Vicki Chliszczyk returns for her sixth season as assistant coach of the Maryland gymnastics team. Chliszczyk primarily coaches balance beam, but also assists on all events, routine construction and spotting. Some of her other duties include selecting team apparel and coordinating travel arrangements.
Chliszczyk has helped lead the Terrapins to being strong beam competitors year after year, as they finished in the top two of the East Atlantic Gymnastics League in the event the past two years. Her efforts earned the EAGL's Assistant Coach of the Year Award in 2010.
In her first two seasons, Chliszczyk is credited with raising both the beam line-up's confidence and level of difficulty. In 2008, the team's progression on the balance beam continued, and Chliszczyk's mentoring of Talia Tossone helped enable the Terps gymnast to post the team's highest individual beam score (9.900) since 2004. That performance came one season after balance beam posted the highest event total of the 2007 season with a score of 48.925 in a quad meet against New Hampshire, Temple and James Madison.
"Vicki has been a tremendous asset to our team in many ways, but especially her contributions to our beam team," former head coach Bob Nelligan said. "Our work on the balance beam has come a long way in large part to her efforts in that regard."
Head coach Nelligan has seen Chliszczyk continue to progress as a coach since her arrival in College Park in 2005. However, the long-time coach noticed his assistant's talent right away during her first season at the helm. The elder Nelligan initially described Chliszczyk's biggest contribution to the team as unseen; "She quickly gained the team's respect, because of her dedication, fairness and support. The team knows she is pulling for them."
Chliszczyk studied with the Ontario Gymnastics Federation and completed an intensive national coaching certificate program. The in-depth training system teaches coaches how to develop athlete's skills and adequately spot them. Coach Nelligan believes Chliszczyk has done an excellent job transitioning into Maryland gymnastics, "She has adapted well with our system and will continue to grow with it while adding her own ideas. She is a teacher and knows how to mold gymnasts." Chliszczyk spends her summer working at the prestigious Woodward Gymnastics Camp in Pennsylvania. She has been one of the gymnastics program directors for the last five years and affiliated with the program since 1996. Some of her duties include scheduling, coaching and conducting clinics to visiting coaches. At Woodward, she manages a gymnastics coaching staff of 30 coaches and over 3000 gymnasts, including many on the elite level.
A 12-year member of the Milton Springers gymnastics club in Milton, Ontario, Chliszczyk, competed in the Provinical Championships for 10 consecutive years (1989-2000). The Milton Springers Club dedicated an award in her name, "The Vicki Chliszczyk Award for Dedication", given at the end of the year to the most dedicated athlete.
A native of Ontario, Canada, Chliszczyk earned a bachelor's degree in Philosophy at York University in 2001. Her parents and brother (Chris) reside in Ontario, Canada.
