Sandy Woolsey with Coach Stormy Eaton
Born: August 15, 1972
Birthplace: Denver, Colorado
Began Gymnastics: At age 6 at Mile-Hi in Denver, Colorado
Gymnastics Club: At age 14, in 1984, Sandy moved to Desert Devils in Arizona on her own. Her family joined her a year later. On the Desert Devil’s Elite training squad, Sandy jumped from 23rd in 1988 to 3rd in 1989 in the US National team rankings.
Coach(s): Desert Devils coaches Stormy Eaton and Jon Aitken
High School: Marcos de Niza High School
College: University of Utah – Class of 1996
College Gymnastics Team: University of Utah Sandy was a four time Collegiate All American (1993, 1993, 1995 and 1996). She twice scored perfect tens in her college career twice (once each on balance beam and uneven bars).
Husband: Brett Holcomb
Current City: Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Competitive Results:
1988 US Nationals: 25th AA
1988 Kips Invitational: 1st Team, 5th AA, 1st Vault, 3rd Uneven Bars
1988 Almaden Valley Gymfest: 1st AA, Vault & Uneven Bars, 2nd FX, 3rd Balance Beam
1989 U.S. National Championships Bronze Medalist (AA)
1989 Stuttgart World Championships: 4th (Team), 8th (AA)
1989 American Classic: 1st AA
1989 Moscow News: 6th AA
1989 US World Championship Team Trials: 4th AA
1989 USA vs. USSR: 2nd Team
1990 American Cup Finalist (4th AA), Gold Medalist (Bars), Bronze Medalist (Vault, Floor)
1990 Moscow News: 4th AA, 5th Uneven Bars (tie), 2nd Balance Beam, 6th FX
1990 USA vs. East Germany: 4th AA, 3rd Vault, 1st Uneven Bars
1990 US Olympic Cup: 2nd AA, 1st Vault, 2nd Uneven Bars, 3rd Balance Beam, 2nd FX
1990 Goodwill Games: 2nd Team, 16th AA
1990 World Cup: 15th AA
1991 Buckeye Classic: 2nd Team, 1st AA
1991 American Cup: 4th AA (prelims)
1991 U.S. National Championships Silver Medalist (AA)
1991 USA vs Romania: 2nd Team
1991 McDonald’s International Mixed Pairs: 10th AA (paired with Lance Ringnald)
1991 World Championships: 2nd Team (alternate)
Sandy Woolsey – All-American girl and All-American gymnast
Sandy Woolsey had a reputation as an All-American girl. She always seemed to smile and look happy and in the positive attitude gym of Stormy Eaton had a lot success in national and international competition. That may have been one of the last positive-attitude coached, internationally successful gyms in the U.S.
Sandy Woolsey and Elizabeth Crandall Voted Off 1991 World Championship Team
Sandy retired from Elite gymnastics right after the 1991 World Championships where, even though she placed second at the 1991 Nationals, she was voted off the Worlds team by a system, in which the USGF allowed the coaches to determine the team, giving each coach one vote for each girl that he/she had in the running. Bela Karolyi had four girls (Kim Zmeskal, Betty Okino, Hilary Grivich and Kerri Strug), so he got 50% of the vote, in essence, letting him to choose all the girls from his team to compete.
Replaced By Gymnasts She Had Beaten in the National Competition
The remaining two Worlds spaces went to Shannon Miller (coached by Steve Nunno) and Michelle Campi (coached by Rick Newman), both with Karolyi gymnast or coaching connections. So in a stunning reversal of the traditional methods of choosing World Championship teams, Desert Devil’s gymnasts Sandy Woolsey and Elizabeth Crandall were voted off the team, in favor of gymnasts they had beaten at Nationals. This was one of the first of many such unfortunate situations as the Karolyis consolidated influence, power and control over the U.S. World Championship and Olympic team selection processes.
“Sandy Woolsey” Tribute-Americas Golden Girl
VAULT VIDEOS
Sandy Woolsey – 1989 US World Trials – Vault
UNEVEN BARS VIDEOS
Sandy Woolsey – 1989 Worlds Event Finals – Uneven Bars
BALANCE BEAM VIDEOS
Sandy Woolsey – 1989 Worlds AA – Balance Beam
FLOOR EXERCISE VIDEOS
Sandy Woolsey – 1989 Worlds AA – Floor Exercise
Sandy Woolsey – 1989 US World Trials – Floor Exercise
Sandy Woolsey – 1990 Olympic Cup – Floor Exercise
Sandy Woolsey – 1989 US World Trials – Floor Exercise
Sandy Woolsey posted a link to this video on her FaceBook page on the anniversary of the passing of her coach, Stormy Eaton, with this comment:
“Here it is, the infamouse video! Today is a significant day with the Anniversary of Storm’s passing so I thought I’d post. What makes this precious is how on a high profile meet Desert Devils were the runners. After my routine everyone hugs me like an invitational, this would be unheard of now. Oh ya, and I got to moon the Nation, ha, not embarassing at all! Seeing everyone, coaches and girls in this video, is even more valuable now than I thought possible. I love all my gymnastic sisters and brothers and all who were touched by Desert Devils and especially Stormy! Thank you to all, my cup runneth over!!! ♥ Beth Higginbotham, this is for you ;)”
Sandy Holcomb Twitter – @honeybee303
Sandy Woolsey Holcomb’s FaceBook Page
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