Panichas Vaults to Judge's Role for Olympics

Thu., May 22

During a distinguished career as a competitor, coach, administrator and judge, Pat Panichas' association with the sport of gymnastics has allowed her to travel around the globe.

This August, she will have an opportunity to be involved in a judging capacity on the sport's biggest stage - the Olympic Games. Panichas was the only U.S. judge selected to participate at the Beijing Games. Her efforts as a judge during the last four decades have earned the admiration of the global community, and ultimately, selection for such a prestigious classification.

"It's a major honor to do something like this," she says. "Am I slightly nervous? Yes. But am I extremely excited? Yes."

Nerves may be a natural side effect of the anticipation of this year's Olympic Games. But make no mistake - Panichas has experienced plenty of intense situations during her time associated with the sport of gymnastics.

A member of the exercise science faculty, she spent 28 years as the head coach of the Southern women's gymnastics program. During that time, she recorded nearly 250 victories and led the Owls to 10 ECAC Championships.

The program placed as high as fourth at the NCAA Championships, that coming in 1986. She coached numerous All-Americans and her program was consistently recognized for excellence in the classroom by USA Gymnastics and the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches/Women.

Panichas has already logged some hefty frequent flyer miles in preparation for the Olympics. Most recently, she served as a judge at the Pacific Rim Championships, held in San Jose, Calif., earlier this year.

She previously has traveled to Italy, Belgium, Russia, and Germany, as well as having served as a judge at the 2003 Pan American Games held in the Dominican Re-public. She has been involved with judging international competition since the mid-1980s.

Panichas will depart for the games on Aug. 4 and will spend nearly three weeks in China. Once the Games begin, she will be responsible for determining the content of the routines. Her role is more behind-the-scenes than in front of the camera. Another group of judges will be responsible for the on-floor execution of routines. But it's a combination of scores from both on- and off-floor judges that determine a gymnast's final score.

On the days between women's gymnastics action in Beijing, Panichas will remain active reviewing video footage of the previous routines.

"I think that (the general public) thinks that (scoring) is a 10.0 system," she explains. "But in international competition, the scores can actually exceed a 10.0. What I'm doing only makes up half of the total score."

Performing, coaching, judging - Panichas has done it all within the sport.

"I'm not sure which one is the most challenging because each is so different," Panichas says. "I know some coaches who were competitors who prefer the competition because (they were) in control.

"For me, I will say that the most rewarding experience overall is coaching. That's because of the interaction that you have with the student-athletes and because you have a part in (determining) the final product."

But Panichas says she is excited at the opportunity this summer to represent her country, as well as Southern, on such a grand stage.