MARTHA DRISCOLL-NELSON

Varsity Gymnastics Head Coach

Martha Driscoll-Nelson has dedicated her life to gymnastics, education, and the development of young athletes. A longtime leader in Minnesota high school athletics, she spent 42 years coaching at Buffalo High School, following three years at St. Peter High School. Her coaching journey is rooted in her own positive experience as a gymnast at Gustavus Adolphus College, where she developed a lifelong passion for the sport.

Throughout her career, Martha has been widely recognized for her excellence in coaching. She is a three-time Section Coach of the Year and a two-time State Coach of the Year, and she was inducted into the Minnesota Girls Gymnastics Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2008. While these honors reflect her success, her true legacy lies in the impact she has had on her athletes.

Martha believes that character matters more than scores. She emphasizes teamwork, kindness, and personal growth, encouraging athletes to support one another and strive to be their best selves. Her coaching philosophy is simple but powerful: work hard, be kind, be coachable, and be a good person. She reminds her teams that when everyone improves together, success naturally follows.

Family has always been central to Martha’s life. She is married to Dean Nelson, who has long supported the gymnastics program as a statistician and setup consultant. Together, they have two adult daughters, both former gymnasts—one of whom has continued in the sport as a coach and official. In 2025, Martha welcomed a new role as grandmother to her first grandson.

Through decades of dedication, Martha Driscoll-Nelson has shaped not only strong gymnasts, but strong individuals, leaving a lasting mark on her community and the sport she loves.