Don Peters

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{{short description|American gymnastics coach}}

Don Peters is a former American gymnastics coach and head coach of the United States women's gymnastics team at the 1984 Summer Olympics. He was hired as head coach SCATS Gymnastics, a gymnastics club in Huntington Beach, California.

Peters played football at Bellmar High School under coach Baptiste Manzini and later played at Belle Vernon Area High School.{{Cite news |last=Herman |first=Brian |date=June 16, 2009 |title=Mid-Mon Valley Sports Hall of Fame Peters was football, gymnastics standout |url=https://archive.triblive.com/news/mid-mon-valley-sports-hall-of-fame-peters-was-football-gymnastics-standout/ |newspaper=Pittsburgh Tribune-Review |access-date=December 11, 2023}} He later attended West Chester University and was a member of the West Chester Golden Rams gymnastics team and was team captain for his last year.

Peters coached at Grossfeld School of Gymnastics then later SCATS Gymnastics. He became the head coach of the United States women's national artistic gymnastics team and oversaw their team silver medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics.

In 2011, Peters was banned for life by USA Gymnastics and removed from the hall of fame after allegations surfaced that he had sexually assaulted three teenage gymnasts.{{Cite web |date=2011-11-17 |title=Don Peters, iconic Olympics coach, banned by U.S. Gymnastics |url=https://www.ocregister.com/2011/11/17/don-peters-iconic-olympics-coach-banned-by-us-gymnastics/ |access-date=2025-06-28 |website=Orange County Register |language=en-US}}

References

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  • [http://www.ocregister.com/articles/peters-318708-yamashiro-gymnastics.html Gymnasts accuse renowned coach of sex abuse], Published: September 23, 2011, Updated: March 16, 2012, 5:22 p.m., by SCOTT M. REID / THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
  • [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/16/don-peters-gymnastics-coach_n_1097704.html Don Peters, Gymnastics Coach, Banned From Olympics After Sexual Abuse Accusations], The Huffington Post, November 16, 2011
  • [http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-gymnastics-coach-don-peters-banned,0,7372721.story Olympic Gymnastics Coach Banned for Life After Sex Abuse Allegations]{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, KTLA News, 6:09 p.m. PST, November 16, 2011