Jeremy Miranda steps into the Florida Gators’ gym, just like he has for nearly two decades. The routine is the same: scan his closet of button-down shirts, pick the one that matches the team’s leotards, and get to work. But since 2023, it has been something different. After 16 years as a volunteer, Miranda was now an assistant coach! His journey here? Far from easy. Gymnastics made him different. It made him a target. Growing up in South Dakota. Why not something else? He didn’t listen then. He’s not listening now. This season, as Florida chases another shot at a national title, Miranda is doing what he’s always done, proving them wrong!
Since stepping into his assistant coaching role in 2023, he has helped the Gators reach NCAA regionals for the third straight season, playing a key role in last year’s 4th consecutive regional championship win. His attention to detail and ability to foster confidence in his athletes have been crucial in Florida’s pursuit of national success. But long before he was coaching SEC gymnasts on their path to nationals, Miranda was the one fighting for his own place in the sport.
Growing up in South Dakota, a place where Friday nights revolved around high school football and wrestling dominated the sports scene, Miranda’s love for gymnastics made him different. And different didn’t always mean welcome. “I was faced with a lot of ridicule, criticism. A lot of people thought, ‘That’s not the right thing, like, why aren’t you doing football? Why aren’t you doing the ball sports,’” he said to Alligator.Org. “But I think because I was so confident with it — I knew that that’s what my calling was — I was good at it.”
