Laurel Tindall
Gymnastics Coach

Laurel Tindall grew up in Seattle but has called Snohomish County home for the past 40+ years. Having lived in Brier since 1984, her children attended Brier Elementary, Terrace Park Elementary, Brier Middle School and Mountlake Terrace High School. From competing on the national stage to coaching Seattle Pacific College (SPC), later known as Seattle Pacific University (SPU) in 1977, and serving as a judge, Tindall has done all things gymnastics.

Tindal competed as an elite gymnast from 1969-75, and she earned a spot on the U.S. national team in 1974, representing the red, white and blue on a Goodwill tour in Germany. She competed at the 1971 Pan-Am Games trials, the 1972 Final Olympic trials and 1974 World Championship team trials. Also during that six-year span, she won the 1973 AIAW National Championship in the vault for the University of Washington (UW) and repeated in 1975 for SPC. The AIAW was the governing body for women’s collegeiate sports before the NCAA became the governing body in the early 1980s. Tindall was regional champion in the all-around, vault and bars at UW in 1972 before becoming regional champion in the vault at SPC in 1974. She also received 10 All-American honors nationally.

After stepping away from competing, Tindall moved directly into the head coach role of the SPC gymnastics team, which she proudly served from 1975 – 2019. During those 44 years, she led the Falcons to three NCAA Division II championships (1986, 1992, 1997), four conference team championships (1997, 1998, 2006, 2007) and six consecutive West Regional team championships (1984, -89, three while NCAA Div. II and three USGF). Tindall was named NCAA/USAG National Coach of the Year four times (1986, 1992, 1997, 2003) and coached 197 All-Americans and 31 national champions, including her daughter in 2014, who is a Lynnwood resident.

 Tindall has also served 19 years as a state and regional administrator and another 18 years as a state board member. She played a vital role in hosting several international meets, including the 1979 WOrld Championships Volunteer (Fort Worth, Texas), 1990 Goodwill Games (Tacoma), 1991 World Championships Volunteer (Indianapolis, Indiana), 1995 McDonald’s American cup (Seattle) and 2012 Pacific Rim Championship Volunteer (Everett).

Tindall was named into the USAG Washington Hall of Fame in 2004 and the SPU Falcon Legends Hall of Fame in 2005. Over the years at SPU, she operated the Falcon Gymnastics Center, a community recreation and competitive program for local youths, and she continues to serve as a Brevet-rated judge, promoting gymnastics at all levels.

GALLERY