Gert began her gymnastics coaching career in the middle 60’s after attending some clinics to learn how to spot and teach gymnastics. She taught Physical Education at Sacramento High School from 1962-1967 and at Kennedy High School from 1967-1970 where she also served at the department chair for the Girl’s Athletic Program.
In 1970 when Cosumnes River College opened its doors, Gert was hired as one of the first faculty at the college. Hired as the gymnastics coach, Gert’s teams did extremely well. Her team was undefeated in the first three years of existence. In 1973, at the First All-Around College Women’s Gymnastics Tournament, one of her athletes, Donna Hall was voted the “Most Valuable Athlete”. Donna finished first in the intermediate class, Karen Osborne finished first in the advanced class and CRC’s team took first place in the beginner’s class.
Gert continued her successful coaching of her team and in March of 1974, Cosumnes River College was rated as the number one Junior College Women’s Gymnastics Team in Northern California.
In 1977 Gert coached one of her athletes, Christine (Tanaka) Jang, to the state championship at the community college level in the advanced class. After breaking her ankle in 1978, Chris returned to competition in 1979 and the Valley Conference “Most Valuable Gymnast” award. At the same time Gert also coached her team to the Valley Conference Championship. Both the novice and open divisions placed first at the conference championships. The conference championship qualified CRC for the state meet where Coach Larsen’s team finished in 7th place. At the state meet, Gert coached her athletes to a sweep in the All-Around competition. (Tanaka) Jang finished in first place, Karen Gonsalves placed in second and Jill Van Dewark placed third. Gert coached Chris (Tanaka) Jang to her second state championship in the “Women’s Individual All-Around” open competition. (She is the first and only female state champion in CRC’s history). This same year, Gert was selected as the “Women’s Gymnastics Coach of the Year” by the California Coaches Association. She also received the 1979 Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce “Coach of the Year for Gymnastics” award.
Coach Larsen is also credited for being the first to introduce intercollegiate women’s gymnastics at the community college level in Northern California.
Along with her teaching duties (dance and aerobics) and coaching gymnastics, Gert coached the volleyball team in 1978 and 1979. In December of 1979, Gert was selected as the new Athletic Director at CRC. She became the first female to assume the position and was selected because of her lengthy administrative background. She had served as President of both the Golden Valley Intercollegiate League for Community College Women and the Valley Conference as well as owned and operated her own gymnastics school for five years.
Gert returned to the classroom for the 1982-83 academic year and then became the Area Dean for Business and Communications.
After several years as the Dean of business and Communications Gert became the Dean of Occupational Education. In 1998 Gert retired from Cosumnes River College.
Gert and her husband Leon, live in Klamath Falls Oregon with their two dogs, Corey and Willow. She enjoys playing golf, volunteers at the Hospice Thrift Shop, quilts, travels and fund raises for the Assistance League of Klamath Falls, an organization that clothes needy kids in the Klamath basin.