program.

“This contract isn’t going to make me work any differently,” Reighard said. “I just hate to lose and so I recruit athletes that have that same mind set. We’re going to continue to go down the path that we’ve gone down. The contract will not change the way I coach.”

While it’s the offseason for the gymnastics team Reighard hasn’t stopped working. Reighard has attended a couple national tournaments and has been on the recruiting trail.

“For recruiting I’ve been out on the road more or less continuously,” Reighard said. “That is the big thrust and then almost the entire team is here for the summer, whether they are taking classes or practicing and getting better. The days are pretty full.”

The contract does not include a pay increase to Reighard’s salary, which will remain at $110,305.

The extension will put Reighard in his 32nd year as the head coach, and he says retirement hasn’t even crossed his mind at this point in his career.