Akopyan previously coached 2012 Olympic champion McKayla Maroney.

His past national team members include Mattie Larson and Samantha Shapiro.

He coaches at All Olympia Gymnastics Center in Los Angeles, California.

[1] Akopyan gained recognition in the United States after Bela Karolyi asked him to help gymnast Kim Zmeskal.

Within a couple of days, Akopyan was able to help Zmeskal with elements of her compulsory routine that she had been working on for a year.