There’s no way to describe Arizona gymnastics’ 2025 season except highly successful. The team produced the Big 12 co-Specialist of the Year, the WCGA Regional Assistant Coaches of the Year, and the Big 12 Coach of the Year. Over two months after concluding his season, that coach of the year has signed an extension to continue leading the GymCats.
Arizona Athletics announced that John Court has been extended through the 2028 season on Thursday afternoon. His current contract was signed in 2023 and was due to expire in 2026.
Court has been at Arizona for 26 years. He served as an assistant under both Bill Ryden and Tabitha Yim. He finally took over the program after Yim left just before the 2017-18 school year. After serving as the interim head coach for most of the season, he was given the permanent title in March 2018.
Court’s teams improved each year and had a breakout season this year. The GymCats finished second in their first season in the Big 12. Their only conference losses came to Utah in both the regular season and at the conference championships.
The team then accomplished another first. They advanced to the NCAA regional finals for the first time since the postseason format changed in 2019, pulling off an upset over Georgia to take second in their session. They also defeated Arizona State for the third time this season. It made them one of the last 16 teams standing.
Court’s extension follows the announcement of assistant Kylie Kratchwell’s promotion to associate head coach on June 18. She shares that title with Court’s longtime assistant Taylor Spears. The pair joined first-year assistant Shelby Martinez in earning the WCGA’s regional staff honors for the South Central Region.
Lead photo courtesy of Arizona Athletics