University of Utah

Carter
Gaedtke

“Always for fun.”

I did gymnastics my whole life, then switched things up senior year. Mostly I just like trying stuff I’m bad at and getting better at it.

Carter@gaedtke.com 📷 @cartergaedtke 📍 Salt Lake City, UT
#1
National all-around champion
20+
Podium finishes in debate
III+
Whitewater I read & run
3 yrs
Coaching gymnastics
About

Gymnastics was basically my whole childhood, and I ended up winning the national all-around title — best in the country. Then senior year it was time for a change. I went out for football instead. I didn’t know what a first down was, and I still played in every game.

Maybe I just like being bad at something and then not being bad at it. Coaching kids, speech and debate, building a raft and learning to row it, climbing rocks. I wasn’t good at any of it at first, and maybe that’s exactly why I liked it.

Growth, and sticking with whatever I’m doing until I figure it out. That’s me, and I’m always for fun.

Work

Coach & Birthday Party Host

3 years
Gymnastics Nevada

I coached kids here for three years and ran the birthday parties. Some of them started asking to be in my class, which honestly meant more to me than most of my own medals.

Maintenance & Marketing Support

2 years
KPS3

Spent two years doing real maintenance work at KPS3. Fixing things, building things, hauling things, the stuff nobody notices. I also helped with building marketing materials, writing, and other office help.

Sports & Activities

National All-Around Champion

Through senior year
Competitive Gymnastics

I trained a ridiculous amount growing up and ended up winning the national all-around, so first in the country. A lot of early mornings and a lot of falling before anything worked.

Varsity Football

Senior year
Reno High School

Went out for football as a senior having never played. Didn’t know the rules, didn’t know what a first down was, made the team anyway. Learned it one rough practice at a time.

Speech & Debate

All 4 years
Reno High School

Did speech and debate all four years and won around 20 first places. Turns out I don’t really mind talking in front of a room.

Rafting & Rock Climbing

Ongoing
Self-taught

Learned to raft on a 6-day trip without ever having touched an oar. My dad and I built the boat and figured it out together. Now I can read and run whitewater up to Class III+, and I climb whenever I can get to rock.

Highlights
01

National all-around champion. First in the country in gymnastics.

02

20+ podium finishes in speech and debate.

03

Made varsity football as a senior without knowing the rules.

04

Read and run whitewater to Class III+, self-taught with my dad.

“Try it, suck at it, get better. Repeat.”
Carter

Say hey.

Down to climb, row, coach, or just talk about it. Shoot me a message.