REVIEWS

“The lessons Tony Retrosi provides for coaches in this book are the lessons that I unknowingly imbibed for the decade that I was his athlete and that now inform the educator I am today. They are lessons of life as much, if not more, than they are about sport – any sport. They are about how we lead quietly, but with real force and impact as we constantly question and seek ways to be better. How we inspire passion in our athletes and students and how we help them translate effort into resilience. They are about how sport is not just about skill and technique, but a way to find in yourself the confidence and ethic you need to succeed – at everything. How we teach with our mouths shut, our ears open, and our minds flexible and how we find a million different ways to convey the same thing until it hits. They are about how we build skills of goal setting, planning, and even the value of failure and mistakes. They are about showing up, being present, and not expecting to always hit a personal best, but giving it your all no matter what. They are about how you build trust and model good leadership. And they are the lessons I continue to carry with me as a coach, an athlete, a mentor, a teacher, and a lifelong learner, now more than thirty years past my days in the gym .”

Elizabeth Manley is a former gymnast and Division I athlete who is now a college professor and rowing coach. She also founded the first co-ed rowing program at a Historically Black College or University and is constantly seeking new ways to use sport to create stronger, more confident humans

Coaches as Educators: It’s More Than Just a Cartwheel

A Different Way to Think About Coaching, Teaching, and Leadership

Athletes don’t come with instruction manuals. Unfortunately, neither do coaches. And the same could be said for teachers, managers, business owners, and anyone responsible for leading a team.

Coaching would be easy if everyone listened, never made mistakes, and did exactly what they were told. But that’s not how people work. Whether you’re standing on a gym floor, coaching a team on the field, leading a classroom, or managing a group of employees in a business, the challenge is remarkably similar: How do you bring out the best in people?

In Coaches as Educators: It’s More Than Just a Cartwheel, Tony Retrosi draws on more than 40 years of coaching, teaching, business ownership, and international experience to challenge conventional thinking about what it means to lead and develop others.

This isn’t a book about drills, winning strategies, business formulas, or motivational slogans. It’s about people. It’s about understanding that leadership is not about showing everyone how much you know. It’s about transferring that knowledge, creating an environment where people can succeed, and recognizing that your job is to help others grow.

Through personal stories, practical lessons, humor, and a healthy willingness to question the way things have always been done, Retrosi explores the importance of communication, trust, accountability, emotional intelligence, relationships, and the ability to adapt when the plan doesn’t go as expected.

You’ll be challenged to think differently about how you give feedback, handle mistakes, develop confidence, build a team, and measure success. You’ll discover why simply pointing out what’s wrong isn’t the same as helping someone improve, why the plan is never more important than the purpose, and why the best leaders understand that their influence extends far beyond the immediate task.

Although rooted in the world of gymnastics, the lessons reach well beyond the gym. This book is for coaches in every sport, business owners, managers, educators, athletic directors, and anyone who works with or leads a team. Because the principles that help a young gymnast become a better athlete are not all that different from the principles that help an employee become a better team member or a business become a better organization.

Ultimately, Coaches as Educators asks you to reconsider what success really looks like. It’s not just about what your team accomplishes while you’re leading them. It’s about what they learn, how they grow, and who they become because of your influence.

You don’t just build better athletes, employees, or teams. You help build better people. And that is what leadership is really about.

PRAISE FOR THE AUTHOR:

“During my career I have met many coaches, but only a few have really left their mark on me. Tony is one of them. He always knew how to understand what I needed: motivate me in difficult moments, make me laugh when I needed it and believe in me even when I was the first not to believe in myself. Now that I coach, Tony is an example of the kind of coach I want to be.”

Giulia Bencini. Former Italian National Team Member

“Tony is an incredible leader and a steady presence in the gym. On the days when I struggle, I know he has my back and believes in me. He always seems to know what I need, whether it’s a hug, words of encouragement, or a kick in the butt to get me back on track. Whatever the day calls for, Tony is there.”

Naomi Pazon. Italian National Team Member.

“Practices with Tony were sometimes really hard, but looking back, I understand that he was pushing us to be ready for anything, at any time. And no matter how good or bad a training session was, I always remember that we could laugh with him.”

Anastassia Pascu. Swiss National Team. Member European Championship Team 2026. Member World Championship Team 2026.  

“Tony always had a saying or a joke ready, no matter the situation. Sometimes he was funny, and sometimes the jokes were simply terrible. But that’s exactly what made me smile every day, because he always brought a good mood and positive energy with him”

Anina Wildi Swiss National Team. She competed at World Championships 2018. 2021 and 2022. She also competed in 6 European Championships.

“Tony helped me realize that I could be completely myself in the gym while still reaching for my biggest dreams. He believed in me and in every one of those ‘crazy’ dreams that helped me see that I could achieve anything if i wanted to”

Lilli Habisreutinger, Swiss National Team. She represented Switzerland at the 2021 World Championships and the 2021 and 2022 European Championships.

“Almost twenty years after leaving the gym, I still lean on what Tony taught me. At the time, I thought he was just helping me become the best gymnast I could be. Now I realize how much he taught me about resilience, poise, and how to be an encouraging leader. I carry those lessons with me in how I work, how I live, and how I show up for others.”

Colby Shufeldt. What Colby does for a living? Well, because of the sensitive nature of her work, I’m not allowed to tell you. Use your imagination!

“It was always an honor to work with Tony and share so many experiences with him. He didn’t just tell me what I did wrong. He helped me figure out what to do next and that changed the way I approach challenges inside and outside of the gym.”

Manila Esposito Italian National Team. She competed at the 2022, 2023, 2026 World Championships and at the European Championships from 2023 through 2026, winning the European all-around title in both 2024 and 2025. At the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, she won team silver and balance beam bronze

“Tony is more than a coach. He is a guide who knows how to see inside you, even when you stop believing in yourself. What is the most valuable thing he taught me? That when everything feels difficult, he believes in you long before you are able to believe in yourself. He is a constant presence who knows just how to push you to give your very best.”

July Marano. Italian National Team. 2023 Junior World Championships. 2026 European Championships (Silver Medal). 2026 World Championships.

“Tony has a natural ability to inspire confidence in everyone around him, whether you’re a coach or a gymnast. When you’re with Tony, you know that even if things don’t go as planned, you’ll find a way to make them work. That’s exactly what a coach should be: someone who focuses on solutions, not problems.

Throughout the years, I’ve faced some difficult moments in my coaching career, and Tony has always been there to help me, offering his advice with incredible honesty, sincerity, and sensitivity.

Together, we’ve brought countless ideas and projects to life because we share the same positive, proactive approach to our work. We both deeply love what we do, and that helps us face every challenge with the right attitude, whether we’re celebrating victories or dealing with moments when everything seems to be going wrong.

I owe Tony so much. The coach I am today has been shaped in large part by what he has taught me, both inside and outside the gym.”

Camila Ugolini. Head Coach, AS Gin Civitavecchia. Italian National Team Coach, Olympic Coach, World Championship Coach.   ”One of the most impactful aspects of working with Tony has been his commitment to mentorship beyond the gymnastics. What sets him apart as a coach is his investment in not only my success in the sport, but my growth as a leader, providing guidance, much needed perspective, and encouragement through challenges and opportunities alike. Even twenty years removed from the sport, Tony’s mentorship continues to make a lasting impact on both my professional development and leadership journey”

Kristen Tisher, PT, DPT. Regional Director AEGIS Therapies. Former Elite Gymnast and NCAA Division 1 All American University of Utah

“I first met Tony in 2017, when he came to Iceland to host a Gym Momentum training camp. From the beginning, there was something about him that made you want to listen. Not just because of his knowledge and experience, but because of the way he connects with people.
Tony has this incredible combination of positivity, humor, and a strong belief in what he does. Watching him coach is something special. He knows how to get his message across and genuinely cares about the athletes standing in front of him. There’s always a smile, a joke, or some clever remark just around the corner. He has a way of making people want to give their best without making them feel forced to do so. That, to me, is what makes him such an exceptional leader.”

Benedikt Rúnar Valgeirsson.
Teacher at Njarðvíkurskóli and coach at Fimleikafélagið Björk. Iceland