Dutch native John Van Aalten moved to the U.S. as a young adult after World War II with plenty of knowledge to spread to his new country. Starting out, Van Aalten coached at New York City’s West Side YMCA where he would remain for three decades. He coached Olympians and other national and international successes—stressing the importance of the all-around— en route to seven national YMCA Championships. The co-author of Comprehensive Gymnastics Guide, Van Aalten judged local and national meets in addition to coaching.