For Honors Program student Korrina Karst, presenting one of the more than 100 posters at this year’s Quest represents a combination of longtime interests in an interdisciplinary academic setting.

“Coaching Under Pressure: A Descriptive Study of Safety, Skill Progression and Parent Expectations in Gymnastics” incorporates Karst’s background in gymnastics and coaching with teaching interest as a childhood education major.

“I know I wanted to do something regarding gymnastics because it's such a talked-about topic, but often negatively, so I wanted to explore the positive aspects about it,” Karst said.

The study explores the sometimes-complicated experiences of gymnastics coaches who have to navigate the safety of their young athletes, make decisions about skills progression in terms of adding new routines and managing parent expectations and feedback. 

Jessica Harris, Karst’s primary advisor and chair of the Health Promotion and Wellness Department, said the project “is a strong example of interdisciplinary collaboration, as she is conducting her research under the mentorship of two faculty members from Health Promotion and Wellness.” The second advisor is Susan DiBlase, who coordinates the minor in athletic coaching. 

“This project highlights not only the impactful research our students are conducting but also the value of cross-departmental collaboration in enriching the student learning experience,” Harris added.

Students in the Honors Program are expect to do an honors thesis that connects their interests with research that will contribute new perspectives to a related field of study. 

Harris came highly recommended to Karst, and in their first meeting, “we brainstormed and figured out that parental pressure, skills progression and safety are the top three things we want to focus on,” Karst said. The research also will include the lenses of mental and physical health, both important aspects for young athletes, especially in a competitive and rigorous sport like gymnastics.

Quest, the university’s day celebrating scholarly and creative activities, unfolds Wednesday, April 22, on the main campus. All classes between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. are cancelled that day to promote campus participation as presenters and attendees.

The Quest poster presentation, which will include Karst's research, will take place between 2 and 3 p.m. in the Deborah F. Stanley Arena and Convocation Hall in Marano Campus Center.

In addition, a Quest kickoff from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 21, at SUNY Oswego’s Syracuse Campus will feature a number of posters and live presentations.

Balancing act

Karst has been involved with gymnastics since elementary school as an athlete, began coaching as a teen and has stayed involved in coaching through college. Karst recalled, in her freshman year, having to take a lot of responsibility in running one young team while adjusting to becoming a full-time student.

“There’s a lot of work because you have to lesson plan for it, and then figure out rotations,” Karst said. “So it's kind of nice just to see that aspect of it, that the kids might not see when they come into practice, and they expect us to just do our job perfectly.” 

Karst coaches gymnasts mainly between the ages of 8 and 12, which means they are still developing in many ways, managing dynamics of their coaches and parents. While many people have heard horror stories of parents of young athletes in many sports berating coaches and officials, Karst said it comes down to setting expectations and communication.

“I do understand both sides of it, because that is your child,” Karst said. “I completely understand that you want the best possible care for your child. You want them to remain safe at all times. But I'm also 100 percent open to conversations all the time. Pull me aside and ask. … I will be more than happy to explain it to you.”

Skills progression can be challenging as well, because coaches want young athletes to progress at the right pace, often going up one level in skill per year. In a sport like gymnastics, where athletes have to trust their bodies and their coaches to do the right thing, everybody –- including parents –- need to be on the same page in terms of not going too fast or slow.

That relates to safety, which Karst said is very important in a sport where sometimes the headlines involve athletes being pushed beyond their boundaries.

“A lot of our kids do try to push themselves because they don't want to disappoint us, even though the amount of times I've told them, I don't care if you compete or not, specifically, if you are hurting, I am okay to scratch you,” Karst said. “I will never push you to past your limit. That’s why we take injuries very seriously in practice.”

Pursuing a passion

Karst's love for working with young people in coaching and other activities contributed to becoming a childhood education major, and Oswego just felt like the right choice given its strong education program and overall vibe.

"I was looking up colleges that are really good in education, and Oswego was one of them," Karst recalled. "I toured Oswego and I just really loved the environment, and it wasn't far from home, because I only live 45 minutes away, so I could still coach from there. And then I did tour other colleges and I just felt like, it wasn't for me."

For this study, Karst will interview coaches on their perspectives for these and other topics, potentially working with Harris on publishing the results.

Throughout the process, Karst has been very pleased with the support and mentorship of Harris and DiBlase.

“I love working with both of them,” Karst said. “They're very great at putting in their input and giving me their advice, and if I need anything, they will answer their emails so quickly.”

Harris emphasized the importance of the interdisciplinary nature of the project and the topic.

“Through in-depth interviews, her research aims to shed light on the complex, real-world challenges coaches face in balancing athlete development with risk management and external pressures,” Harris noted. “The findings will contribute to a better understanding of coaching decision-making and help inform best practices for fostering safe, effective and collaborative coaching environments.”

For Karst, the research also has helped her learn more about coaching and a sport she’s been doing much of her life.

“I am learning more about this sport, even though I've been involved in this sport since I was about 8 years old,” Karst said. “I learned more about it from the coaches' perspective. And ultimately, by the end of it, I just hope that at least one person gets something out of it.” 

For more information on Quest 2026, visit oswego.edu/quest.