University of Utah gymnastics coach controversy: All you need to know about Tom Farden who has come under fire following Kara Eaker's retirement

Tom Farden, head coach of the University of Utah's gymnastics team, has come under intense scrutiny after Kara Eaker announced her retirement from the sport citing abuse at Utah.

While Eaker failed to mention a name, enthusiasts of the sport have deduced that she was talking about head coach Farden.

Ex-Utah gymnast Kim Tessen, who trained at the University between 2017-2020 has also spoken out about the abuse she faced in her time on the team, specifically mentioning Tom Farden's name.

This is not the first time the head coach of the Utah Red Rocks has been in hot water in recent times. Back in June 2023, the University of Utah had hired Kansas City-based law firm Husch Blackwell to conduct a review of the gymnastics program and Tom Farden.

This move came after several athletes and their parents reached out to the University's administration and campus victim advocates stating that Fardan was emotionally and verbally abusive as a coach. At the time, both Greg and Megan Marsden (ex-head coaches at Utah) had come out in support of Farden, saying that the allegations against him made no sense.

In September 2023, Husch Blackwell published their report stating that while Tom Farden's behavior caused some athletes to feel an “increased fear of failure,” it did not rise to the level of “severe, pervasive or egregious” acts of abuse as defined by the NCAA and SafeSport.

The University of Utah did however mention that they would be more vigilant in monitoring the coach's conduct and training method to ensure that athletes felt safe in the gym.

Speaking the Salt Lake Tribune, Farden himself had said:

“I take very seriously the concerns that were expressed about my behavior and my coaching methods. It has been painful to learn of the negative impacts that my words and actions have created, and I have thoroughly examined the accounts of every person who shared their experience through their participation in the program review."

He added:

“I have always placed a high priority on cultivating a positive and nurturing environment that allows our students to thrive not only as gymnasts but also as individuals, and I have learned of the areas that I must improve upon. I take to heart every lesson I have learned through this process, and I am fully committed to improving our student-athlete experience."

Unfortunately, just over a month after this investigation concluded, Olympian and Pan-American champion Kara Eaker announced her retirement from the sport. She also pulled out from the University of Utah as a student stating that the abusive environment on the Red Rocks team had led to her developing anxiety, depression, panic-attacks, night-terrors, and insomnia.

Sharing a lengthy note on her Instagram regarding her decision, Eaker also touched on the Husch Blackwell investigation, saying:

"Regarding the previous investigation done by Husch Blackwell, it is incomplete at best, and I disagree with their findings. I don't believe it has credibility, because the report omits crucial evidence and information and the few descriptions used are inaccurate."

The University of Utah and Tom Farden are yet to comment on the allegations made by Eaker.

University of Utah gymnastics coach Tom Farden's personal life

Tom Farden was born as Man-Ki Park, and was adopted from Korea. The Daytona resident was a gymnast between the ages of 6 and 18, and turned to coaching in 1992 after graduating from high school.

Farden joined the Utah Red Rocks team as an assistant coach in 2011, following the exit of Jeff Grabs. He was the assistant coach till 2016, when he was made the co-head coach alongside Megan Marsden after the retirement of Greg Marsden.

He became the sole head coach of the team in 2019. In his initial years at Utah, Farden headed the bars training, resulting in the team's ranking to shoot up from 12 to 3. In his second year as a head coach, Tom led the Utah Red Rocks to the second undefeated season, their first-ever Pac-12 regular season title.

The team then went on to win every single Pac-12 regular season title, taking the wins in 2021, 2022, and 2023. The Red Rocks also won the three Pac-12 Conference Championships between 2021-2023 under Farden's guidance.

For his achievements as a coach, Tom Farden has been awarded the NCAA Region Coach of the Year (2008, 2020 & 2022), the Conference Coach of the Year (2006, 2007, 2008 & 2009), and the Pac-12 Coach of the Year 2020.