A native of Wood River, Illinois, Roger Counsil was one of the most successful gymnastics coaches in the United States. In his 17 years of coaching at Indiana State University, Roger's teams produced 46 All-Americans and his team won the 1977 NCAA Division I championship.
Named Olympic coach for the 1980 Games, Roger also held several other prestigious positions. These included chairman of the NCAA Gymnastics Committee, men's coach for the U. S. team in the 1978 World Games, host coach for the 1975 NCAA National Championships in Terre Haute, National "Coach of the Year" and four-time recipient of Mideast "Coach of the Year" honors, and Executive Director of the United States Gymnastics Federation, a position he assumed after leaving ISU in February, 1980.
Roger was a standout athlete at Southern Illinois University, where he excelled in track, swimming and gymnastics. He was the NAIA 1-meter diving champion in 1957, the same year he was named "Most Valuable Athlete" at SIU. In addition to his Bachelor's Degree, he also earned his Master's from SIU and completed his doctorate at Indiana University.
Among the outstanding individuals Roger coached was former Sycamore great Kurt Thomas and Dave Seal, another ISU Hall of Fame member.
Roger and his wife Shirley reside in Sunrise, Florida, and are the parents of four children.
-
NCAA National Champions (1977)
-
NCAA Coach of the Year (1977)
-
United States Olympic Coach (1980)
-
United States World Games Coach (1978)
-
Coached 46 NCAA All-Americans, including National Champions Kurt Thomas and Dave Seal
-
Four time Midwest Coach of the Year
-
NAIA 1-meter diving champion at Southern Illinois University (1957)
-
Three sport athlete at Southern Illinois (Swimming, Gymnastics, Track – 1954-1958)
-
Inducted into Hall of Fame November 1, 1985
-
Inducted into Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame 2015
