Chapter 13
WASHINGTON'S TOP GYMNASTICS COMPETITORS - WOMEN
Read more about many of these gymnasts on the College Women page, and also the Washington Who's Who page. Many thanks to Laurel Tindall and Patti Gable for their help with this chapter. Please contact me for additions or corrections to this chapter. Email
Anderson, Laurel (Tindall): Student of George Lewis, Gymnastics Incorporated. Queen Anne High School. UW gymnast 1972-1973. SPU gymnast 1974 -1975. National Vault champ 1973 and 1975. Seattle Pacific University coach from 1976 to present. SPU won 3 National Division II titles, 15 national champions and 38 of her gymnasts have been All-American. Coached at Jerry Penney's Christmas Camps in the 1970's. USGF/USAG Regional Chair 1979-1996. Head Coach of Falcon Gymnastics Club. Present Brevet level Woman's judge. WA. USAG Hall of Fame 2004.
Ahten, Jan: George Lewis Gymnast from 1969 - 1978; 1974 - 8th place USGF Jr Nationals, Hayward CA; 1974 - Gold Medalist AAU Jr Olympics, Lincoln Neb; 1975 14th USGF Elite Nationals; 1975 USA National Team Member; 1975 1st place AA Can Am Invitational Eugene OR; 1975 - 13th place Pan Am games final trials Miami FL; 1976 olympics trials; 78-79, 79-80 University of Washington
Baker Switzer, Kelly: Federal Way HS, PSSG, OSU 1990-1994 Elite. 1982 Jr. International Elite Vault Champ. 1985 Kelly was on the Jr. National Team in 5th. Travelled to Japan and France for International meets. Brad Loan coach. Federal Way High School - WIAA 1988 Floor and Beam Champion, 1990 champion in Vault and Bars. OSU gymnast 1990-1994. PAC-10 All-Conference and All-Academic, 1991, All-Academic Second Team in 1993 and 1994.
Barnes, Tina: Competed for Gymnastics, Inc./NWA from 1975-'84. 3 time state Class 1 AA Champ '82-'84. 1982 NW Regional AA champ and 6th AA at AAU Junior Olympics. 1984-'88 Oregon State University gymnast. 1985 All American - 4th on vault - CAA Division 1 Nationals. NORPAC AA and Freshman of the Year. 1988 AA -7th on Vault. OSU All Decade Gymnastics Team.
Barrios, Roni (Meija): PSSG Elite gymnast for Brad Loan. Went on to Cal State Fullerton and to coach club in CA.Inducted into the USAG WA Hall of Fame 2008.
Baskett, Kristina: PSSG Elite. 1998 and '99 Jr. Elite National Training squad.
CLUB/HIGH SCHOOL: All-around, vault and floor champion at the 2005 USA Junior Olympic Championships. Qualified for the 2003 USA Championships, but broke her foot two days before the meet. Took 18th in the all-around at the 2002 USA Championships. Placed fourth on vault at the 2004 U.S. Classic. Won the all-around competition at the 1999 Copa Invitational in Monterey, Mexico, and the 2002 Costa Rica Invitational. Trained at Puget Sound Gymnastics under coaches Brad Loan and Candyce Chittinden. Graduated from Mt. Rainier High School.
2009 - NCAA Nationals all-around runner-up and bronze medalist on vault, bars and beam. Five-time All-American first-team honors in the all-around (2nd) and on vault (3rd), bars (3rd) and beam (3rd). Second-team All-American on floor. West Region champion in the all-around, vault and floor (runner-up on bars)- team MVP led Utah with 35 wins. first-team ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-American (at-large team). Mountain West Conference Scholar-Athlete.
2008 - First-team All-American in the all-around (3rd), on vault (2nd), bars (6th) and floor (DNF/injured ankle in finals). CoSIDA Academic All-American (second-team at-large). NACGC Scholastic All-American and Mountain West Conference Scholar-Athlete. Won Utah's Dahl Award for academic and athletic success.
2007- First-team All-American on the uneven bars (placed fourth). NCAA West Region vault co-champion and all-around runner-up. Named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District At-Large second team. Won Utah's Dahl Award for academic and athletic success.
2006-NCAA uneven bar co-champion and first-team All-American. Won Utah's Dahl Award for academic and athletic success. NACGC Scholastic All-American and Mountain West Conference Scholar-Athlete.
Black, Laurie: Seattle gymnast who was on early UW club team, graduate from Nathan Hale H.S.
Boyd, Janette Anderson: Originally from Texas. Her family moved to Seattle so that she could train with George Lewis in the late 1960's.Coached by Dale Shirley from 1968 to about 1970. Elite gymnast. (By 1973 the "Y" team was no longer associated with the YMCA and was named Gymnastics, Inc.) 1973 AA winner of Chinese American Meet held at Madison Square Garden. In 1973, she was ranked as the number 4 gymnast in the country, after a two break from gymnastics-in 1968 she was ranked 2nd. National Team Member to Japanese Cup. AA at 1966 USGF and NAAU Championships.
Boyd, Shirley: on the Seattle YMCA National Team as an all-around gymnast, coached by Dale Shirley. 1968 to 1973 and trained with Laurel Anderson, Janette Boyd and Lucrecia Conners. George was training Joyce Tanac, Cleo Carver, Carolyn Pinatore "Ping", Debbie Halle and Jill Johnson.
Camp,Carol (Flaathen): Graduated from Highline HS in 1963. Trained at the "Y". Married Husky gymnast Eigel Flaathen from Norway and moved there and coached Olympic members. Attended UW- 1964. Was set to go train nationally but fell on bars and hurt her back and was in a cast. Took ballet because she could still use her legs. Carol did Irish Step Dancing as a competitor and still lives in Norway.
Campbell, Annie: Elite gymnast from Everett, competed for Leading Edge Gymnastics under Betsy Woodruff. 1st AA, at USAIGC championships. 1st on vault at American Classics. Competed in Mexico as member of the Pacific Northwest All-Stars. Oregon State University gymnast.
In 2002 Annie Campbell missed the NCAA Gymnastics Championships as a result of an injury suffered in practice. The junior all-around standout at OSU ruptured the Achilles' tendon in her left leg while working on her floor routine in practice. Prior to the injury, Campbell had been enjoying her finest season as a Beaver. She set or tied career highs on all four events this season and ranked 12th nationally on floor and 23rd on beam. She was named to the All-Pacific-10 Team as an all-arounder, and she won the NCAA West Region Championship on floor. Pac-10 Gymnast of the Week honors in 2002.
Carver, Cleo (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 Inductee.
Chambliss, Cheryl: 1979 JO National Vault Champ. 1980 Elite Nationals.
Chiles, Jordan: Naydenov Gymnastics, Vancouver, WA. 2014 Junior Elite National Team Member: Won 2014 Secret Classic, AA; 4th AA at P&G Classic.
2013: US National Championships- 11th AA
2013: American Classic Champion
2012: JO Nationals- 16th AA
2011: L9 Westerns- 15th AA
2011: L9 Regional Champion
2010: L7 State Champion
Choy, Shirla Curtis: High School grad in 2000. She competed for Grace Gymnastics and was the 1998 and 2000 YMCA National Champion.10 gymnast who competed at the 2000 Puerto Rico Invitational and took 2nd AA. She attended San Jose State and as a Freshman, she was voted "Most Outstanding Gymnast" for her team. NCAA Leadership Conference and 2003 MPSF Academic All-Conference Team.
Cook, Barbara (Newton): Graduate of Roosevelt HS. Trained at the Seattle "Y". Graduated from UW. 1964 UW team and went to National College Championship with the team that placed 2nd in 1966 and 1967. Was on the 1968 Seattle Gymnastics Club team that toured Asia. Taught P.E. at Roosevelt High School.
David, Pauline: Pauline was born in New Zealand. In 1966 she met UW gymnast Jim David when the Seattle Gymnastics Club touring team was in New Zealand. Pauline came to Seattle and married Jim. (She was New Zealand's National Champion five times (1962-66). She competed for New Zealand in the Tokyo Olympics in 1964. She joined the Seattle Gymnastics Club touring team and went to Asia in 1968.
Davies, Taunia Rogers (See Taunia Rogers.)
Diles, Tammara: PSSG gymnast. Newport High School. High School State Champ 3A, on Beam 2000, 3 years Bars Champ and FX Champ (1999, 2000, 2001). Also state champ in high school pole vaulting. Went on to WSU in 2001 as pole vaulter.
Dodd, Mylan: born 1983 in Seattle. Elite Gymnast at Cascade under Coach Frank Lee. Member of the National Team 1998-2001. 14th on FX and 16th on vault at the 1998 US Championships. 1999 World Team Trials. 16th AA at the 2000 U.S.Championships. As a Freshman and Soph. at U of CA. Berkeley - made the NCAA Championships.
Erickson, Betsy (see Woodruff, Betsy)
Elsner,Carol: From Lake Washington HS. Competed at the Seattle "Y". Worked with Jim Frasier. Competed and coached at UW. Went to first collegiate meet with Dale McClements. In 1965 and 1966 she was a member of the women's college "All American Gymnastics Team". Went on Asian tour with the Seattle Gymnastics Club Team in 1968. Graduated in 1966. Became a professional dancer and danced in New York for ten years. Came back and coached at BHS.
Flaathen, Carol (see Camp, Carol)
Fluhrer, Caroline: CEG Elite gymnast, three time Level 10 Region 2 all-around champ. (1994,1997 and 1998.) And 4th AA at level 10 Nationals. Competed at the 2000 American Classic. Jr. National Elite Team 1995-'96. As a Stanford University freshman in 2001, she was named to the Pac-10 All Conference Team for AA and Vault. Pac-10 co-champ on bars in 2001. 10th place on vault at NCAA Championships. In 2002, took first on bars at Regionals and made it to NCAA Nationals in AA.
Gable, Patti (Lanterman) 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.
Patti is the mother of two daughters, Tynan and Kirann.
Grajewski, Liz: born 9/27/83, Kentwood High School, holds the state record for most first place wins (11) at the High School State Meet, during the 2000, 2001, and 2002 meets. Went on to the University of Iowa.
2006 - scored a sixth place all-around finish at Big Ten Championships. 11th-place 38.3 in the all-around at North Central Regionals. Second-team all-Big Ten honors. Big Ten Sportsmanship award, academic all-Big Ten.
2005 - Tied for ninth on floor at North Central Regionals, team co-captain, academic all-Big Ten.
2004 - Tied for ninth on beam at NCAA regionals, academic all-Big Ten.
2003 - finished 16th in all-around at South Central Regionals. Voted Most Hawkeye Spirit. Competed at Level 10 Nationals from 1999-2003, finished 13th in all-around in 2001. Placed eighth on vault in 2000. In 1999, finished eighth on vault.
Grant, Louise (Sussman): Gymnast at Seattle "Y" with Laurel Tindall ,Sue Mullen, Barb Cook and Joyce Tanac. Attended Lincoln High-Seattle. Tumbling specialist. Lives in Springfield Mass.
Halle, Debbie (Jackson): "Y" gymnast for George Lewis; 1971-1977 Elite level. 1971 Junior Olympic National All-Around Champ; 1972 USA Olympic Trials Top 20; 1972 and 1974 YMCA National All-Around Champion; On the team that won YMCA Nationals. 1974 SPU's first National Gymnastics Champ on Uneven Bars, 2nd All-Around - with Laurel Anderson Tindall and Jenny Fooshee, they finished 4th as a team - this was the first year that SPU had a gymnastics team. 1976 USA Olympic Trial Top 20. 1974-77 four year All-American at SPU. Three time Washington State Open All-Around Champion. 2004 first SPU gymnast inducted into SPU's Falcon Legends Hall of Fame. 2009 USAGWA Hall of Fame.
Haverly, Linda Lutz (see Lutz)
Henderson, Jean: Placed 3rd in the Pacific Northwest Meet in 1965 and 1966. She was on the Seattle Gymnastics Club team that toured Asia in 1968. Dad, Jack Henderson was the first coach at Seattle U. Her mom, Pat, played the piano floor music for Georges kids. (Jack and George were buddies.)
Hickey, Priscilla K. (Taylor): 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
Holmes, Carolyn "Ping" Pingatore:Jr. AA Champ 1967. Was a George Lewis and Dale Shirley gymnast. 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.
2002 -inducted into the first USAG WA Hall of Fame
Jacobs, Carol: Graduated from UW in 1962. Took classes from Dort McLain. Went to Olympia HS and started a team. Coached UW team. Went to Renton HSfor 2 years, then Lindberg HS. Started a club with Ivan Little called Renton Gymnastics Unlimited. It was a tiny gym. (She coached Tammy Sutton Carney who went on to win high school state, was an SPU gymnast, and now coaches and has own leotard design company.)
Johnson, Jill (Welker): YMCA gymnast. National competition with Laurel and Debbie Halle. SPU gymnast in 1975 - Laurels first year there as coach. Her husband was the AAI rep before Sandy Strathdee Gaines.
Jones, Shilese Junior Elite 2014, Auburn Gymnastics, Buckeye 2015.
2014: US National Championships
2014: JO Nationals
2014: L10 State Champion
2013: US Challenge, 3rd AA, 1st VT, 3rd FX
2013: L9 Westerns- 3rd AA, 1st FX
2013: L9 State Champion
2012: L8 Regional Champion
Kephart, Dale McClements: 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 WA. USAG Hall of Fame.
Kesler, Jen: Gymnastics East gymnast. Began gymnastics at age 4 at Jean Hackle's Gym Plus in Snohomish. She went on to NWA and then to Gym East where she was coached by John and Tammy Carney. She won level 5 State AA in 1998, level 7 State AA in 1999 and as a level 8 in the year 2000, she took first AA at State and at Regionals. She took 1st in a meet in Chile. At Regionals in 2001 as a level 9 and again in 2002. In 2003 as a level 10 she took 2nd at State in the AA, and first AA at Regionals. 2004 she took 1st AA at State and Regionals and at the Cancun Classis she took first. In 2005 and 2006 she again won State and Regionals. Won Level 10 National All Around and Vault, 2006. 2006 Level 10 Region 2 Champ in AA, Vault, Bars and Floor. 2007 Level 10 Region 2 Champ in AA, Vault, Bars, Beam and Floor. 2007 Level 10 National Champ and also repeated as National Vault Champ, but added Bars Championship this year. 4 time National JO team member. 2013- began coaching at Lindenwood University, MO. National Champs in 2015 at USA Gymnastics Collegiate Championships.
Scholarship to OSU. 2008: Jen had a dramatic impact on all of OSU's lineups as a rookie. She competed on bars and beam in all 14 meets and on the floor exercise in nine meets. Jen won the NCAA West Regional bars title with a career-high 9.95. Jen earned her first all-around performance at the Salbasgeon Suites Invitational scoring 39.35 to finish third in the meet and added a career-best 9.925 on beam in the meet. She added a career-high 9.825 on the floor against BYU. Jen was chosen as the Female Newcomer of the Year at The Bennys, an end-of-the-year celebration commemorating the achievements of student-athletes at OSU. At Gymnastics East, she was teammates with current Arkansas gymnast Sarah Nagashima, Auburn's Aimee Goheen and San Jose State's Jessica Khoshnood.
2008 All-American Second Team, Uneven Bars, 2008 NCAA West Regional Uneven Bars Champion, 2009 tied for Pac 10 Bars Championship.
Lanterman, Patti (Gable) (see Gable)
Luna, Linda (Rodella): UW gymnast. She was on the Seattle Gymnastics Club team that toured Asia in 1968. Linda was the best women's all-around performer on the team. She was the former Pacific Northwest junior and senior champion. In 1965 she placed third in the Junior National AAU Championships. Was on the 1970 team that toured South America. Married UW men's team member Bo Bennett. Later married Sergio Luna Olympian for Equador in 1968 and is the mother of gymnasts Daniel and Sergio Jr., and Amber.
Lutz, Linda Haverly 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. She took 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. USAG WA board 2008, 2009. WA Compulsory Coach of the Year 2004. WA Optional Coach of the Year 2001
USAG WA Hall of Fame 2015.
(Photo from Linda Lutz: top: Linda, ?, middle row: ?, ?, Nancy Baumgartner, coach, Deanne Dengate; bottom row; Erin Brewer and Trisha ?)
Meija, Roni Barrios (see Barrios)
McClements, Dale (Kephart) (see Kephart)
McClements, Leann: Elite gymnast. Dale and Wayne's sister. U.S. National Team Staff. Coach at Tigard School of Gymnastics, Oregon. Coached at Jerry Penney's Christmas Camps in the 1970's.
Mordre, Yumi: (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
Mountford, Julie: PSSG gymnast for Brad Loan. 1991 Elite National Vault Champ. Puyallup High School. 1997 High School State Beam Champ; 1998 4A High School Vault Champion.
Patoile, Karen (Wisen) (see Wisen)
Pizl Price, Lisa:
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
She was honored to be 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
Pierce, Linda (Goos): NWA gymnast in the 1980's. 1987 J.O. National AA -3rd place. 3 time Class 1 State and Regional Champ. 2 time National Elite. Full ride to Oregon State U. Was voted 1988 MVP. 1989 and '90 All Pac 10 gymnast. 1990 Ruby Ruth Academic Award. 1990 and '91 Academic All-American. 1991 Co-Captain OSU team. 1997 Selected to Pac-10 Gymnastics "All Decade Team". 2007 USAG Washington Hall of Fame inductee.
Pingatore Carolyn "Ping" (Holmes) (see Holmes)
Pringle, Yumi Mordre (see Mordre)
Pritchard, Emily: Competed at PSSG. 1993 and '94 she was a Jr. Elite. 1995 and '96 Sr. Elite. Three time level 10 National participant. 1999 Regional 
all-around champ. Has an uneven bar move named for her. UW Gymnast. 2001 UW Rookie of The Year. 2001 NCAA Regional Champ. Has Uneven Bar Move named for her - it is in the code of points: 2.306
Prosser, Heidi: PSSG gymnast. 1993 US Classic National AA Champ and Am. Classic National AA Champ -both in the junior elite division. National floor champ at the US Classic Childrens Division in 1992 and she was bronze medal winnner at the Jr International Invitational in Osaka Japan in 1992.
Roach, Melanie Kosoff: High School gymnast in early 1990's. Went to the Olympics in Bejing in 2008 in weight lifting. Wife of state legislator and owner of Roach Gymnastics Club.
Rogers, Taunia (Davies): Gymnast at AOG for Dale Shirley. Won VT Beam, FX, and all-around in 1981 at the High School State Meet, and in 1982 won all four events and the all-around. At one time she owned a gym in Bellevue with Carol Elsner and Cathy Sutherland. Coached at NWA and for a while at SCATS.
Rodella, Linda (Luna) (see Luna)
Rowe, Baely: Born 1995. JO National Team Member, who won the US Challenge as a Junior Pre-Elite on vault. Coached by Brent Phelps and and Peter Flores, AGC. Has Moved named for her in the Code of Points: Beam 8.401
2007, 2008: JO National Qualifier
2006, 2007: US Challenge - Hopes
2005, 2006: Level 9 Western Qualifier
2005, 2006: Level 9 Regional Champion
2010 Level 10 Bar National Champion
2012 Level 10 Bar National Champion, 2nd AA
2012 7th place at the Nastia Liukin Cup, March 2 in New York
Rowen, Peggy: As a 13 year old junior high student in Tacoma, she toured Asia with the Seattle Gymnastics Club in 1968. She won novice and junior championships in the YMCA and AAU competitions and in 1967 was a member of the "Y" team that won the National YMCA championship.
Schreifels, Cleo Carver (see Carver)
Schroeder, Joyce Tanac (see Tanac)
Smith, Keeley: 2006 Curtis High School grad. Competed for Grace Gymnastics Center. Two-time YMCA National Champion - 2002, 2004. USAG WA AA State Champion, Level 10 2005, Level 8 2002. USAG Region 2 FX Champion, 2004. Three-time J.O. National Competitor - 5th BB, 10th FX, 2006. Competed for University of New Hampshire- 2007: scored 9.925 on BB to tie for 5th on UNH all-time record board, tied for 6th on BB at 2007 NCAA Northeast Regionals; 2nd team All - EAGL on BB; Multiple 1st place showings on FX in dual meets. Named to 2007 EAGL All-Academic team.
Smith, Tasha: 2006 Second Team All-American, Vault, Pac-10 Vault Champion,Pac-10 Floor Exercise Champion, 2006 Co-Female Newcomer of the Year (OSU), 2006 -Tasha missed four meets in the middle of the season due to turf toe (three meets) and ankle (one meet) injuries. Tasha, who finally got healthy in time for the end of the season, won Pac-10 titles on vault and floor in her first meet back in the all-around competition. Tasha, whose hip-hop floor exercise has quickly become a crowd favorite around Gill Coliseum, set her career-high on floor with 9.95 in the Salbasgeon Suites Invitational and then matched it at Pac-10s. Her 9.925 on vault at the Pac-10 Championships was also a season-high. In her last vault of the season at Nationals (9.85) just missed moving on to the Individual Finals but still earned her Second Team All-American status on the event. At the conclusion of the season, Tasha was recognized at OSU’s Bennys Awards banquet as a Co-Female Newcomer of the Year. Pre-Oregon State Earned a spot on the national team in 2002, 2003 and 2005... Won national title on vault in 2005 and on floor exercise in 2003... Finished second in the all-around at Junior Nationals in 2002 and 2005 and finished third in 2003... Trained at Gymnastics Express under coaches Jeff and Linda Lutz. Born in
Sussman, Louise Grant (see Grant)
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.
Tanac, Joyce Schroeder: Began tumbling at age 10. Started at the Seattle "Y" in 1963 with George Lewis. (Frank Hailand was also an early influence.) She was first YMCA National AA Champion. She holds National Championships in AAU, USGF, and YMCA competitions. She performed the one arm handstand on the beam at the 1967 Pan Am Games. The Tanac dismount on unevens is named for her. (Others in the gym were playing with this move, but Joyce was the first to do it in national competition.) 1965-'66 -National YMCA Women's AA Champ. World Games team 1966. 1966 Pan Am Games, 2nd AA. 1968 Olympic Trials, 1st AA. US Olympic team 1968. (Team was 6th, Joyce was 30th AA at Olympics.) She won the Senior National AA - USGF in 1969. 1969 First USGF World Cup, 3rd AA. 1969 Pacific Coast Invitational 1st AA. 1969 AAU National AA Champ and placed first in every individual event. Competed for the UW Womens Team. Member US Collegiate All Star team. UW Hall of Fame 1998. 1990 inducted into the national gymnastics Hall of Fame. 2003 WA. USAG Hall of Fame. Lives in Spokane. (Her father, Bob, was the Pacific NW AAU Junior Olympic Committee representative in the 1960's.)
Taylor, Priscilla K. Hickey (see Hickey)
Tindall, Laurel Anderson: 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.
Walkup, Patsy: Started at "Y" in 1957. Also with Eric Hughes. Went to Roosevelt HS. Trained with the boys. As a 14 year old, Patsy competed in the Pacific Northwest Association meet. She was one of the Northwest's most accomplished gymnasts at the time. At 15, she was 3rd in the all-around at the NWAAU. Graduated 1960. Competed in Canada. Went to first Gym Kamp. Taught with Eric. Worked with Inga-Lisa Franzon.
Welker, Jill Johnson (see Welker)
White, Tiffani: born on July 16, 1981 in Yakima, earned national gymnastics championships at elite levels during a 12-year career. 1990's gymnast at NASA, 1991 Washington State Junior Olympic all-around champion. 1993 she was a Western USA national championship qualifier and a USA junior national elite regional champ. Became Elite and won Beam at the American Classic and floor at the US Classic. In 1994 she was the Pacific Northwest Elite all-around champion, and in 1995 was selected to the Sports Festival and junior national teams. She won 1995 national championship in the floor exercise and finished as the national runner-up in all-around that same year.
Was member of the winning team at US Sports Festival in Colorado Springs. USAIGC Open Division National Floor Champion. White performed with the U.S. national gymnastics team in exhibitions in 1996 and 1997 in the Key Arena in Seattle. One year later, she won the national crown in both floor exercise and balance beam. In addition to her national titles, she twice won the state balance beam, floor exercise and all-around championships. She also won a regional balance beam title. She earned the title as the “Strongest Gymnast,” pound-for pound, in strength testing conducted at the Olympic Training Center. After graduating from Puyallup High School in 1999, she competed for one year at Oregon State University and graduated from that school in 2003. 2007 Tacoma Pierce County Sports Hall of Fame Inductee.
Williams, Catherine (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.
Willis, Onnie: From Tacoma. PSSG gymnast for Brad Loan and Cathy Sutherland. 1996 USA Jr. National Team and 8th place at American Classics. Competed in three US Championships. National AA, Vt. And Beam champ 1998.
Club Five-year elite gymnast at Puget Sound Gymnastics under coaches Brad Loan and Cathy Sutherland. Was selected her club's Top Performer of the Year three times. Named the 1999 Tacoma Athletic Commission Athlete of the Year and the Scholar-Athlete of the Year for Western Washington J.O. National all-around, vault and beam champion in 1998. Made the 1996 USA Junior National Team after an eighth-place showing at the American Classic. Chosen to compete for the US at the 1993 Japan Tour. Competed in three U.S. Championships.
Personal Describes her team's win at the 1998 Junior Olympic Nationals as the greatest meet of her life and her biggest athletic thrill. Earned four varsity letters as a long and triple jumper at Wilson HS in Tacoma. 1999 State Triple Jump Champion and state bronze medalist in the long jump (career-best mark of 17-11) Set the school record in the triple jump (career-best 38-5 1/2) her freshman year. Four-time team MVP. 1999 track team captain. Full name is Leoandra Elaine Willis. Born October 5, 1980 in Santa Maria, CA.
UCLA gymnast. 2002 Pac-10 all-around champion with a score of 39.625. Also won the conference bars title. First-team All-America on bars, floor and all-around.
Second-team All-American on vault. Two perfect 10s (vault and floor). Earned All-Pac-10 honors in the all-around and on vault. First-team Pac-10 All-Academic. Team co-captain.
2001 Became UCLA's first-ever NCAA all-around champion after tying Michigan's Elise Ray for first place at the NCAA Championships.
NCAA runner-up on bars and placed fifth on floor. Honda Award nominee. One of just two athletes to earn All-America honors on all four events and the all-around. First-team All-American on bars, beam, floor and all-around. Second-team All-American on vault. Recorded her first perfect 10 of the season on vault. At her next meet, she scored her first career 10 on floor. West Regional co-champion on vault.Selected the Pac-10 Gymnast of the Week Feb. 13-21 after her performance at Oregon State. NACGC Scholastic All-American. Team co-captain.
2000 First-team All-American on vault with a fifth-place finish. Second-team All-American on bars and floor. Pac-10 runner-up on bars. UCLA's Co-Rookie of the Year.
Wisen, Karen Patoile: 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 1971-1995.
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)
Wong, Malinda: (first full-in double back in WA. 1982) PSSG gymnast. 1982 and '83 Sr. Elite.
Woodard Kantas, Lonna
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. (photo from Lonna Kantas.)
Woodruff, Betsy (Erickson): Gymnast at Oak Harbor Gymnastics Club then UW. Was a winning contestant on the tv show American Gladiator -won a car. Coaches at Leading Edge Gymnastics in Bellingham and coached elite gymnast Annie Campbell.
Early gymnasts from the beginnings of WA. gymnastics: 1950's and 60's
Anderson, Gaye: Went with Ivan Little from the Tukwila School District to the "Y". Owns the New Orleans Restaurant in Pioneer Square.
Berger, Ann: 1950's "Y" competitor.
Brause Fuchs, Doris: 1956 and 1960 Olympic Team. Came to Seattle for a couple years to work with George. 1964 National AAU Women's Championships All Around - tied for 9th place. 1964 Olympic Team alternate. The uneven bar move, the Brause salto was named for her. 1964 named to the AAU All American Women's Gymnastics Team on uneven bars. (Representing Florida Gold Coast AAU team.) She now owns a gym in Conneticut.
Carringer, Jacki: Greater Seattle Gymnastics Club. Early coach of Yumi Modre.
Frese, Marilyn Anderson: Highline HS student who went to the "Y". (Her father Verne had been an early gymnast at the UW. He made a balance beam for the school.)
Jamieson, Avis Tieber: Seattle YMCA gymnast for a couple years for George Lewis. She was a notable national gymnast in the 1960's just came to catch some of George's coaching.
Scott, Linda: An early competitor from Spokane.
(Smith) Mullet, Sue: Came to the Seattle "Y" from Foster High School with Ivan Little.
Smith, Lorna: Early Highline H.S. gymnast 1957.
Suver, Carolyn & Gwen: Students at Highline H.S. 1956-57. Also trained at the Y. Early Gym Kampers. Carolyn, who was older, married U.W. gymnast Frank Hailand.
Elite (top level WA gymnasts) Groupings according to eras
1960's
Doris Fuchs Brause
Carol Camp
Barb Cook Newton
Pauline David
Carol Elsner
Karla Foxal
Louise Grant
Jeanne Henderson Powell
Dale McClements Kephart
Linda Rodella Luna
1968-70
Dale McClements Kephart
Joyce Tanac Schroeder
Lonna Woodward Kantas
Carolyn Pingatore Holmes
Cleo Carver Schreifels
Peggy Rowen
Leann McClements
Jeannette Boyd Anderson
1970's
Jan Anten
Donna Burian
Patti Lanterman Gable
Debbie Halle
Jill Johnson
Terry Lanigan
Sue Middleton
Peggy Rowen
Cleo Carver Schreifels
Judy Swanson
Sue Swenson
Laurel Anderson Tindall
Jill Johnson Welker
1980's
Marilyn Anderson
Kelly Baker
Roni Barrios
Cheryl Chambliss
Michalene Meyers
Yumi Mordre
Linda Pierce
Dorinda Russell
Catherine Williams
Malinda Wong
Linda Haverly Lutz WGTC
Hillary Portell Gym Plus
Jill Stocker NWGA
Tina Barnes NWA
Lisa Pizl WGTC
Betsy Erickson
Jill Stocker
Melissa Griffith
1990's
Annie Campbell
Christie Clifford
Tamara Diles
Mylan Dodd
Caroline Fluhrer
Melissa Griffeth
Julie Mountford
Kesley Oaksmith
Linda Pierce-Goos
Emily Prichard
Heidi Prosser
Stephanie Roy
Tiffani White NASA
Hosanna Taminga ANWG
Onnie Willis
Tashi Simontin NWA
Ty Burgess, NWA, PSSG
Tiffany Putman LEGA North
2000's
Kristina Baskett -PSSG
Jen Kessler -Gym East
Cassandra Jusino- NAY,MAC
Caroline Fluhre- CEG
Kelsi Blalock- Gym East
April Boone -NWA, Gym East
Aimee Goheen- Gym East
Brittany Billmaier - Gym East
Dana Bonincontri- Gym East
Jessica Rands - Gym East
Rebecca Engberg - Gym East
Tasha Smith
Baley Rowe - AGC
Hali Saucier- NASA
2010's
Baley Rowe - AGC
FORMER WASHINGTON GYMNAST MEMORIES
Gayle Hawney Krona, 70's Shoreline gymnast and UW gymnast
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