Editor Gagnier

Background

Gagnier grew up in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

Career

He was a gymnast at the from 1956 to 1958. He was selected as an All-American in 1956 and also became the first gymnast to represent Canada at the Olympic games. He was the head coach of the gymnastics program at University from 1961 to 1983 and led his teams to National Collegiate Athletic Association championships in 1971, 1973 and 1974.

He was inducted into the United States. Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1982.

He joined his high school gymnastics team at age 14. In 1956, he was also selected as an All-American in the parallel bars and all-around.

Gagnier became Canada"s first Olympic gymnast, representing his home country at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. Gagnier graduated from the in 1958 with a bachelor of arts degree in physical education.

In 1992, he was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Honor.

After leaving the, Gagnier coached gymnastics in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 1961, he was hired by University to create a gymnastic program The program began as a club sport.

He served as the head gymnastics coach at for 22 years.

He retired as "s gymnastics coach in 1983 but remained in Ames, Iowa, as the school"s promotions director for the athletic department. Gagnier was also the author of "Inside Gymnastics," published in 1974.

Gagnier was inducted into the United States. Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1982. A banner of Gagnier was hung from the rafters of Hilton Colessium on February 20, 2015.

Achievements

• As a member of the Michigan Wolverines gymnastics teams, he won five Big Ten Conference championships—the 1957 all-around championship, the 1956 and 1957 vault championships, and the 1956 and 1957 parallel bars championships. His teams won the National Collegiate Athletic Association team championships in 1971, 1973, and 1974. They also won eight Big Eight Conference championships.