Lee Bjella 2015

Washington Hall of Fame Inductees

2002

   

Pat "Hattie"
Hatmaker

(12-6-1941 to 2-14-1999) Born in Kelso, WA and attended Leavenworth High School, graduating in 1959. Pat received her PE degree from WWU in 1963. She taught at Issaquah High School starting in 1963 and was head coach of gymnastics for 35 years and was also head coach at Issaquah Junior High for 15 years. Her teams competed at State Gymnastics Championships seven times with individual competitors nearly every year. Pat worked in the development of judging in girls' gymnastics and was a founding member of the Northwest Gymnastic Judging Association.
Washington State Gymnastics Association Coach of the Year for 1996-1997.
High School Coach of the year in 1995.
Inducted into the WSGCA Hall of Fame in 1998.
Inducted in the first USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame 2002.
WIAA Hall of Fame 2005.
National rated Judge.

Carolyn "Ping" Pingatore Holmes

Was a George Lewis and Dale Shirley gymnast.
Jr. AA Champ 1967.
1968 USGF AA Champ. Captain of the US women’s gymnastics team in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.
Coached at Jerry Penney's Christmas Camps in the 1970's.

Caroline “Ping” Pingatore Holmes grew up in Burien and attended Hazel Valley Elementary and Puget Sound Junior High.

2002 - inducted into the first USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame


Dr. Eric Hughes

Born 9/1/23. Competed in gymnastics in high school in 1936 at Victoria, B.C. also Victoria YMCA. Went to college at University of Illinois where he was coached by the great Hartley D. Price. College was interrupted by WWII, and he enlisted in Canada as a pilot. After the war, Eric traveled with a touring acrobatic group called the The Aristocrats of Balance. He also participated in track and cross country as well as gymnastics. Eric finished school then taught at Bemidji State Teachers College in Bemidji, MN. from 1948-1950. Started the gymnastics program there, and also coached the Men's Hockey Team. He went to UW in 1950 for their doctorate program and started a children's gymnastics program.

Started UW Men's team in 1950 and it was officially recognized as a varsity sport at UW in 1956. His team won the National AAU Championship in 1968 and 1969 and second in the NCAA in 1965.
Coached the US team that competed in Czechoslovakia, Poland and Russia in 1961.
1966 He took the Husky Club on a tour of Japan, Australia and New Zealand. In 1968 he took them to Asia.
Fellow founder of Gym Kamp, held coaches' clinics and invitational, and toured internationally.
Wrote two books; Gymnastics for Men and Gymnastics for Girls, plus numerous articles.
Some of the UW gymnasts who Eric influenced were Charley Denny, Mauno Nissinen, Yoshi Hayasaki, Sho Fukushima, Mel Cooley, and Steve Wejmar.
Vice President of the National Association of College Gymnastics Coaches.
Pacific Northwest AAU Gymnastics Chairman from 1954 to 1963.
Western Coach of the Year in 1963 and 1965.
Vice-Chairman of the NAAU Gymnastics Committee and a member of the National Technical Committee.

1989 UW Hall of Fame.
1973 inducted into the Helms Gymnastics Hall of Fame (USA Gymnastics)
1979 Honor Coach Award of the CGA
2002 Inducted into the first USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame
http://www.usghof.com/files/bio/e_hughes/e_hughes.html

 

 

 

George Lewis

(1920 -1987) Father of Girls Gymnastics in Washington State. Learned gymnastics and tumbling at Green Lake Field House and Roosevelt High School.
Coached at YMCA from 1939-1987. Helped coaches and teachers learn the sport of girls gymnastics.
George founded Gymnastics Incorporated and moved his club from the Seattle "Y" to SPU in 1972. 1975-76 he coached SPU varsity women's gymnastics team. Laurel Anderson (Tindall) and Debbie Halle, both members of the US National Team were on his team. He also coached Olympians Joyce Tanac (Schroeder), Cleo Carver, Doris Fuchs -Brause and Carolyn Pingatore. Also influenced by George were Avis Tieber Jamieson (NAAU Tumbling Champ 1960; NAAU Vault Champ 1963 and '64; Pan Am FX Champ 1964; 1962 World Cup Team; and 1962 Regional Sullivan Award) Jeanette Boyd (2nd AA at the 1966 USGF and NAAU Championships);and Lonna Woodward (USGF BB winner 1969).
Inducted into the Helms Hall of Fame (USA Gymnastics) in 1975.
USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame 2002.

 

Dale Shirley

Graduated from Highline High School in 1958 - was on their boys team. Went to Eastern Washington for one year on scholarship. Came back to Seattle University and turned out with Ev Woodward. As grad assistant at the University of Oklahoma, got his first job coaching there with Ken Kennerude. With Oklahoma Twisters for 1 year, then back to Washington State to Renton High School.
Turned out at YMCA and also coached Seattle Gym Club 1960-'65 with George Lewis. Coached at the Seattle "Y" from 1965-'71.
Went on tour to Middle East and Africa in 1966.
Co-coach of the 1966 Women's World Games Team, and coach of Carolyn Pingatore( Junior Women's All-Around Champion 1967, and the 1968 Women's Champion.)
Taught at Renton High and had boys team for 4 years and his team won the 1968 state meet. Dale had a club on Mercer Island and then Bellevue Academy with Carol Elsner 1973-83.
Coached UW girls team 1975-'79.
Moved to Eugene, OR and was a club coach, then to Santa Rosa Club until 1984. Back to Seattle and taught in the Renton District.
Inducted into the first USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame 2002.

2003

   

Dale McClements Kephart

Born 12/31/44. Moved to Seattle 1959 from Canada. Attended Highline HS. Also was a Gym Kamper. Turned out for high school gymnastics and also Seattle "Y". Our states most notable woman gymnast and womens international level coach. Named to the AAU All American Women's Gymnastic Teams. Graduated from UW and University of Nevada. (Grad work in PE)
Coached at Jerry Penney's Christmas Camps in the 1970's. Listed in the USGF 1973 Who's Who.
Gymnast:
1962 National AA Champion and 1st on vault, 3rd on beam, 4th bars, 6th floor. (Held in Seattle.)
1962 Member of USA World Championships Team, Prague, Czech.
1963 USA Pan Am Games, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Team gold medal, vault gold, bars and AA silver.
1963 National Championships: 2nd AA; 1964 National Championships, 3rd AA.
1964 1st AA at Olympic Trials.
1964 Olympic Team Member, Tokyo. Top USA scorer.
1965 UW Women's Club team member. Team attended the first ever National Women's Gymnastics College Championships. 1st vault, bars, floor. 4th all-around. Team placed 2nd. 1965 National Championships. 2nd AA.
1965 Member of USA Team to International Gymnaestrada in Vienna, Austria.
1966 Member of USA Team at World Championships.
Judge:
Received International Judges Rating in 1968 (F.I.G. Brevet level judge)
Judged 1968 Olympics. Judged Nationally and Internationally from 1968 to 1988.
Brevet Judge from 1968-2001.
Coach:
1966 First Women's Pacific NW Collegiate Invitational meet, coached with George Lewis and Dale Shirley. She was Assistant coach at the Seattle YMCA and choreographer for UW Team. 1966 UW has official Women's Gymnastics Team, with Dale and Dale Shirley as coaches. 1967-69 McKnight Jr. High and Hazen High Schools in Renton, WA, and Assistant Coach at Seattle YMCA.
1970-78 U of Nevada, Reno Head Coach. Co-owner/coach Western Gymnastics Foundation Club in Reno.
1972 Manager/Coach for Women's USA Olympic Team, Munich, Germany.
1975 Head Women's Coach of USA Pan Am Games Team.
1976 Head Women's Coach USA Olympic Team, Montreal.
1978 Co-head coach PNW Gymnastics Schools, Tigard, OR.
1979-81 Head Women's Coach at UC, Berkeley.
1984 Choreographed the Olympic Floor Exercise Compulsory Routine. 1988 Choregraphed the 1988 Olympic Balance Beam Compulsory Routine.
1988-95 Coached Jr. and Sr. High School teams in Anchorage, AK.

1985 Inducted into the Gymnastics Hall of Fame.
1987 First recipient of the "Spirit of the Flame" Award.
1985-89 Chairman of the Jr. Olympic Compulsory Exercises Committee.
1999 UW Hall of Fame,
2003 inducted into USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame.

(photo of Dale Kephart taken by Stuart Hertz, from Gymnastics For Girls, used with permission from Eric Hughes.)

 

Joyce Tanac Schroeder

Began tumbling at 10. Started at Seattle "Y" in 1963 with George Lewis. Frank Hailand was early influence. She was first YMCA National AA Champion. Holds National Championships in AAU, USGF, and YMCA. She performed the one arm handstand on the beam at the 1967 Pan Am Games. The Tanac dismount on unevens is named for her.
1965-'66 -National YMCA Women's AA Champ.
1966 World Games team.
1966 Pan Am Game's, 2nd AA.
1968 Olympic Trials, 1st AA.
1968 US Olympic team. (Team was 6th, Joyce was 30th AA.) 1969-'74 UW Women's Team. 1969 won Senior Nationals AA -USGF.
1969 First USGF World Cup, 3rd AA. 1969 Pacific Coast Invitational 1st AA.
1969 AAU National AA Champ and placed frist in every individual event. Member U.S. Collegiate All Star team. UW Hall of fame.
1990 inducted into the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame.
2003 inducted into the USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame.
Lives in Spokane. (Her father, Bob, was the Pacific NW AAU Junior Olympic Committee representative in the 1960's.)

2004

   

Dr. Hubie Dunn

Born 11/1/21. Went to Southern Illinois Normal University (now SIU) graduating in 1943. He was an accomplished college gymnast in his own right.
Started the men's gymnastics program at WSU in 1947 (until 1962). While there, he got his masters degree and wrote his thesis, called "The Status of Heavy Apparatus and Tumbling For Boys In The Junior and Senior High Schools of the State of Washington." 1951.
He was called "The Father of Intercollegiate Gymnastics in the Pacific North West". Dunn pioneered gymnastics in the Pacific Northwest and initiated the Pacific Northwest College Meet, and Washington State High School Championship Meet.
Coach of the Year, Western Area 1962.
President 1967-68 and Vice President 1965-1967 of the National Association of College Gymnastics Coaches.
Executive Committee of USGF 1967-69.
Outstanding Service Award NACGC 1968.
1981 Honor Coach Award of the CGA.
Received his Ph.D. in Illinois.
Coached at Northern Illinois University, starting in 1962.
1973, he was inducted into the Helms Gymnastics Hall of Fame (USA Gymnastics).
USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame 2004.
WSU Hall of Fame, 2006

 

Bob and Mary Sarver

Grew up in Sioux Falls, S.D. Went to the Seattle "Y". Bob was in the service two years. Went to George Williams College (YMCA College in Chicago). Learned gymnastics with Bud Byers. Teaching degree from UW.
Assistant coach for the UW men's team in 1957.
Attended first year of Gym Kamp.
Coached boys gymnastics at Highline HS to 7 state championships. USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame 2004.

Mary graduated from Western Washington 1955. She went to Denmark to the Gymnastic Folk High School for one year and then back to WA to Highline Junior High and worked with Ev Woodward in gymnastics. She then went to Highline HS in 1958-59.
Had first HS team and competed in Canada 1959 AAU.
Went to Seattle YMCA for help from George Lewis. Mary put on clinics, workshops, and was an instructor and co-director of Gym Kamp (Camp Waskowitz) and taught at Highline Junior College.
Attended first National Gymnastics Conference. Wrote in the first Gymnastic Guide Book. Mary wrote the "Beam" section to Eric Hughes 1963 book Gymnastics for Girls.
DGWS Gymnastics Guide June 1963-1965 - Mary wrote the section on Floor Exercise. Inducted into the WSGCA Hall of Fame in 1998.
USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame 2004.
Died 2004.

Laurel Tindall

Student of George Lewis, Elite gymnast from 1969-1975.
1971 Pan Am Games trials.
1972 Final Olympic Trials.
1973 World Championship team trials.
1974 AAU National Team.
UW gymnast 1972-1973. SPU gymnast 1974 -1975.
AIAW National Vault champ 1973 and 1975.
10-time All-American.
Seattle Pacific University coach from 1975 to present. SPU won 3 National Division II titles, 1986, 1992, and 1997. 15 national champions and 121 All-American athletes. 20 straight seasons of top 4 National finishes in team competition.
Four time Collegiate Coach of the Year.
Falcon Gymnastics Club Director and Head Coach from 1981 to present.
1972-1981 Gymnastics Inc. club coach. Coached at Jerry Penney's Christmas Camps in the 1970's.
USGF State Chairman from 1976-1983.
USGF/USAG Region 2 Chairman 1983-1995.
1996 to 2014 Washington State Board.
Brevet level Woman's judge having judged several USGF/USAG Regional and National meets. Inducted into 2004 USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame.
Inducted into the Seattle Pacific University Hall of Fame 2005.
Co-coach of the year in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, 2005.

 

Karen Patoile Wisen

Karen started competing in the 7th grade on the Mercer Island tumbling team. She transferred to the UW after competing in Minnesota at Gustavus Adolphus on their very first gymnastics team. Karen became captain of the team, which took 2nd at the first ever Collegiate Women's Invitations Gym Meet. (Southern Ill.)
Started judging while still at UW. She went with George Lewis and his team to USGF Nationals. A judge didn't show up, so Jackie Kline Fie had Karen judge. The next year they sent her to the Pan Am Games and then the FIG course in Madrid!
Coached at Ingelmoor High School from 1968 to 1976. Won King-Co every year and won 3 State Championships.
Became Brevet judge in the early 1970's.
Judged the 1984 Olympics.
USGF/USAG Regional Technical Director 1971-1979 and 1986-1994.
Goodwill Games, Seattle, 1990 Technical Director.
Charter Member of NAWGJ.
Karen was inducted into the WSGCA Hall of Fame in 1998.
USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame 2004.
(Died 2014)

2005

 

 

Gunter Bohrmann

Born in Wiesbaden, Germany, Jan. 7,1940, died Jan. 5, 2006 in Renton, WA. after two-year battle with cancer.
Competed on a club team in his hometown and later on the German National Team (1960-1962). After graduating from high school in 1959, he attended the University of Mainz, majoring in English.
Gunter came to America and attended the UW. He joined the Husky gymnasts team in 1962, and got his BA in English and in 1967 his Masters in PE.
Pacific Northwest All Around Champion.
1963 he was Pacific NW champ on Horizontal Bar, P.Bars, Long Horse, and All-Around for UW.
1964 Olympic Trials.
1965 he was AAU Junior Champion in floor ex., long horse, and parallel bars.
1968 he was on the Seattle Gymnastics Club Team that toured Asia.
Taught and coached the boy's team (1962-1982) at Kent-Meridian High School. He had 5 league championships, 15 regional championships and 8 state championships. They were ranked #1 in the nation in 1979.
Coached the girl's team from 1985 -2000 when he retired. He came back in 2003 to assist with the Sumner girl's team. 3 league championships, 4 district championships and 1 state championship.
High School Girls Coach of the Year 1989 and 2001.
Coached at Jerry Penney's Christmas Camps in the 1970's.
Coached many future coaches. (Joe Rapp, Gordy, Bert and Kevin Bylin, Mike and Tony Yonomitzu, John Diaz, Tom Hardin (1980 National Team ) and Kelly Donyes).
WSGCA Hall of Fame 2002.
USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame 2005.

 

Patti Lanterman Gable

Elite Gymnast for Seattle "Y".
1972 Canadian American Championship AA Champ.
1973 Regional JO 1st AA; Pacific NW JO 1st AA; JO Nationals 1st AA.
1974 Class 1 State 2nd AA.
1974 YMCA Nationals 3rd AA, 1st FX, and 2nd Bars.
1976 USA Olympic Trials qualifier.
(She went to Connecticut for 6 months and trained with Muriel Grossfeld in 1975, and then quit competing.)
1981 UW grad, but did not do gymnastics.
1977-'81 Gymnastics, Inc. coach, which she bought from George in 1979. She kept it at SPU, and then moved it in 1981 to Kirkland, across the street from the present gym, and named the gym Northwest Ariels.
USA Gymnastics Washington State Director 1981-2004, 2006-2014.
Inducted into the USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame 2005.

 

NWA

The history of this club actually goes back to the history of gymnastics in this state. George Lewis started competitive gymnastics in Washington with a program at the Seattle Downtown YMCA, which then became Gymnastics, Inc. of Seattle.
Patti Gable purchased that program from George in 1979, renamed the program the George Lewis School of Gymnastics, which then became Northwest Aerials in 1981. When moving to Kirkland they opened with 15 students, turning into over 300 students within 6 months of opening.

2006

 

 

Nola Ayres 

Physical Education teacher and girls gymnastics coach from 1970- 2000 at Sehome High School, in Bellingham. Her teams won more state championships than any school in the nation (384-1), 22 state titles.
She began teaching at Whatcom Middle School from 1968-70. Nola did not coach for a total of 5 years in that period because of back surgery and four years of graduate work.
WIAA High School Assoc. president 1980 and 1981.
Returned to coaching in 1999 and 2000. Nola got her BA from Western, her MA from City University and her Ph-D in the Philosphy of Sports Psychology from Warnbourgh, which is internationally ISO accredited.
WSGCA Gymnastics Coaches Hall of Fame 1999.
National High School Coach of the Year 1986.
National Federation Coach of the Year 1985.
Inducted into Western Washington Hall of Fame 1991.
Since 2000-2012 NAWGJ-WA State Judging Director.
Elite rating in 1997. National rated judge.
WIAA Hall of Fame 2006.
Optional Judge of the Year 2001, 2002, 2007.
USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame 2006.

 

Brad Loan

1967-1968 turned out with the girls team under Maggie Trimble at Auburn High, because there was no boys team.
Graduated in 1972 from WSU - competed on the men's team. (3rd on vault at Pac 8's.)
1975-1976 coached girl's team at WSU. Owned of Puget Sound Gymnastics club which produced elite gymnasts such as Roni Barrios, Yumi Mordre, Kelly Baker, Catherine Williams, Julie Mountford, Christi Clifford, Heidi Prosser, Onnie Willis, Stephanie Roy, Emily Pritchard, Tammara Diles, Malinda Wong (first full-in double back in WA. 1982), Melissa Griffeth, Marylin Anderson, Cheryl Chambliss and Elli Moulding Jr. and Mike Meyers. His best gymnast was Yumi Mordre who was the 2nd alternate to the 1984 Olympic team.
USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame 2006.

 

Yumi Mordre Pringle

Elite gymnast. Yumi started gymnastics with Gymnastics Incorportated and George Lewis and was coached by Jackie Carringer and then Laurel Tindall.
She later went to the National Academy in Oregon with Dick and Linda Mulvihill, then went back to Washington state. Coached by Brad Loan at Puget Sound School of Gymnastics in Puyullup for three years.
1983 gold medal on beam at the World Student Games.
1983 gold medallist in team competition and in the floor at the Pan American Games, and silver in the All-around.
Made the World Team in 1983, and 4th at the World Trials in Budapest.
Ninth at 1984 Olympic Trials and named second alternate to US Olympic team.
A one-armed diomidoff was named for her.

UW 1985 -1988.
Yumi was the most decorated UW gymnast, started her UW career in 1985 with a serious knee injury. At the 1986 NCAA Championships, she finished 4th on beam, which made her the first Washington All-American. She was the NorPac Gymnast of the Year of 1986.
She was a 7-time All American. In Pac-10, Yumi was a five-time champion.
1987 UW Female Athlete of the Year in. Sophomore Yumi Modre of Washington won both the vault and balance beam at the NCAA Championships in 1987, marking the first time one gymnast has won two events in the championships. Modre scored a 9.50 in the vault and a 9.65 in the balance beam.
1988 she was in the top 10 in three events at NCAA Championships and at the 1989 Championships, she was injured in the warmups.
Hall of Fame at the UW 1995.
USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame 2006

 

John Smith

John started gymnastics under Coach Cartwright at Mann Jr. High, Tacoma, 1969, then under Evan Steensland 1971-'74 at Lakes High School.
Attended summer camps at Sammamish High where he was coached by Jerry Penny, Bob Peavey, Eric Hughes, Jim Sullivan, and Gunter Bohrmann.
Walked onto WSU in 1974 as floor and tramp specialist.
Performed quadruple twisting back salto in 1973 on tramp.
AAU Tumbling and Tramp Regional Silver Medalist. USMC in 1975.
Coached from 1976-1978 at Leeward Gymnastics in Pearl Harbor.
Medalist on floor and tramp in the 1978 Honolulu Gym Fest.
1978 Head Coach of Punahou High School boys team, and assistant coach for girls team. 1979 Head Coach Lakes High School and Mann Jr. High Girls Teams.
1980 coached at Camp Waskowitz (Gym Kamp).
WSU assistant coach to Al Sanders fall of 1980.
1980-81 coach at Kokokahi Gymnastics, HI.
1981 opened NASA Gymnastics.
In the 1990's, trained National Elite Tiffani White.
1990 Goodwill Games Linguistics Coordinator.
Between 1993 and 2003, John had nine gymnasts make the TOPS National Team -the most in WA. State to date.
2006 USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame.
USAG WA board member 2010.

2007

 

 

Linda Pierce-Goos

Elite level Northwest Aerials gymnast - but started at the UW club program (non-competitive) with Dick Foxal, then to George Lewis and then to Patti Gable at NWA.
1982, '85, and '87 WA State AA Champ
1982, 1986, and1987 USGF Class 1 Regional AA Champ
1983 USGF Elite Zone AA Champ
1988 Oregon State University MVP as a freshman!
1990 and '91 NCAA Academic All American Gymnast
1991 Pac-10 Conference All Decade Team.
2007 USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame Inductee.
Linda got her degree in Sports Psychology, and now works at Microsoft.

 

Laurie Reid

Competed at Corvallis (Oregon) High School 1968-1970.
Competed for Oregon State University 1970-1973 for coach Sylvia Moore.
Qualified to Nationals on bars in 1973.
1973 she moved to Los Altos, CA. and worked for Los Altos Twisters for two years, head coach beam and floor.
Started judging in CA in 1974.
1975 moved back to Corvallis to finish college, and continued judging with Arlene Crosman as a mentor. Coached a rec program at Linn-Benton CC.
1979 graduated with Phys. Ed. Degree, then moved to Bellevue and coached for Dale Shirley at AOG for a year.
1981 moved to Yakima and married Norm Reid.
Coached all levels including elite 1983-'84.
1981 she earned her Elite rating and her Brevet in 1993.
USGF WA State Director 1983-87.
1990 Seattle Goodwill Games Master Scorekeeper.
1997-present - Region 2 JO Program Chair.
USA Gymnastics Washington Judge of the Year 1992, 2002
Optional Judge of the Year 2006.
NAWGJ WA board 2004 -2008.
2005 Recipient of Dick Mulvihill Award.
Co-author of 2005-2013 USAG Compulsory Routines.
2006 USAG Region 2 Judge of the Year.
USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame 2007.
Owner of Gym Plus Gymnastics, Yakima, WA

2008

 

 

Donna Lucero

West Seattle High School student. Ice skater.
Started judging 1972, high school. Pat Hatmaker and Kay Canedy got her into club judging.
1974  Founding member NAWGJ WA.
1974-1998 25 Year Washington State Junior Olympic Championship Judge.
1978-2008 Mentor Judge for more than 30 years in Washington State.
1979 Junior College National Championship Judge.
Junior Olympic National Championship Judge Level 10. Also Elite level judge.
1977-1989  Executive Assistant to USA Gymnastics Washington State Judging Director.
1984-1996 15 Year Region 2 Championships Judge.
1989-1994 Washington State Judging Director.

Inducted into the USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame 2008.
WOA Judge of the Year 2008
WOA Hall of Fame 2010.

Roni Barrios Mejia

PSSG Elite gymnast for Brad Loan. Went on to Cal State Fullerton and to coach club in CA. Coaches in Arizona at Flames. Inducted into the USAG WA Hall of Fame in 2008.

2009

   

Cleo Carver Schreifels

George Lewis Elite gymnast.
Cleo notes: "I started gymnastics in 1963 at the Seattle YMCA with George who was an incredible coach. My first major compitition was the 1967 Junior Olympics where I placed 1st in Vault. I went on to compete in the 1968 Olympic Team Trials where I place 6th. Politics forced me from the team."
USGF Vault champ 1969.
1969 YMCA National All-Around Champ, 1st on Floor Ex, Beam and Vault.
Member of the 1969 USA Cup of America's Team held in Mexico City. 
1970 Washington State All-Around Champion.
1970 Canadian-USA Invitational placing 3rd in the All-Around, US team placed 1st. 
Member of the USA 1970 World Games Team.
1972 Olympic Team Trials.
She lives in Everett, Wa.
2009 USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame.

 

Priscilla Taylor Hickey

1966-1969 Bellevue High School, Bellevue, WA – 3 Varsity Letters
1971-1972 University of Washington, Seattle, WA.
1971 Regional Championships @ Univ. of Oregon – 3rd place team – AA (10th place).
1971 National Championships @ Penn State – AA competitor.
1972 Regional Championships @ Oregon State – 1st place team, AA (12th place).
1972 National Championships @ Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa – 7th place team.
1972 Teammates: Laurel Anderson (Tindall) and Joyce Tanac (Schroeder)Brevet Judge: NAWGJ: Member Since 1977.
Washington State SJD: 1994-1995; Washington State Governing Board 1994-2000; Connecticut Governing Board: 2004-2007
Region 2 Washington State Judge 1973 – 2000; Region 6 Connecticut State Judge 2000 – 2007; Region 3 Colorado State Judge 2007- 2009
Wash. State HS Assignor 1974-80; WA State HS Technical Chair 1977-84; Wash. State Test Administrator 1977-95
Publisher: “Hickey Notes” 1980 – 2009; Wash. State HS Rules 1999-2009
USAG Judge: 1973-2009; Elite/Brevet Judge: 1980-2009; JO Nationals Judge: Region 2: ‘89, ‘93, ‘96, ‘98, ’99; Region 6: ’05, ’07
NCAA Assigner: 2005-2007; NCAA Judge: 1976-2009; Division I Nationals: 1990-92, ’94-00, ’03-06; Division II Nationals: 1996 -97 ’03-04; Jr. College Nationals: 1981; Collegiate Regionals: 1983-2009
Volunteer: 1987 Pan American Games in Indianapolis, IN: 1990 Goodwill Games in Seattle, WA; ’91 World Championships in Indianapolis, IN ; ’95 American Cup in Seattle, WA; ’96 Olympic Games in Atlanta, GA
Coaching:1973-77 Gymnastics Inc. Board Member at SPU, WA; 1973-77 Canyon Park Jr. High, Bothell WA; 1977-79 Tumwater Jr. High, Olympia WA; 1998-2000 Bellevue High School, Bellevue WA; 2000 Washington State Coach of the Year - WIAA.
2009 USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame.

Debbie Halle Jackson

1970-77 Elite gymnast trained by George Lewis, Seattle YMCA.
1971 AAU JO National Champion AA.
1972 US Olympic Trials National Qualifier, and top 20 All Around.
1972 YMCA National Champ AA.
1973-77 Collegiate All American, Seattle Pacific University.
1974 AIAW College National Uneven Bars Champ and YMCA National AA Champ.
1976 US Olympic Trials National Qualifier.
Three time Washington State Open All-Around Champion.
2004 first SPU gymnast inducted into SPU's Falcon Legends Hall of Fame
2009 USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame.

Debbie Halle

No awards for 2010

   

2011

   

Jerry Penney

Jerry Penney first made his name as a gymnast at Washington State University in the 1960's. The move, “Penney German,” was named after him. 
Following his career as a gymnast he became an assistant coach at WSU for Bob Peavy in 1969-70.
Following his time at WSU, Penney became a teacher and coach at Sammamish High School. He had been the boys and girls high school gymnastics coach at Sammamish High School for over 30 years.Retired in 2015.
During his time as coach he has been named the High School coach of the year three times by the Gymnastics Coaches Association, and once the High School Regional Coach of the Year.
In addition to Penney’s coaching career, he has been the gymnastics district meet manager for the past 30 years.
Penney was the WIAA State Gymnastics Meet manager for 19 years and has served as floor manager for the past 16 years. Dean Ratliff, WIAA state tournament officials coordinator, states, “I can think of few people that have shown the dedication of Mr. Penney to both his current athletes, former athletes, to his program and to the sport of gymnastics.”
2001 Jerry was inducted into the Washington State Gymnastics Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
High School Coach of the Year in 2010 for the KingCo League.
High School Coach of the Year 2011.
2011 USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame.
Pictures of Jerry Penney's Penney German

 

2012

 

 

Denise Thompson Green

Denise has been a National Association of Women's Gymnastics Judge (NAWGJ) member since 1977. Judge since 1975, Elite rating in 1985 and Brevet since from 1994. Judged many club and collegiate gymnastics meets across the US.
Denise was raised in Oregon where she was a club and high school gymnast.
1970’s Class I gymnast-Oregon.
1974-76 Competed for Pacific University in Forest Grove, OR with Varina French as her coach.
Denise coached in Oregon in high school and club programs in St. Helens from 1980-1984.
1980-82 Oregon State USAG Chair.
1990 Seattle Goodwill Games-score input on FX.
2000-2012 NAWGJ-WA board member.
2001-Present Judged 10 USAG National Championships (level 9 & 10).
2003 & 2005 NAWGJ WA Judge of the Year.
2012 Floor Timer and volunteer at Pacific Rim Championships.
2012-2016 Co-State Judges Director for NAWGJ WA with Lee Bjella.
2012 Inducted into the USAG WA Hall of Fame.
Speech Language Pathologist in Kelso, WA

 

Linda M.N. Smith

Elite Coach, International Choreographer
Coached at many international training camps. Developed and trained 10 USAG TOP's National Team Members.
1983-2012 Coached more than 20 Region 2 All Around, Beam and Floor Champions.
1992 USAIGC National All Around and Floor Champion- Lindsey Lauderdale. 1993-2005 Developed and trained 10 USAG TOP's National Team Members. 1993-1998 Trained USAG Elite National Team Member Tiffani White - 1993 Olympic Sports Festival Champion Team Member - Tiffani White.
1995 National Training Center Training Camp Beijing, China- Hudson, Wanwig, Rimpini, Romney. 1995 USAIGC National Champion All Around Ryann Devaney.
1996 USAIGC National Champion Floor Exercise, Balance Beam, Runner Up Uneven Bars and Runner Up All Around Tiffani White. 1996- Hali Saucier wins COPA International Junior A Elite Division All Around/Floor Titles. 1996- Danielle Crowley wins COPA International Junior B Elite Division All Around/Floor Titles.
1998 Hali Saucier wins TOP's Elite Division National Championship All Around, Beam & Vault.
2003 USAIGC National All Around Champion and Floor Exercise and Beam Champion Francesca Jacobs.2005 All Around/ Floor Champion Capital Cup, London England Kaela Smith.2006 Kyoto All Japan Gymfest Beam Bronze Medalist Haily Luong. 2006 Hydrangea Cup- Osaka, Japan Floor Champion Lauren Schmeiss.2009 Aloha Gymfest Level 9 AA Champion Lauren Schmeiss. 2010 Level 9 Westerns Bars Silver Medalist Madison Rich.2012 USAG Open Championships Orlando, FL Medalists: Gold -Ashley Wright, Beam Silver -Madison Greene, Savannah Mueller.
USAG WA Hall of Fame class of 2012.

2013

 

 

Lonna Woodard Kantas

YMCA Nationals 1968, 1st place all around, 1st place balance beam.
US National Team Member 1969 - Cup of America’s Team.
Member of Seattle YMCA teams that won YMCA Nationals 1966, 1967, 1968, and 1969.
1966 YMCA Nationals - 3rd place all around.
1967 YMCA Nationals - tied 3rd place all around, 1st place balance beam.
1968 - member of Seattle YMCA team that won AAU Jr. Nationals.
1969 - member of Seattle YMCA team that won AAU Sr. Nationals.
Competed at AAU Jr. Nationals 1966, 1967, 1968 (1966 – 1st place tumbling; 1968 – 2nd place Floor Exercise).
Competed at AAU Sr. Nationals 1967, 1968, 1969, and 1970.
Taught and coached gymnastics in the Seattle area 1971 to 1975 (and off and on until 1979).
Coached at Gymnastics Incorporated and at Jerry Penney's Christmas Camps in the 1970's.
Taught at many clinics and gymnastic camps in Washington (Camp Waskowitz), Montana and Alaska 1968-1975
1970 - member of Seattle Gymnastics Club: 7-week People to People Tour of South America.
Peers during gymnastics career- JoyceTanac, Cleo Carver, Carolyn Pingatore.
2013 USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame.

2014

 

 

Catherine Williams Kadera


PSSG Elite gymnast for Brad Loan. Puyallup High School.
1985 Takanawa Sports Club Meet, Japan,1st AA.
10th AA at US Championships in Atlanta as a Jr B.
1986 1st AA at US Classic, Phoenix, Jr B.
5th AA at American Classic, Provo, Jr B.
Attended two national team training camps, Washington D.C. and CO Springs at US Training Center.
1987 fractured femur and did not compete as an Elite after that.
Placed 1st AA at WA High School State, 1990, 1991, 1992.
HS State Champ in 1991 on Beam.
UW gymnast 1992-1994.
2014 USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame.

 

 

Cathy Sutherland


Coach for over 38 years, compulsory to International Elite levels.
Coached USAG Level 10 National AA Champion Onnie Willis, future NCAA AA champion at UCLA.
Coached Kristina Baskett, International Elite and University of Utah standout.
Coached Heidi Prosser who was a two time Level 10 National Champion.
Also coached Emily Pritchard, Level 10 and National Elite and UW gymnast who has a bar move named in her honor. 1973- started gymnastics at age 15. Joined the newly formed Academy of Olympic Gymnastics and was their first State Balance Beam champion.
Began coaching the pre- team and class II gymnasts.
1975 - Full ride scholarship to the University of Washington. Qualified to Nationals each year
1980 - Accepted to L'Ecole Carre school of circus and theatre in Paris, France.
1984 - Joined Danceworks Northwest and the Pat Graney Dance co.
1987 - Began coaching at Puget Sound School of Gymnastics - Compulsory through Elite.
1999 - Recipient of the Dale Flansaas Award for Artistic styling on Beam and Floor Exercise.
2014 USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame.

2015

 

 

Linda Haverly Lutz

 

1980's gymnast - the first in our state to perform a Tkatchev on the unevens. Started at the Academy of Olympic Gymnastics with Laurie Metzger (Reid) and Nancy Baumgartner as coaches. By 1982 she was already a class 1 under coaches Dale Shirley, Jim Wilkins and Linda Parker - the gym closed after the 1984 season.
1985 season, Linda went to Washington Gymnastics under coach Bruce McGhee. Was on the class 1 1st place team at State.
1986 at Gymnastics Unlimited coached by Matt Erichsen. 1st place on Bars and her team was class 1 champs. Team mates included Erin Brewer, DeAnne Dengate, Lisa Pizl, Heather Starr and Staci Wicklund.
1987 Class 1 State 1st place team and Region 2 champ on Bars and 2nd AA. At JO Nationals she took 2nd on Bars.
1988 Class 1 State 1st place team; Westerns 5th AA and JO participant.
1989 Class 1 State 1st place team; Regional champ on BB and 2nd AA. JO Nationals 2nd Bars.
1990-1993 University of Oklahoma gymnast. They won the Big 8 team championship in 1991 and 1993. She was the 1992 Bar champ and in 1993 she was team co-captain. BS degree in 1994. (Hazen High School, Renton, 1985-1989) Married Jeff Lutz while at OU - he was on the men's team, and a member of the US National team, later divorced. 1997 Jeff and Linda opened Gym Express and closed it in 2007. Bought PSSG and renamed it PSG then sold in 2010. She has two sons. Hart’s Gymnastics Center- Auburn, WA 2010-2012. USAG WA board 2008, 2009. Compulsory Coach of the Year 2004. Optional Coach of the Year 2001
USAG WA Hall of Fame 2015.

 

 

Lisa Pizl Price

1986, 87, 88 3 time Class 1 All Around State Champion
1986,87,88 All Around Region 2 Champion
1988 she won the JO National AA Champion, Event Finals on Vault, she Placed 2nd on Floor, 3rd on bars, and 4th on beam.
Shortly after Nationals she competed in the Las Vegas Sports Festival, a nationally televised mixed pairs competition with other National Team members, and Olympic hopefuls, which was emceed by Mary Lou Retton, Bart Connors, Tim Daggett, and other past Olympians
1988, Lisa was selected and trained with Bela & Marta Karolyi for a week at the Olympic training center in Colorado Springs, CO
Selected by Kiro TV as the Athlete of the Week and was the subject of a one hour TV special on Lisa's training for the 1990 Goodwill Games which was hosted by Steve Raible who was interested in the comparison of a German Gymnast who was also training for the Seattle Goodwill Games. Lisa was training at a very high level and much of her training, and daily activities were included in the one hour TV special on KIRO TV.
1989, during the 100 year celebration of the state of Washington, Lisa competed in the Washington State Centennial Games Gymnastics Invitational and she won the All Around Championship Title and several events.
Lisa was also honored during the Washington State Centennial Games multi-city parade and was given the key to the City of Orting by the Mayor.
In 1989 Lisa qualified as an Elite Gymnast and she competed throughout 1989 to 1990 where she competed in the 1989 American Classic, 1990 U.S. Classic, and several other elite competitions.
Lisa was selected by the Seattle Organizing Committee to walk in competitors and present awards at the 1990 Goodwill Games gymnastics events.
Coached at Total Gymnastics and in 2012-2013 she Coached Level 3&4 gymnasts at the Mel Korum, Puyallup YMCA.
USAG WA Hall of Fame 2015

 

Mike Armstrong

1969-73 Mike was greatly influenced by his Dad, Ed Armstrong, as he coached the Boy's Gymnastics Team at Lincoln High School in Tacoma. Watching him gave Mike a passion for a sport he had never done before. " I loved how universal the sport was and is. Regardless of gender and size people can participate and love this great sport. My Father kindled that in me."

1973-75 Competed on Men’s Varsity Gym Team at Woodrow Wilson High School in Tacoma.
1975-79 Competed for Eastern Washington University Men’s Gymnastics Team.
1979-80 Assistant Coach for Eastern Washington University Women’s Team.
1980-82 Coached at Spokane Elite Gymnastics all team levels and classes.
1982-84 Coached for Tom and Joan Bleker at Bleker’s School of gymnastics.
1984 Purchased Blekers School of Gymnastics along with Nick and Shelly Van from Tom and Joan Bleker. 1991-Present Bought out Nick and Shelly Van. Moved NWGA to the current location
1986 Married Nancy Bailly.
Coached gymnasts to Westerns or JO Nationals every year since 1989. Coached numerous State, Regional and National Champions.
52 Medals won at Westerns and JO Nationals.
NWGA gymnasts have competed for Nebraska, Washington, Oregon State, Seattle Pacific, Southeast Missouri, Vermont, Cal Davis.
Washington State Executive Committee 2012 to present
USAG WA Hall of Fame 2015