More than Medals: Local Rancho Santa Margarita Gymnastics Coach Soars at 2016 Olympics

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, CA—Though it happened in Rio, Rancho Santa Margarita is all about their high flying Team USA Gymnastics member, and local coach, Logan Dooley. Over the weekend Dooley recorded the best-ever finish for U.S. men in trampoline at the Olympic Games.

Did he medal? no. Does that matter? A resounding "No!" from all we asked.

"It wasn't exactly the result he was looking for, not for a minute," the USA Gymnastics report of Jo-Ann Barnas stated. "Although he didn't advance to the final, history will show that the 28-year-old first time Olympian achieved Team USA's best-ever finish in men's trampoline at the Olympic Games."

And his home gym "World Elite Gymnastics" students were watching, live.

With so much pomp and circumstance, as well as opposite spectrum performances by the Team USA men's and women's gymnastics teams, Dooley was ready for the pressure. However, a mistimed jump left him in 14th place following an opening compulsory routine where he scored 47.885.

"I just wish the start would have started a little better," Dooley said of his opening routine. "I was jumping really high. The second element just took me by surprise, got a little sideways, but kept it going, I kept my composure and finished my routine."

His alternate routine--an optional piece--Dooley decided to make the best of a bad situation.

"I was a little upset, disappointed," he said. "The compulsory routine is usually my strongest routine, but I went back there and decided to put it behind me."

If he felt the weight of his Rancho Santa Margarita Gymnastics students gathered to watch their favorite coach in action at the big event, it didn't show. Dooley's optional routine out scored his first.

"I was relatively pleased with my optional," he said. "It started really, really strong. My three triples were all in the center, the felt dead on. I got a little bit loose on my fourth skill, the tiniest bit. I made the correction for the next skill, pushed through, and everything was really good up until the very last skill, and then it was just good."

Nancy Dooley, Logan's mother, traveled to the games to watch her son compete, along with his girlfriend, Erin Porras who is accompanying her on what she calls "a once-in-a-lifetime whirlwind trip."

For family and friends of the athletes--especially the mothers, like Nancy Dooley, who has been watching Logan perform since he first stepped toe on the trampoline, his first Olympics is a milestone worth reflecting on. Now that the pre-competition anxiety is gone, and "the nervous frenzy" during his routines, now is the time for celebration.

"This will go down as my proudest mama moment," she said.

Photos, courtesy Nancy Dooley