University of California Athletics

California men’s gymnastics assistant coach JT Okada is a part of history. Okada, who also sits at the helm of South Africa’s national team, will expand his role to the country’s Olympic head coach for the 2016 Rio Games. The Golden Bear alum sat on the sidelines as an announcer for the Cal men’s gym team as a student to eventually call the shots from that same position. Okada, heading into his fourth season with the Bears, coached 2016 graduate and former Cal gymnast Ryan Patterson along his journey to Olympic qualification. For Patterson and Okada, it will be their Olympic debuts, for South Africa it will be the nation’s first appearance in the men’s competition in more than 50 years. The anthropology major was also the president of Cal's chapter of the National Association of Intercollegiate Gymnastics Clubs while a student and served as an instructor at Golden Bears Gymnastics prior to his full-time position with the team. A well-rounded individual, Okada worked as the Golden Bears’ volunteer sports psychologist as well.

Bio Links
CalBears.com

Schedule (All Times PT)
Saturday, Aug. 6 – Qualification, 6:30 a.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 10 – All-Around Finals. 12 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 14 – Floor, 10 a.m.