Chapter 9
WHO'S WHO IN WASHINGTON STATE GYMNASTICS
*denotes pioneer in WA. Gymnastics.
Many thanks to Jim Holt, Eric Hughes, and Dick Foxal for their valuable input.
Armstrong, Mike, 2015 USAG WA Hall of Fame
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
*Auernheimer, August "Augie" : Early Seattle Turner. Graduate of the Normal College of American Gymnastics in Indianapolis, Indiana. (A Turnverein oriented training school now associated with Indiana University.) Early UW Physical Education teacher; taught gymnastics classes at UW.
Ayres, Nola: 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.
Erika Bakacs: born in Romania, she started Gymnastics at age 3 and became an International Elite/Olympics gymnast.
Romanian National Team member:
Career Highlights: Romanian National Champion, Coached by Bela & Marta Karolyi.
Coaching Highlights: International Elite Coach, Elite on National Jr. Team: Highest Level Coached: International Elite, Olympic Figure Skating Coach.
Education: BSN Education, Romania, Elite Level Judge: 2005 USAG Washington State Optional Coach of the Year. Naydenov Gymnastics coach of 2014 Jr. Elite National Team Member Jordan Chiles. (Info from Naydenov's website and personal conversation.)
*Bare, Claude: Born Jan. 17,1923 in Spokane. Graduated from North Central High School. Early interest with gymnastics based on the acrobats at the circus. WWII Vet. (Europe - had shrapnel wound to lower back. When he was discharged, he was told to get a desk job. Instead he became an ironworker and gymnastics coach!) Moved to Kennewick and worked at Hanford. In the 1950's he volunteered with the Kennewick High School Boy's Gymnastics Team. In 1960's he organized and taught gymnastics at the "Y". In the 1970's he was the AAU Junior Olympic Representative for Gymnastics. He put together a girls team that traveled to the Junior Olympic Nationals in Nashville, TN. In 1980's he helped Pasco HS with their gymnastics program, and at Columbia Basin College with a tumbling class. He was still helping at Kennewick High and Southridge HS in the 1990's. Inducted into the WSGCA Hall of Fame 2002. (Died Jan. 23, 2002)
Barrios, Roni (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 USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame in 2008.
Baskett, Kristina: PSSG Elite gymnast, 1998 and '99 Jr. Elite National Training squad. 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 US 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, Cathy Sutherland and Candyce Chittinden.
Graduated from Mt. Rainier High School.
Record holder at University of Utah - 35 AA wins, '09 MVP, All American (12 times)
2006–Bars (1st), Vault, 2007–Bars (4th), 2008–All-Around (3rd), Vault (2nd), Bars (6th), Floor (INJ, 14th), 2009–All-Around (2nd), Vault (3rd), Bars (3rd), Beam (3rd), Floor*
Finished 3rd at NCAA Nationals on three events and 2nd AA.
(photo of Brad and Kristina from Bjella)
*Bates, Lou: Early director of physical education at the Seattle YMCA and supported the spread of gymnastics in this state.
Jack Benson - Athlete & Coach/Gymnastics & Contributor
A former student-athlete, long-time gymnastics coach and faculty member at Eastern, Benson led one of the premier teams in NAIA for 13 seasons from 1966-1970 (five seasons) and 1973-1980 (eight seasons).
Nine times Eastern placed in the top 10 at the NAIA Championships under Benson, including third in 1968, fourth in 1967, fifth in 1977 and 1978 and sixth in 1969 when Eastern had its fourth-straight top 10 national finish under Benson. His 1967 squad finished 7-1, with the lone loss coming to the University of Washington. The team lost only once in 1968, again to the UW. Benson coached three individual NAIA champions, and his athletes won a collective total of 13 All-America honors.
He served on several NAIA gymnastics committees, including two terms as the president and several years on the rules committee. He also was the gymnastics representative on the NAIA Coaches Board of Directors. Benson graduated from Eastern in 1965 where he competed in gymnastics, and in 1962 he competed in the NCAA Championships in the horizontal bar and rope climb. As a result, he was selected as Eastern's Male Athlete of the Year. He went on to serve as an assistant coach at Washington State University, where he received his master's degree. In the 1971-72 school year, Benson worked on his doctorate degree at Oregon State University. He coached two seasons at Renton, Wash., High School, leading the school to a pair of third-place finishes at the state championships. He is a retired member of the Eastern physical education and health department and still volunteers as a timer at Eastern football games. He graduated from Bothell (WA) High School.
(Info and photo from from the Eastern WA University 2008 Hall of Fame - from their website: http://www.goeags.com/hallfame/ewas-2008class)
*Berthiaume, Sheridan (Sherry): Taught Physical Education at Seattle YMCA 1914-16. When Roosevelt High School opened in 1922, he was hired 
and had tumbling classes every morning before school started. George Lewis and his brother participated in them. Louis Hall took it over in 1936. Bob Lind continued until 1970.
(One of Sherry's gymnasts in 1932 was future UW and Olympic Gold Medalist rower, Joe Rantz. Read about Joe and the rowing team in Boys In The Boat by Dan Brown. This photo is from the Roosevelt year book, provided by Joe's granddaughter, gymnastics coach, Jen Huffman. Joe is standing in back row next to Coach Berthiaume.)
*Bleker,Tom: Owned Blekers School of Gymnastics in Spokane. He came from a circus/vaudeville background. Mike Armstrong bought the gym and renamed it Northwest Gymnastics Academy in the early 1980's. Tom coached in the 70' and 80's. Was quite a character. Suspended his uneven bars from the ceiling.
Bohrmann, Gunter: 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. (Gunter's speach)
Below - Gunter 4th from left, Olympic Trials (Modern Gymnast, 1964)
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.
Cannon, Ann was one of the pioneer coaches for girls in the Northwest.
Carney, John: Former Washington coach with numerous state, regional and national champions.
2006 and 2007 Regional Coaches of Year with former wife Tammy.
Runner up for 2006 National Coaches of the Year.
John and Tammy sent many gymnasts on to the college programs around the country.
USA Gymnastics WA Coach of the Year five times.
Region 2 Coach of the Year four times.
1993-2000 head coach at Northwest Aerials in Kirkland, and also tramp and tumbling coach there.
2000-01 season as an assistant coach at Seattle Pacific.
In 2001, Carney became head coach at Gymnastics East in Bellevue, Wash., "where he designed and implemented training plans and led the staff in technique and spotting skills for developmental athletes. In his position as co-head coach he helped guide the club’s competitive team to many individual and team championships at the state, regional and national levels.
While at Gym East, Carney coached OSU gymnast Jen Kesler to five Level 10 national championships (two all-around, two vault, one bars)." (OSU biography)
2008-09 season, John Carney became assistant coach at Oregon State. OSU head coach Tanya Chaplin states, “John is an excellent technician and brings wonderful enthusiasm to the gym. His familiarity with the Pacific Northwest gives him built-in ties to many of the student-athletes on our team. As a nationally known coach, John will be a tremendous asset as a recruiter.” In all, over the course of 25 years of coaching, Carney has guided his teams to eight Junior Olympic national team titles, while his gymnasts have claimed five JO individual titles and one JO Western National title. Nine of his gymnasts went on to earn scholarships to compete at the college level.
Carney, from Tucson, AZ, competed at the club level and for one season at Cal State Fullerton.
John went on to coach at
Missouri State University as an assistant coach in 2013.
Carney, Tammy Sutton: Former Washington athlete and SPU gymnast. Coach with numerous state, regional and national champions. 2006 and 2007 Regional Coaches of Year with former husband John. Runner up for 2006 National Coaches of the Year. John and Tammy sent many gymnasts on to the college programs around the country. Tammy owns DareDevils Activewear USA. (Leotards)
*Carter, Max: Boys team coach at Shoreline High School in mid 1950's. Under Max, the state of Washington had its first boy's high school gymnastic team in the state in 1957.
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.
Cooley, Melvin: UW Hall of Fame. UW gymnast 1975-78. NCAA Champ 1978 on High Bar. All-American 1977, '78. Made cover of IG magazine.
Crockett, Jeff: UW gymnast who won 1st all-around at the 2006 USAG College Nationals. In 2005 he won PB and HB at USAG College Nationals.
David, Jim: Blanchet HS State Champ All-Around 1961. UW gymnast 1962-65. 1961 All American 1963, '64, and '65. He toured with the Seattle Gymnastics Club went to Asia in 1968. He was Western US champion in tumbling and floor exercise and second in the nation for three years in tumbling and third in floor ex. Jim was the UW "Athlete of the Year" in 1964. He married Pauline who was also a Club member. He was a member of the clown acts at the club. Those acts were trampoline, hand balancing, and tumbling. UW Hall of Fame inductee in 1987.
Davis, Maxine - Gymnastics Coach 2008 Eastern WA University Hall of Fame Inductee
http://www.goeags.com/hallfame/ewas-2008class
Davis coached Eastern's women's gymnastics team for nine seasons from 1970-78 with national championship appearances all nine seasons. Eastern placed fifth in 1971, seventh in 1972 and seventh in the AIAW Small College National Championships in her final season in 1978. In 1971, her team won the PNRP 8 Championship. In 1978, she was selected as the Coach of the Year by the Northwest Collegiate Women's Sports Association. She coached All-American Jan Rohrer (1978), as well as All-American JoJo McDonald (1972). McDonald was selected as the Inland Empire Amateur Athlete of the Year and in 2005 was inducted into the Eastern Athletics Hall of Fame. Davis helped continue a stretch of 14-straight national appearances for Eastern, including the women's collegiate Class II national title in 1970 under Dana Vail. Davis served in various capacities on national gymnastics committees and at national events, including as chair of the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) from 1978-80.
She wrote the operating code and developed the first national small college gymnastic championship in 1978. She was nominated as one of six to coach the United States women at the World University Games in 1973 in Moscow, Russia, and again in 1977 in Germany. In all, she spent more than 40 years teaching at all levels of education, including 23 years coaching gymnastics and dance. She has also authored three books. Davis competed in interscholastic gymnastics from grades 7-12, but a back injury kept her from competing as a collegian. She received her bachelor's degree from Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania and her master's from Cal State University Los Angeles (CSULA). She retired as professor emeritus in Eastern's physical education department and health department. She also coached in California at Chino High School and Chaffey College. (Information from Easterns Hall of Fame)
*Davis, Rex: WSU gymnastics team 1949. Started teaching at Richland in 1955. First boys' competitive team in 1957. First girls' competition 1960-61. Coached at WSU, and then coached tennis. Taught at Gym Kamp.
Dodd, Mylan: born 1983 in Seattle. Gymnast at Cascade Elite 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 US Championships. As a Freshman and Soph. at U CA Berkeley, made the NCAA Championships.
*Dunn, Dr. John Hubert (Hubie): 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
http://www.usghof.com/files/bio/h_dunn/h_dunn.html
*Coach Dusek: Taught tumbling to George Lewis at the Greenlake fieldhouse.
*Erickson, Thor: director at Bremerton YMCA and gymnastics coach 1931-32.
Fluhrer, Caroline: born 1982, Cascade Elite gymnast - Stanford
Three-time champion in the all-around at Level 10 Regionals in 1994, 1997 and 1998.
Competed with the US National Team in the 2000 American Classic.
Finished fourth in the all-around at 1998 Level 10 Nationals. Reached the finals on both beam and bars at the 1998 Level 10 Nationals.
Bar finalist at the 1997 Level 10 Nationals.
Member of the Junior National Elite Team from 1995-1996.
As a Junior at Stanford in 2003: Team co-captain, Second-Team All-America honors on bars. NACGC Academic All-American.
2002: Recorded a 39.150 All-Around score at the NCAA Championships, her first appearance in the All-Around since Feb. 10 due to injury. Took first place honors on bars with a 9.925 at NCAA Regionals in Denver. Earned NACGA Academic All-America honors. 2002 Pac-10 All-Academic Second Team Selection.
2001: Named to the Pac-10 All-Conference team for the All-Around and vault. 9.975 on vault at the Pac-10 Championships to tie for first place and tie the school's all-time record. Tied for sixth in the All-Around with a 38.825 at the NCAA Regionals to guide the Cardinal into the finals. Also at NCAA Regionals, placed fourth on the vault (9.875), tied for fifth on bars (9.875) and tied for 10th on the floor exercise (9.825). 2001 "Most Consistent- Vault" Team Award.
Fong, Al: Gymnast at Renton HS - on state championship team of 1968. Coached by Dale Shirley. He also worked out at the YMCA. Received a scholarship to Lousiana State University under Ormando Vega. Coached many high level gymnasts, men and women. Al’s wife, co-coach and partner is Armine Barutyan-Fong, originally from the former Soviet Union Republic of Armenia. As a gymnast, she was on the Armenian National Team for nine years and the Russian National Team for eight years.
1977 Meet Director - AAU Junior National Championship
1977 Meet Director - AAU Senior National Championship
1986 Meet Director - Western National Championship
1981-2002 Meet Director - Dragon Invitational
1986- Head USA Coach: Pacific Alliance-China, Germany DTP Cup, Catania Invitational-Italy, France/USA, Canada/Australia/USA, Pacific Alliance-Hawaii, World Sports Fair-Japan, Swiss Cup-Switzerland
1989 Asst. Coach – World Championship, Germany
2002 Asst. Coach – World Championship, Hungary
2003 Asst. Coach – World Championship, Anaheim
2004 USA Gymnastics Coach of the Year
2004 Personal Coach, Terin Humphrey/Courtney McCool, Athens
Coached
Ivana Hong 2008 Olympics alternate
More on Al Fong
Foxal, Dick: Gymnast at Everett Junior College in the 1960's under Coach George Gyorgyfalvy.
Assistant women's coach (uneven bars) at Oregon State University for 21 years and helped guide the team to 13 NCAA Championships and 10 top 10 finishes and helped the team finish fourth in 1996. (11 All-Americans on bars.)
West Regional Assistant Coach of the Year honors five times.
Up until 1980 he worked with men's gymnastics.
Served as a coach for the men's Junior National Elite Team for four years and an American team that competed against the Japan National Team in 1980.
Central WA State College in 1970's.
UW coach for men 1978-1980.
Coached at Jerry Penney's Christmas Camps in the 1970's.
Head coach at Montana State from 1984 until the program was discontinued in 1987.
He was selected as the Mountain West Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 1985.
After 38 years of coaching, Dick retired in 2008 from OSU.
Fukushima, Sho: From Japan. UW team member. Went to Kent HS for one year before UW. One of the best all-arounders to attend UW. Pacific Northwest College Meet All-Around Champion, 1968 and 1969. 5th AA NCAA, 1971. All American 1969. Wrote a book called Men's Gymnastics in 1980. National coach of Denmark after leaving UW, then head coach at Cal. Current head coach for US Naval Academy.
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.
*Gilles, Cliff: Boys coach at Monroe High School in the 1950's. Former Director for the W.I.A.A.
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 - Sixth place all-around finish at Big Ten Championships and was 11th-place 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 - 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. Pplaced eighth on vault with a 9.5 in 2000. 1999, finished eighth on vault.
*Green, Clive: U.W. student. Coached at the "Y" 1939-'42. After a stint in the war, he worked at the Yakima "Y". He contributed to that areas gymnastics.
Green, Denise Thompson: 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
*Guttormsen, Pat: was instrumental in establishing girl's high school gymnastics in southwest Washington. Pat was a Brevet rated judge and taught many women how to judge in the '70's and '80's. Greatly influenced judge Barb Graisy and also high school coach and past judge Sally Poe.
Gyorgyfalvy, George: (1925-2011) George had an extremely interesting life - escaped from Hungary in the mid-1950's, came to America, earned his teaching degree and taught PE at Everett Community College in the 1960's. George was Dick Foxal's coach at EvCC. He later moved to Oregon and taught gymnastics. read more
George (pictured at left)
Eric Hughes, when asked in 2015 (at age 92) if he remembered George, Eric wrote: "Our paths crossed many times. He was a very friendly man and contributed much to gymnastics while in our area. I believe he coached Dick Foxal while he was at Everett."
1965 Everett Junior College Team pictured at right. Note: Dick Foxal - front row (Team included - front row: Mace Brody, Jim Jeffries, Dick Foxal, captain Bob Gengler. back row: Bruce Ulness, Rick Brumpton, Eldon Simmons, Roger Brumpton, George Gyorgyfalvy)
Hall, Bob: UW gymnast from Illinois 1962-65. Pacific Northwest All-Around for 3 years and the Pacific Coast Championship in 1965. He placed second on the side horse and fourth in the all-around in the 1965 National Collegiate meet. All-American in 1964, and '65. After graduation, he earned a berth on the National team. He was Washington States first National team member, 1966, and went to Vienna for the Gymnaestrada, where he won the National all-around championship of Australia and New Zealand. Member of the 1968 Seattle Gymnastics Club touring group to Asia. Member of the Clubs comedy team. Became a dentist. UW Hall of Fame 1988.
Halle, Debbie (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.
Hardin, Tom: Kent-Meridian gymnast under Gunther Borhmann. Won all events except rings (took 2nd) at the 1977 high school state meet. Went on to Iowa State University and was on the 1980 National Team, placing 11th at the Olympic Trials.
Hatmaker, Pat "Hattie": (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.
Hayasaki, Yoshi: From Japan. Went to Issaquah HS. UW gymnast 1968-1971 and PE major. The UW men's team was a power house in the nation in the late 1960's and the 1970's. In 1967 he won the National AAU All-Around championship, and was named UW's "Athlete of the Year". Yoshi won the National USGF All-Around in 1968. He was the National NCA. champ on HB and All-Around in 1970, and in 1971 he was the All-Around champ. All-American in 1968, 1970, and 1971. In 1968 he toured Asia with the Seattle Gymnastics Club. Went on to coach at Illinois which won the NCAA championship in 1989.
UW Hall of Fame in 1983.
2000 Honor Coach Award of the CGA.
USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame 2014
*Henderson, Jack: Met George Lewis at the YMCA in 1939. Did trampoline comedy with Paul Hurd. Served in the Navy during WWII. Coached at Fauntleroy YMCA in West Seattle in 1948 - included boys and girls. Diver at UW and did flying rings and tumbling. His wife played piano and his daughter Jean was a competitor. Also did Indian Clubs. Sponsored an exhibition group that conducted gymnastic performances from 1949 to 1970. He coached at Ingraham High School from 1981-1984 and at Stealth HS from 1985-86. He was Head Coach at Seattle University for a time. Executive at Boeing.
Hickey, Priscilla (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
*Hicks, Jim: from Vancouver, Washington, from 1942 to 1958, served as City Recreation Director and also Assistant Director of Physical Education for the Vancouver Public Schools. He held what was known as "Team Shows" - mostly tumbling and trampoline shows.
His performers appeared on The Jackie Gleason and Ed Sullivan TV shows well as in the movie, "Till the Clouds Roll By" in the late 1940's.
His daughter was a national competitor in 1958. Opened own club in Vancouver in 1960.
*Hodges, Al: Tacoma "Y" in the 1930's. His involvement in gymnastics helped encourage the growth of this sport.
Holmes, Carolyn "Ping" Pingatore: 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
Holt, Jim: Tacoma High School gymnast. WSU gymnast 1970-'74.
1972 placed 4th at AAU Nationals.
UW assistant mens coach 1976-80. Head Coach 1980-1989. Assistant coach 1989-1993.
Coached Roosevelt High School girls teams.
Judged both men and women.
Meet Director at Good Will Games in Seattle 1990. "My passion and focus has been on the development of the sport in the "3rd World". I've conducted IOC development courses in 8 different countries including: BOL,CHI,EGY,MEX,NAM,NIG,SWA, ZIM and have coached at the following: Commonwealth Games, NIG, All-African Games, ZIM, World Championships, BAR-1997, BOL-1991, 1993, 1994, 2001, 2002, 2003, ECU- 1993, IRI- 1996, NAM-1999, YEM-2006, 2007."
Jim wrote a book in 2009 called, Chasing Impossible Dreams
*Hughes, Dr. Eric: 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 Hall of Fame)
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
2015 Mill Creek Living magazine article on Eric
Modern Gymnast Magazine 1964 book review of Gymnastics for Girls
*Hurd, Paul: Was a "Y" performer in Seattle in the 1940's. While a student at UW, Paul did trampoline exhibitions. Served in the Navy during WWII. First coached at Ellensburg and then in 1953 at Wapato High School, began a boys high school tumbling team.
Ito, Bob: UW Womens coach. Author.
Johnson, Jeff: Gymnast at Academy of NW gymnastics in Bellingham under Gordy Bylin. Former UW men's team member. Ring specialist from Seattle and a Boeing engineer. 1st place in Rings at the US Championships in 1998 and 2nd in Rings in 1998 at the Winter Cup Challenge. Took 8th place at the 2002 World Championships -his first international competition!
Kadera, Catherine Williams: 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.
Kelch, Jim: One of the top male gymnasts to come out of Washington State in the 1970's.
At the AAU National Jr. Olympics, he took 6th AA in 1970, 3rd in 1971 and 2nd in 1972 behind Bart Conner.
He started out at the Yakima Y. His dad would bring him up to Central State University to be coached by Dick Foxal. (Dick coached Jim for seven years.) When Dick moved to Eugene, Oregon, when Jim was about to enter 9th grade, his family moved to Eugene. Jim was the first young boy to learn stalders and was the only one doing them at the time. (Jim's dad opened the first gym for the Mulvihills.) Jim, as a freshman in high school, set an Oregon state record in the AA, to win the state meet.
He went on to U of Oregon. At that time, the National meet was 2 days long, with 12 events the first day - compulsory and optionals. The second day was finals - 18 events if you made it through on all events. As a freshman, Jim was on his 18th event in two days, and on the HB dismount, he landed stiff legged and tore his knee up. At Pac 10's as a sophomore, he was 2nd AA, and 1st PB and went to Nationals, but didn't do well. That summer he fell on a fence while working for his dad, and tore his other ACL, which ended his career.
Dick Foxal considers Jim to have been one of the best gymnasts in the NW.
Kephart, Flansaas McClements, Dale: 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.
(photo of Dale Kephart taken by Stuart Hertz, from Gymnastics For Girls, used with permission from Eric Hughes.)
Kerr, Wayne: Co-owner of Cascade Elite. Gymnast at Everett's Cascade High School with Frank Lee. UW gymnast. Coached many male national gymnasts.
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.
Photo: Lindenwood University
Scholarship to OSU. 2008: Jen won the NCAA West Regional bars title.
Jen was chosen as the Female Newcomer of the Year 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.
John Carney went on to OSU to coach bars, and Jen was once again his athlete.
Jen went on to Lindenwood University in St. Charles, MO as an assistant coach for the brand new program in 2013, and took over the program the next year. In 2015, at the USA Gymnastics Collegiate Gymnastics Championships, Lindenwood not only qualified to its first ever final at nationals but won the whole thing in only its third year of existence.
LaDow, Michelle Pohl: ATHLETE CAREER 1978-1982 Elite Competitor Michelle Pohl; Injury/boycott prevented Olympic team presentation; 1986 
recipient of the Cache Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Citizen Award; 1984 Female Athlete of the Year; National Champion in 1980 and 1982; Utah State University honor roll student, Major GPA 3.9; Received full ride four year gymnastics scholarship Utah State University (18 offers)
EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS BS Public Health Education, specializing in physical therapy, Utah State University (1982-1986); Safety, CPR, First Aid and Meet Director certified.
WA USAG State Board East Representative 2004-2010; NV State Board Representative1990-2003Coach Level 4-10 gymnastics 1981 to present; NAWGJ Judge 1982 to present. Judged many Region 1 regional and state meets. Gymnastics Plus 2003 - 2010: Head Team Coach and Program Director; Green Valley Athletic Club 11/1992-09/1994; International: Gymnastics Academy; 01/1991-10/1992; Merluzzi Flyers Gymnastics (now Las Vegas Flyers Gymnastics); 01/1987-1992 – Gymnastics Team Coach.
Nevada NAWGJ State Judging Director: 13 years 08/1993-05/31/03. Test Administrator for Nevada Judges Association.
Business Manager, Zion Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine 01/01-07/03. Business Manager, Green Valley Physical Therapy 07/98-12/00. Administrator, Las Vegas Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility 12/95-07/98. Business Manager, Rancho Physical Therapy 01/1987-04/1997
Lee, Frank: Born in Seoul, South Korea, Lee grew up in Seattle and attended Cascade High School in Everett where he competed from 1981-1984. UW Husky men's gymnastics team. Graduated from UW in 1989 with undergraduate degree in zoology. UW assistant women's coach 1999 to 2005. Co-Owner of Cascade Elite Gymnastics in Mountlake Terrace. Olympic coach for Ghardi Gelenhuys in 2000 in Australia. Ghardi was representing her home nation of Namibia. Five of his club gymnasts have been members of US National Teams including Mylan Dodd. Retired from coaching in 2005 to become a Firefighter/E.M.T. He returned to coaching in 2012 and opened his own gym - Cascade Elite West in Bremerton.
Levesque, Bob: Coach of UW Women 1990-2006. In 1997 and 1998 had back-to-back NCAA Championship appearances. Pac-10 and West Region coach of the year. 1998 first NCAA West Regional Championship. Levesque was the owner and director of the American Gymnastics Training Center in Eugene, Ore. 1972 graduate of Fresno State University, had been associated with the American Gymnastics Training Center since 1985. Several Levesque-trained athletes have competed on the national and international level. Six of those were Olympians, including Tracee Talavera and Julianne McNamara from the United States. The others were Karen Kelsall (Canada, 1976 & 1980); Nancy Goldsmith (Israel, 1984); Tarella Javen (Finland, 1980) and Tatiana Fegieredo (Brazil, 1984). Tanya Chaplin Service, currently the head coach at Oregon State, and Leslie Pyfer, both competed in the world championships for the U.S. Five other gymnasts were members of national teams, including former UW national champion Yumi Mordre. Bob was a coach at the National Academy of Artistic Gymnasts in Eugene from 1977 until 1985. Coached at the Fresno Gymnastics Club 1972 -1977. 2007- coach at LEGA.
*Lewis, George: (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) JeanetteBoyd (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 and into the first USAG WA. Hall of Fame 2002.
Little, Ivan: Started at Tukwilla elementary in 1960. Competed boys age level, went to "Y" in 1964. Competed at UW for Eric Hughes and Dr. Cutler. Coached the boy's team at Foster High School from 1965-1969. He made a horse and balance beam. Taught in Renton and coached at McKnight, Dimmit, Hazen and Lindberg. Started a club program in 1975 with Carol Jacobs.
Litton, Bob: Started coaching gymnastics in 1974 at age 43 in Oregon. Before that, he was a diving coach. He came to Spokane in 1988 and coached at North Central High. He coached there till 2000. Bob was very involved with representing his district in the WA. Coaches Assoc., and was President in 1996 and 1997. While he was at North Central, they hosted the Inland Empire Cup All-Around Invitational for 10 years. Inducted into the WSGCA Hall of Fame 2001.
Loan, Brad: 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.
Lufi, Dubi: Exceptional WSU gymnast. Israeli Olympic Team Member 1976 and 1980. He averaged 9.23 for all events at the Olympic Trials. Competed in six World Championships (1970-1983) becoming the first person to do so. All American Honors on PB 1974 and 1975. Pac-8 PB Champ 1975. He also coached at Jerry Penney's Christmas Clinics in the 1970's. WSU Hall of Fame. WSU men's team gymnast (graduated Phi Beta Kappa). All American 1974 and 1975 in Paralled Bars. Pacific -8 Conference Champ, 1975 in Parallel Bars. Pacific-8 conference "Scholar-Athlete" award 1975. Inland Empire Sportswriters and Broadcasters Association "Athlete of the Month" May 1974. Pacific Northwest AA Champ 1974,1975,1976, and 1978. Director of Community Children's Gymnastics Program 1975-1979. Dubi was the assistant coach at WSU 1975-1978. Masters degree in 1977 from U. of Idaho. PhD. 1979 from WSU. Winner of many regional; gymnastics championships and national AAU competitions. Nominated several times by his former W.S.U. coach, Bob Peavy, into the WSU Hall of Fame, which he was finally inducted into in 1989. (He is the only gymnastics personality in the WSU Hall of Fame) Bob Peavy notes that Dubi was a "folk hero". Dubi went on to become an international judge (1985 World Championships in Montreal). National Technical Director of Gymnastics in Israel and Head Coach at Wingate Institute in Israel. Dubi placed 33rd AA in the 1980 USDF International Invitational. Dubi is noted as oldest competing international gymnast who retired in 1984 at age 35.
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- present. USAG WA board 2008, 2009.Compulsory Coach of the Year 2004. Optional Coach of the Year 2001
USAG WA Hall of Fame 2015.
*Lucero, Donna: 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.
Luna, Sergio Sr.: Olympian for Ecuador in 1968. Coached at Jerry Penney's Christmas Camps in the 1970's. Franklin High School coach. His sons Sergio Jr.and Daniel became outstanding gymnasts.
*Mackenroth, Jack: From North Dakota; Taught 2 years football. Then to Auburn H.S. two years; 3 years in Marines; worked at Boeing. Then to Highline HS and coached football, then into administration. Gym Kamp camp director many years.
McClure, Brett: Born in Yakima in 1981. Hometown Mill Creek. Began gymnastics 1990. Years on Senior National Team, 19 -2002. Member of the 2001 World Championships Team that won silver medal. Pommel horse bronze 2001 Goodwill Games. He was 2nd AA, 1st PH, 3rd V, T3rd PB. 2000 Olympic 
Trials, Boston.
Olympian Brett McClure, assistant coach for the Air Force men's gymnastics team. A member of the 2004 US Olympic Team that won a silver medal in Athens. McClure spent seven years as a member of the U.S. Senior National Team.
At the national level, McClure competed in six US Championship meets, collecting 12 top-three finishes. He earned top honors on the pommel horse at both the 2001 and 2004 meets. The native of Mill Creek, Wash., also competed in seven of the prestigious Winter Cup Challenges. At the 2003 meet, he claimed first-place honors on the pommel horse, high bar and all-around.
He competed in over 20 international competitions, including the 2004 Olympic Games. While in Athens, he helped the United States to a silver medal in the team standings - the best team finish by the US men in 20 years. In fact, it marked just the third time since 1906 that the United States had medaled at the Olympic Games (1932-silver, 1984-gold and 2004-silver).
In addition to his stint on the Olympic Team, McClure competed in three world championships, helping the US to a pair of second-place finishes. During international competitions, he was a part of three first-place teams, while amassing 10 first-place individual finishes and over 20 second- or third-place marks. Retired from competitive gymnastics in May 2006, resides in Colorado Springs.
McHugh, Gerry: In 1955-56, coached the WSU men's team while Hubie Dunn was away on sabbatical at the University of Illinois.
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
Morgan, Sherry: High School coach at Shorecrest, and then Shorewood High schools. After the old Shoreline Center (formerly the high school) was remodeled in 2002, a room was named for her. 1999 WSGCA Hall of Fame.
Ostboe, Rod: Competed at Richland and graduated in 1960. Competed for Eastern Washington four years. Taught in Oregon for seven years. Returned to Richland and re-established boys and girls teams 1971-72. High School Assoc. president -1975. Inducted into the WIAA. Hall of Fame in 1998.
*Peavy, Dr. Robert D.: born 12/7/32. Was a member of his father's exhibition team in Salinas, CA. He competed at San Jose State College from 1952-1954. Was a P.E. teacher and coach in California from 1958 to 1969. 1965 and 1966 shows he instructed at the National Summer Palaestrum in Michigan. P.E. teacher and Coach at WSU in 1969- 1980. Coached at Jerry Penney's Christmas Camps in the 1970's. Bob coached Dubi Lufi, who was an Israeli Olympian who also competed at six world championships.
Penney, Jerry: 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
Phelps, Brent: Owner of Auburn Gymnastics Center. Coached Baely Rowe- JO National Team Member, who won the US Challenge as a Junior Pre-Elite on vault and 2010 Level 10 Bar Champion and 2012 Bar Champ and 2nd AA. AGC was nominated as Region 2 coaching staff of the year in 2012.
Pierce-Goos, Linda: 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.
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
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
Pritchard, Emily
Three-time level 10 National participant... state and regional champion in the all-around competition in 1999. PSSG; UW. Has Uneven Bar Move named for her - it is in the code of points: 2.306. UW three-time letterwinner; 20 event titles during her career... ranks in the top three on the Huskies' all-time scores lists for bars, vault and all-around.
*Pugh, Lyle: Learned gymnastics at WSU. Went to Shadle Park HS, Wenatchee in 1958.
Started a tumbling gymnastics program for a boys and girls in the Spokane area.
Attended WSU and was a member of Hubie Dunn's first men's gymnastic team in 1948.
He attended from 1946 to 51. High School Assoc president 1973 and 1974.
Lyle was inducted into the WSGCA Hall of Fame in 1981.
*Pugh, Paul: English teacher, initiated a tumbling group at a junior high in Wenatchee, 1951.
Puts, D. A.: Was at Sammamish HS in early 60's. Had play days - also went to the YMCA.
Reid, Laurie: 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
Rogers, Taunia: Won all four events and the all-around title at the 1982 High School State Meet. Won all-around, vault, beam and tied for first in floor in the 1981 state meet. Her nine state titles are the second most first places at the high school state meet, only bested by Liz Grajewski of the 2000, 2001, and 2002 state meets. Five-time All-American at Cal-State Fullerton.
Rooney, Joe and Terry: Owners of Puget Sound School of Gymnastics in early 1970's.
*Rouse Command, Marge: Graduated WSU 1956. Taught tumbling at Pacific Junior High in Highline District. Had early competitions.
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
Russo, Mark: From Mercer Island. High school gymnast under Jim Long and Mace Brady at Eastern WA. UW student. Mark worked in the extension gymnastics program. In 1986 he became head coach of this program. He took over the UW men's team in 1988. He also coached at Cascade Elite Gymnastics.
*Sarver, Bob: 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.
*Sarver, Mary: 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 H.S. 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.
Schroeder, Joyce Tanac: 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 U.W. 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 US Collegiate All Star team. UW Hall of Fame 1998. 1990 inducted into the USAG HOF. Lives in Spokane. (Her father, Bob, was the Pacific NW AAU Junior Olympic Committee representative in the 1960's.) 2003 inducted into the USAG-WA. Hall of Fame. (photo from Eric Hughes book Gymnastics for Girls)
http://www.usghof.com/files/bio/j_tanac/j_tanac.html
(USAG Hall of Fame inductee 1990 - following is the biography on their website
Joyce Tanac-Schroeder has a unique record under her belt. She has won all five events in a single competition more than once. These meet “scoops” began during her Jr. Gymnastics days, and culminated in the 1969 National AAU Championships. That’s a lot of gymnastics’ medals for only one competition, especially at the elite level. This lady likes gold, and in 1969, had to be considered an international medal contender. She had the skills and over-all talent to be one of the first to bring home an Olympic or World Championship medal for the United States.
Joyce Tanac began tumbling at age 10 at the Seattle, Washington-USA YMCA with coach George Lewis. An additional coach, Frank Hailand, was also an early influence. Joyce holds titles in AAU, USGF, and YMCA competitions as well as in international competition. Pan American Games : Gold-Team, Silver-AA & FX, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, (1967).
National YMCA Championships : Gold-AA, (1965); Gold-Team, AA, BB, V, FX, & UB, (1966).
World Championships : Team member, Dortmund, Germany, (1966).
Olympic Games: Team member, Mexico City, Mexico, (1968).
AAU National Championships: Bronze-AA, & FX, (1967); Gold-V, Silver-AA & BB, (1968); Gold-AA, BB, FX, UB, & V, (1969). Tanac’s clean sweep of the AA events was a major accomplishment. Few, if any, have equaled this standard.
USGF World Cup : Bronze-AA in the first World Cup Championship, (1969).
Pacific Coast Invitational : Gold-AA, (1969).
USAG National Championships : Gold-AA, UB, & V, (1969); Gold-BB, (1970).
Japanese Invitational Gymnastic Competition & Tour: Tanac participated in this series of events that was a precursor to the Chunichi Cup Championships, (1969). General: Joyce Tanac competed for the Seattle Downtown YMCA and the University of Washington, (1971-‘72). She developed a unique dismount, for the day, from the UB. “Tanac started her UB dismount from a support position on the high bar. She took a small cast, straddled over the bar, and bounced off the back of her thighs to a back Somi finish.” The move is called a “Whipsalto-Tanac”, and it, along with several variations is listed as such in the Code of Points, p. 125.
Another variation of the Tanac may be tucked or straight with 1/1 (360 degrees) or 1.5 (540 degree) twist. See Insert II. She also had a one-arm handstand included in her BB routine. It was held for the required 3 seconds, but it would be difficult to attribute this move to Joyce alone. After retiring from competition, Joyce graduated from the University of Washington’s School of Pharmacy, (1974), and shortly thereafter met her husband to be while in Hawaii on vacation. She has been working as a pharmacist through the years, but now, living in Spokane, Washington, she works part time at a community pharmacy and plays tennis.
Honors: Tanac was 5th in the final voting for the James E. Sullivan Award considered the highest award in sports and older than the Heisman Trophy, (1969). Named member of the U.S. Collegiate All Star Gymnastics Team; Inducted into the USAG Gymnastics Hall of Fame, (1990); Inducted into U. of Washington Athletic Hall of Fame, (1998).
Sources: Interview and correspondence with Joyce Tanac-Schroeder, official result records of Pan American Games, AAU, and the USAG. The primary research was accomplished by Jerry Wright, author of Gymnastics Who’s Who, 2005, and the Tanac dismount description was described by Abie Grossfeld, 1979 GHOF Inductee. Introduction, commentary and formatting by Dr. Larry Banner, Web Manager.
*Shirley, Dale: 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 USAG WA. Hall of Fame 2002.
Smith, John D: SJohn 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.
Smith, Linda M.N.: Elite Coach, 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.
Sternberg, Brian:
*Sullivan, Jim: WSU Gymnastics competitor, 1953. Started teaching in Bothell 1958. In 1959-'60 had boys team. Gym Kamp (Camp Waskowitz) instructor, won a boys' state meet. Coached girls' team 14 years. Retired from coaching in 1987.
Sutherland, Cathy:
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.
Coaching Achievements
1998 - Onnie Willis JO National Championship AA. 1st place Vault and Beam and is also the AA Champion at PNOI (1st on Beam and Floor) Flips, Emerald Cup, Level 10 Regionals. Level 10 State Champion Meghan Killpack. Level 9 State Champions include-Jules McGraw, Raimey Iselin and Kristina Baskett who goes on to win Level 9 Regionals. 6 Gymnasts qualify to Nationals. Kristian Baskett 7th AA at Western Nationals1997- 4 Gymnasts quality to Level 10 Nationals. Kristina Baskett places 1st in USA TOPS program for ten yr olds and makes the TOPS team. Onnie Willis - 5th on Vault at Nationals. 1996-Onnie Willis places 8th AA at The American Classic in Tulsa and qualifies to Jr. International team. Tamara Diles places 5th AA Jr. National Division, Emily Pritchard 10th AA, Senior National Division. Raimey Iselin qualifies to TOPS for 11 yr olds.1995 - Onnie Willis places 18th at Championships of the USA, Tamara Diles and Emily Pritchard qualify to compete at the National Festival. 1994- Onnie Willis 1st Bars at The American Classic, 10th AA. qualifies to Championships. 1993- Elite Nationals - Heidi Prosser 1st AA, Onnie Willis 3rd AA, Stephanie Roy 12th AA -Onnie Willis qualifies to the USA Championships. 1992- American Classic Elite Nationals- Heidi Prosser 5th AA, Onnie Willis 7th AA, Jill Sorrenson 11th AA, Stephanie Roy 12th AA. All make the National Training Squad. 1991- Cristi Clifford - 22nd AA Sr. International, at US Classic.
2014 USA Gymnastics WA Hall of Fame.
Swanson, Judy: Assistant coach at Academy of Olympic Gymnastics (Dale Shirley). Asst. coach at UW women's team, and coached at Jerry Penney's Christmas Clinic, 1974.
Taskov, Dimitri: Born in Varna, Bulgaria, was an International Elite/Olympics and a Bulgarian National Team member.
Career Highlights: 20th All-around 1988 Olympics, Went to Worlds in 1987,1989 & 1991: Coaching Highlights: Coached Level 10 to Nationals;
Education: Sports College, Bulgaria.
Naydenov Gymnastics coach of 2014 Jr. Elite National Team Member Jordan Chiles. (Info from Naydenovs website.)
Thorson, Tommy: Went to Seattle "Y". Learned hand balancing with George Lewis. Started coaching girls in 1962.
*Thuot, Chuck: Graduate of Southern Illinois U in Industrial Arts, with Hubie Dunn and Paul Smith. Went to Kennewick High in 1948. Started boys tumbling team and gymnastics in 1952 thus making it the first boys high school team in the state. Girls team in 1955.
*Tibbitts, Thorne: 1955 high school grad. WSU four year letterman, 1955-'59. (Hubie Dunn was his coach.) Went to Nationals in 1959 on HB. Won PNW AAU HB in 1957. Asst. coach at WSU for three years. Coached at Eastern Washington U in 1960-'65. At Eastern, he took Jack Benson to NCAA Championships in HB in 1962. He went from Eastern to Oregon (hired by the U of OR) to create a gymnastics team made up of high school dropouts in Astoria. From there he went to the U of Nevada and taught PE and coached men's gymnastics. While there, he coached Rusty Mitchell who was an Olympian in 1964. Eastern WA U's Hall of Fame 2007.
The following story and photo are from Eastern Washington University website on the induction of Thorne into their Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007
First as a coach and then as a faithful supporter of Eastern Athletics, Thorne Tibbitts (pictured on the right in the photo) has been actively involved in the growth of athletics programs at Eastern Washington since 1960. In the publication "Washington State Gymnastics History" by Lee Bjella and Mary Sarver, Tibbitts was selected as one of 34 "pioneers" of gymnastics in the state of Washington. He was on the physical education staff and coached men's gymnastics, helping lead Eastern to a second-place finish at the NAIA Championships in 1965 in just the second season that organization sponsored a national championship. His team was the runner-up behind champion Western Illinois as eight Eastern athletes finished in the top 10 of their respective events. Among them were All-Americans Steve Woodward (second in the all-around) and Don Funderberg (second in the free exercise).
He coached Jack Benson to an appearance in the 1962 NCAA Championships in the horizontal bar, rope climb and ring competition. Benson would succeed Tibbitts as coach and go on to a 12-year career at Eastern that included eight national championship appearances that included finishes of second, third, fourth and fifth (twice). In 1965, Tibbitts volunteered to be golf coach and took two golfers to the NCAA Championships. One of them, Karl Ota, placed sixth and earned first team All-America honors. Tibbitts was a founding member of the Eagle Athletic Association in 1983, and has served as president and on the board of directors. He has been one of the organization's top contributors and fund-raisers ever since.
Tibbitts graduated from Bethel High School in 1955 and lettered four years at Washington State University in gymnastics. He competed in all 10 events that men participated in during that era of gymnastics. He was team captain in 1959 when he qualified for the NCAA Championships in the horizontal bar and parallel bar events. In 1957 he was the Pacific Northwest champion in the horizontal bar. He assisted at WSU before moving to EWU in 1960. His stop at Eastern was part of a 17-year career in higher education. When he left Eastern in 1965, he was hired by the University of Oregon to work in the nation's first urban Job Corps Center in Astoria, Ore., at the old Navy base there called Tongue Point. He and Yoshi Hatano put together a competitive gymnastics team made up of high school dropouts from throughout the United States.
He then went to the University of Nevada in Reno and taught physical education, coached men's gymnastics and directed a large intramurals program. From there he went to the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque to work on his doctorate in the field of recreation. In 1969, Dr. Jack Leighton hired him a second time to develop the young Recreation and Parks Administration program at Eastern. Tibbitts went into the real estate business in 1976, and he has been a top producer in the Spokane area for over 30 years. Besides his involvement with the EAA, Tibbitts has been a member and former lieutenant governor of Kiwanis International, president of the Cheney Chamber of Commerce and is a member of El Katif Shrine.
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.
40 years as SPU head coach -read article
*Trimble, Maggie: UW grad 1948, came to Auburn High in 1952. Had tumbling for girls and coached Brad Loan 1967-68. Attended Gym Kamp, early Play Day meets, also did judging and state meets. High School Assoc. president 1968. 1981 inducted into the WSGCA Hall of Fame. Was "loud" and a tomboy - quite a character.
*Utley, Russell: Did Balancing and Juggling acts with Willits in the 1930's and '40's. Promoted gymnastics before WWII.
Waichiro, Miki: born 10/21/47. Gymnast in 1961 in High School in Kewanoe High, Japan, and at Nihon University in Tokyo. Trained under Endo at Nihon University, and was considered one of the best technician in the US in the 1970's. He was the assistant coach at Washington State University in the 1970's. Started a recreational gymnastics program at WSU in 1971. Coached at Jerry Penney's Christmas Camps in the 1970's. Went on to coach in California.
Williams, Catherine: see Kadera, Catherine Williams
Williams, Mike: UW Men's Team member, who qualified for the US National team in 1992. He was also the only American in history to do a triple back on the floor in competition, at U.S. Nationals in 1993.
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 U.S. Championships.National AA, Vt. And Beam champ 1998. UCLA gymnast. 2001 1st AA at NCAA Championships. All American. 1st AA 2002 Pac 10 Conference.
*Willits, Earl: 1930's and '40's balancing and juggling acts with Utley. Was an Indian Club artist.
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 1971-1979 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)
*Woodward, (Ev) Everett: Learned gymnastics at Waco, Texas YMCA 1934-36. Went to Central and taught at Sunnydale Elementary (Highline) for 3 years. He was in the service 3 years, then went to work at Boeing. Taught P.E. at Snohomish 10 years. Went to Highline H.S. 1956. Taught gymnastics to boys and girls. Had boys H.S. competition; started Gym Kamp 1958. Went to Seattle U, then Highline Community College, and was at Hubie Dunn's summer workshops.
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.
Zimmer, Ed: U. of Chicago Circle. Coach at UW, women. Went to Boise, Idaho. Meet Director at the Seattle Goodwill Games 1990.
US Gymnastics (Helms) Hall of Fame inductees -Washington State coaches/athletes:
Dr. Hubie Dunn 1973, Dr. Eric Hughes 1973, George Lewis 1975, Dale McClements Kephart 1985, Joyce Tanac Schroeder 1990
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