BUTLER TWP - Forget about graduation. It was time to go to work.

So while his fellow graduates were taking part in commencement exercises at Temple University, Kevin Hallinan was on the other side of the state - interviewing for the position of boys gymnastics coach at the Butler Gymnastics Club.

Hallinan, 23, got the job and will succeed Dave McKinnis, who held the position for eight years.

"Dave built this program from nothing and had a kid (Dusty Cranmer) finish sixth nationally in the parallel bars in his age group this year," Hallinan said.

"There is potential here for state champions, regional champions, even national champions. Great facility in a small, friendly town with a lot of talented gymnasts - that's why I took the job."

The Butler Gymnastics Club's boys team has 20 members ranging in age from 7 to 18, along with numerous boys taking classes in the developmental program.

McKinnis told Hallinan he will remain involved with the program "for up to a year, as needed," Hallinan said.

"I can definitely learn from him," Hallinan said. "Dave McKinnis has a wealth of experience. He has nearly 40 years in the sport. He helps me see things from a different perspective.

"He's already helped me with scheduling, setting up classes, the business side of things. And when I got here and saw how advanced these kids are in tumbling … Coach McKinnis knows what he's doing."

Hallinan has been on the job since July 1. He was a top-flight gymnast himself who can no longer compete because of injury.

Hailing from Syracuse, N.Y., Hallinan was the New York state all-around champion his senior year in high school in 1999. He walked on at Temple University and made the team as a freshman.

From April through October of 2000, however, Hallinan underwent surgery three times on his right wrist.

"I broke my wrist in high school and it never healed properly," Hallinan said. "I competed on it through my freshman year in college until it just wouldn't work anymore."

After his third surgery, Hallinan was advised by doctors to retire from competition. But he was receiving scholarship money by that time and was one of the team leaders.

Sidelined for 18 months, he worked to get back to active competition.

"No way I was retiring," he said. "I didn't want to let my teammates down and I wasn't sure I could afford to stay in school without the scholarship.

"I had to re-learn everything a different way, but I did it."

Hallinan was team captain by his junior year and competed at the Winter Cup Nationals - an event reserved for the top 35 ranked collegiate gymnasts in the country.

He was on full scholarship by his senior year at Temple.

A history major, Hallinan said he knew he wanted to get into coaching by his junior year in college.

"Fred Turoff was my coach and he's been at Temple for 28 years," he said. "I wouldn't have the knowledge or ability I have in gymnastics if it wasn't for him.

"He suggested I become a coach. He thought it'd be a good fit for me."

The Butler Gymnastics Club sent letters to every NCAA gymnastics coach in the country advertising its coaching opening.

"Coach Turoff told me about it and I jumped on it," Hallinan said. "I knew I wanted to be a teacher one day. This way, I can teach what I love.

"I get just as excited when these kids learn a new trick as I did when I learned a new trick."

Hallinan said he plans on staying with this job "for a number of years" and isn't worried about the future beyond that.

"My job is to take the boys who are here and make them the best gymnasts they can be," he said. "We'll take it one week at a time. I want to take the older guys here and get them some national recognition."

One such gymnast is Eddie Hay of Butler, an 18-year-old taking classes at Butler County Community College this year with hopes of landing a scholarship at Ohio State next year.

"It was a little different at first, working with a different coach and a younger guy," Hay said. "But he (Hallinan) brings a lot of fresh ideas.

"He's just been through a college program and I want to go to one. I think I can benefit from, him that way."

Hallinan hopes all of his gymnasts can benefit from him.

"They gave me total control of the program and that's what I wanted," he said. "It's up to me to make it work."