Penn State gymnastics coach Randy Jepson spent this week away from his team, at the foot of the Rocky Mountains in Calgary, in what could have been the perfect winter getaway.
Instead, it was all business for Jepson, who was in Canada coaching the United States as it takes on Canada today at the Calgary Gymnastics Center.
The match will feature six men's gymnasts from each country's Senior National Team. Among the gymnasts who will be representing the United States is Penn State assistant coach Kevin Tan.
Tan qualified for the team because of his performance at the Winter Cup Challenge in Las Vegas earlier this month. Tan won the rings competition at that event for the third straight year.
Tan and Jepson have both represented their country before in international competition, but the luster of competing for the United States is still there.
"Its always a great honor, because the guys are just great guys to work with," Jepson said. "Also we have to remember that we represent more than just six guys on floor."
The fact that the Olympics are this summer also increases the brightness of the international spotlight. Tan will also be competing for the United States in China.
"Especially this year, with Beijing right around the corner, it is really is important that we have a good showing," Jepson said.
Jepson will be coaching alongside Mike Burns, the head coach of the University of Minnesota. Burns graduated from Penn State in 1981.
The meet will play out like any normal dual collegiate match, with the only difference being that five athletes will compete in every event, rather than six. The top four scores will still be counted, and the scoring system is the same as the collegiate system.
Tan will be competing in the pommel horse, the rings, the parallel bar and the high bar. His relative dominance on the rings in international competition will make Tan the favorite in that event.
The transition that Tan and Jepson regularly go through -- with Tan switching from fellow coach to pupil -- can be a stressful one. While at Penn State, Tan practices on his own in the morning, breaks for lunch, then goes back to coach the No. 2 Nittany Lions.
"He's handled it really well," Jepson said. "It's tough to be coached one minute, and the next 20 minutes he's a colleague."
Regardless of the outcome in Calgary, the two will be back to coaching as usual almost immediately, as they will take back the reigns from assistant coach Slava Boiko, who has been running practice this week. They will fly directly to Columbus, Ohio for this weekend's meet at No. 7 Ohio State.
