Erin Petz--- Office Personnel
Erin Petz--- Office Personnel
Jacki Lemons --- Instructor
Jacki is a former gymnast and has been coaching preschool gymnastics through Optionals since 1994. She was also a choreographer and dance instructor.
She attended NMSU in 1995 and is a graduate of the Olympia school of Cosmetology.
She is safety certified, First Aid certified, CPR certified and a USAG professional member.
Jacki started with Reflex in 2008. Jacki gets married in April 2009.
Lydoan "Libby" Diaz --- Recreational /
Preschool Instructor
Currently a student at UCF studying law.
She did gymnastics for 6 years including competition up through level 9.
Lydoan began with Reflex in 2008.
Falyn Leichner --- Office Personnel / Cheer Instructor
Falyn has several years experience as a competitive gymnast, competitive trampolinist, and competitive cheerleader - competing at numerous national championships. She has been a gymnastics and cheerleading coach for several years.
Falyn is in her third year teaching 1st grade.
Falyn began with Reflex in 2007.
Brigette
Wagner -- Office Personnel
Venus Baker - Recreational
/ Camp
Instructor / Office Personnel
Venus started her love for gymnastics in 9th grade in NY. It was love at first sight. She then moved to Florida and tumbled all through high school and competed all-around with floor being her favorite event. After graduating, she then began judging and worked out for a few more years.
She got Level 1 USAG certified and coached for three years in Texas. She then adopted two children from Guatemala. In 2002, she moved to Orlando where she has been working as a substitute elementary school teacher.
In early 2006, Venus started teaching gymnastics at Reflex. "I love working and teaching children new things and skills while having fun at the same time". Venus also works as a professional clown.
In 2008, Venus became a full-time permanent P.E. teacher for Vista Lakes Elementary and enjoys every minute of it. Between church, school and the gym, she is always surrounded and greeted by children. "Gymnastics will always be my first loved sport and therefore, it has a special place in my heart!"
Alexandra Torre ---
Recreational / Preschool / Team Instructor
Alex did gymnastics for 10 years and competed up to level 8. In addition to Gymnastics, she also has experience coaching birthday parties. Alex also works at the front desk. Alex started with Reflex in 2008. She is certified to judge USTA / AAU T&T competitions.
Alex is CPR and First Aid certified.
She is studying Law at UCF.
Heather Gutkin---
Recreational / Preschool / Cheer Instructor
Heather has 13years gymnastics experience including competing through level 8.
She has been coaching gymnastics and camps for 4 years and started with Reflex in 2008. Heather also works at the front desk.
She is currently a student at UCF studying Psychology.
Mikilin Pearson --- Office Personnel
Currently a sophmore at UCF majoring in anthropology.
She loved gymnastics as a child and also has a special talent of doing balloon animals for parties and events.
Mikilin began with Reflex Gymnastics in 2008.
Bethany Chapman--- Recreational / Preschool / Cheer / Camp Instructor
Bethany is currently a school teacher.
She began with Reflex in 2007.
Bethany has cheerleading competition experience.
Adam
Menzies --- Trampoline & Tumbling Team Instructor
From Vancouver, Canada.
Adam is an extremely accomplished athlete in Tumbling & Trampoline. Adam is a two time world champion on the double mini trampoline. He broke the record in 2003 for highest score on a single pass on double mini tramp, and tied the world record for highest difficulty over 4 double mini passes. His combination of athletic expertise and coaching experience is a great asset. He is also an accomplished performer and travels the world performing.
Adam began with Reflex in 2008.
Jared
Whitchard
--- Recreational Instructor
Jared was former competitive gymnast for several years.
He coached at Woodward Gymnastics Camp.
He started coaching for Reflex in 2008.
Jared is curerently enrolled at UCF for mechanical engineering.
Terisa
Clayton
--- Team Instructor
Terisa Grew up in Colorado, Texas. and California --- started gymnastics at age 3, and competed up to Class 1 (equivalent to current level 10). She also competed briefly in T&T. She studied Anatomy, Physiology, Health & Fitness, and went to school for Massage. She has been coaching all levels, for 20 years in Florida, Arizona, and Nevada -- and has also worked extensively around the world (Ohio, Las Vegas, Florida, Austria, and Japan) as an Acrobat / Trampolinist /Stuntman / (Indiana Jones, Sinbad, Viking, Mistique, Kurt Thomas America, etc...). Terisa coached preschool through level 9 (gymnastics and T&T) at our previous Polk county facility in 2006 and 2007 and is now with us again starting in 2009. Terisa has a 4yr. old son.
Amy
Matchett ---
Preteam / Team Instructor
Amy is
a 21 years old college student currently in her third year at UCF. She is
studying as a double major in Psychology and Business Administration. She is
also pursuing a minor in dance.
Amy started gymnastics when she was 2 years old. She started competing at
age 6 as a level 3 traveling 2 hours from New Jersey to Pennsylvania to
attend nationally renowned Parkettes Gymnastics. By the time she 11 she had won 2nd at level 5 state and 1st in level 6 and 7 State. She then won several 1st and 2nd places at nationals in optionals. After Competing level 10 she became a varsity cheerleader for her last three years. In her spare time she did competitive dancing, surfing competitions, and modeling. Each summer she works at International Gymnastics Camp in Pennsylvania. Today she still dances, plans on cheering for UCF, and surfs. Later she plans on using her Psychology degree for a job during the day and coaching gymnastics at night. She is Safety Certified and a member of USAG and AAU.
Amy began coaching at Reflex in 2009.
John Jordan --- Co-Owner / Office Manager / AfterSchool Program Director
John began his athletic career as a middle distance runner. The 1996 Olympics inspired him to take on gymnastics as an athlete. He attended college to study Aerospace Engineering. During college he transitioned into the position of gymnastics instructor. Working at several well known gyms while attending school, he attended numerous coaching certification/ clinics and worked with and assisted numerous top coaches. During over 11 years of coaching, John has coached Gymnastics and T&T and has worked with all levels ranging from preschool through competitive.
In 2004, he started and developed a top notch mobile gymnastics program,which later expanded into the original Reflex gymnasium. In 2006, John partnered with Richard Masters and in 2007 merged Florida Gymmasters with Reflex into what is our current program. John has one son and two stepdaughters.
Certifications:
(PDP 1) Professional Development Program, (PDP 2), USAG & AAU professional member, USAG safety certified, First Aid and CPR.
Richard Masters ---
An accomplished martial artist, dancer, and weight lifter, Richard, began gymnastics during High School in Chicago, Il. While he quickly excelled in gymnastics, he was trained to instruct. The next year he developed, competed for, and coached his championship winning high school team and earned the "Athletic Excellence" award.
After a couple years of competing and coaching, he moved to South Florida to be closer to family. While there, he apprenticed under a coach / judge at a city program and later helped him organize and manage a small gym which later expanded to two larger facilities. While teaching in the Broward School system, within one year he increased gymnastics enrollment 1000%, and simultaneously ran a successful mobile gymnastics program. During this time, he became one of the youngest ever Internationally certified gymnastics judges. During that time, Richard was instrumental in developing the first modern Tumbling & Trampoline competitive program in Florida.
As a coach, Richard produced national champions in men's and women's gymnastics as well as trampoline & tumbling, and was one of the very few people in the country certified to judge all 3 disciplines. He coached / judged National, World, and Olympic Champions. He lectured at many clinics, workshops and camps, and was a consultant to gyms. He also worked professionally as a dancer, as well as an acrobat and stuntman in the summers (including Cypress Gardens, and Indiana Jones) and he was one of the main dancers and the acrobatic choreographer for the Superbowl XXIII halftime show. Additionally, while association chairman for AAU, he organized the first "Prep Optional" gymnastics competition program in Florida. He studied business at Florida Atlantic University (FAU), and in 1991, was listed in the "Who's Who of Gymnastics".
After several years in South Florida, Richard moved to Central Florida where he continued teaching for several more years, helping to establish the Metro and Broadway Gymnastics gyms as national caliber programs. Then, for 5 years, while coaching in Polk County, he produced several more State champion teams and National champions. During that time, while serving as State chairman for "USAIGC" (USA Independent Gymnastics Clubs), his team earned Polk County's "Superstar Award" and one of his athletes earned Polk County's first ever "Female Amateur Athlete of the Year" award. Richard’s creativity and attention to technique allowed his athletes to invent several high level gymnastics maneuvers.
Richard's wealth of knowledge, and love for gymnastics, has allowed him to create a program that is conducive to children of all shapes and sizes safely reaching their fullest athletic potential, regardless of natural ability. In 2003, Richard began FLORIDA GYMMASTERS. It is the only Polk County program to ever have a female gymnast compete at the USAG Level 10 (highest level) National Championships. In 2007, GymMasters had Florida’s largest competing T&T team. GymMasters’ athletes won over 70 State, Regional, and National Championship 1st place titles in 2007. GymMasters currently has Florida’s only AAU T&T National Team member and USTA Stars of Tomorrow National Team members.
In 2006, Richard partnered with Reflex Gymnastics, and August 2007, GymMasters combined with Reflex Gymnastics in Orlando. Richard began a T&T team at Reflex for 2008. So far, in their first competition season, Reflex teams have earned 40 State, Regional, and National Championships 1st place titles in 2008 and over 110 in 2009. Reflex hosted 4 of the 7 Florida T&T meets in 2008, and 3 of the 8 in 2009.
Other Certifications: AAU T&T Florida State Chairman, USAG T&T coaches certification,
KAT (Kinder Accreditation for Teachers) certified, USAG & USTA Safety certified, First Aid certified, CPR certified, MELPD (Movement Education and Lesson Plan Development) certified, JumpStart certified.
STAFF
