coaches

TRACY MARSH

Tracy is the Club's founder and has just started her 23rd year of coaching gymnastics in the area. She moved here to take a BA(Hons) in Movement Studies at Nonington College.

She first coached at a club in the Marine Barracks in Deal. In 1983 she left to form the Cinque Ports Gym Club with two others. This Club was primarily an artistic club with only an element of sports acro.

In 1985 she went solo and formed Deal Swifts, returning to her favourite gymnastic speciality: sports acro. She has always encouraged the gymnasts to achieve their best and enjoy gymnastics as well as guiding older gymnasts into coaching. The other qualified coaches (SCC, CC and ACC) have all "risen through the ranks" under Tracy's guidance.

In 1997 Tracy decided it was time to concentrate on "simply" being a coach and handed the day-to-day running of the club to Kelly (see below). It was then that the Club changed its name to East Kent Acro to reflect it's position as the leading sports acro club in Kent. Tracy recently undertook a High Performance Coaching course.

KELLY GREENSTREET

Kelly joined the Club in 1986 and competed up until the end of 1999 when she retired - but in the season 2002/3 competed again as part of an Intermediate 4 trio. As well as coaching Kelly manages the day-to-day running of the Club. She gained her degree at Christ Church College University in Canterbury and is now teaching at a local school.

She has had an impressive record of achievement having won 25 medals (9 gold, 6 silver and 10 bronze) over the years as well three Regional Champion titles and was in the Regional Squad for the two years prior to her retirement.

LOUISE CRAFT

Louise is a Senior club coach and, like Kelly, "retired" from competition in 1999 but returned with Kelly to compete as part of an Intermediate 4 trio.

Louise joined the Club in 1989 and achieved much in those years: 12 medals (2 gold, 4 silver and 6 bronze) and two Regional Champion titles. Louise has also gained a place in the Regional Squad as part of a trio with Kelly.

Louise has a degree in Sports Science and completed a one year course in Education at Christ Church College University before starting work as a teacher.

REBECCA CARTY

Rebecca joined the Club in 1993 having previously been with an artistic Club: she quickly developed a love for sports acro - and has not looked back since.

Becki has won two regional and one county title during her time with the club, winning a total of 17 medals (3 gold, 7 silver, 7 bronze). Becki had a place in the Kent County Development squad which ran for about thee years before being disbanded

Becki is the youngest qualified Senior Club Coach at the club, having qualified in 2004. She has recently decided to "hang up her leotard".

Becki has a BA(Hons) in Digital Media and is currently teaching gymnastics and dance in a local primary school.

Picture right: Becki and Bryony at the National Finals in 2005

THE COACHES

ELIZABETH CARTY

Liz qualified as a Club coach in 2002 - but didn't officially became a Club Coach until the following year when she turned 18!

Elizabeth joined the Club in 1993 with her sister Becki, who is one of the club's senior coaches (see above).

Since joining the Club Liz has won sixteen medals at Regional level: one gold, ten silver and five bronze. A Regional title has continued to remain illusive: Liz has finished second so many times! Like her sister Liz had a place in the County Squad and also attended some Regional training sessions although by the time she was 17 she could no longer take part in Regional trials/training because she was deemed to be too old!

Liz works for P&O ferries as a Stewardess and has retired twice since starting then but can't face giving up yet so she now trainins part-time as her shifts allow.

CHRISTINA SCULLIN

Christina joined the Club in September 1994 - her first partner was Abigail who is only a few months older. Christina works as a nursery assistant.

Christina has won four medals during her time with the club: 2 silver and 2 bronze with many other "near misses" (this doesn't reflect her ability as she has had a number of 4th and 5th places over the years). Christina was also in the Kent Development Squad during its existence.

Pictured right is Christina with her last partner, Rachel, just prior to her "retirement"

Coaches photo taken May 2004 at Alton Towers (during their weekend away at the National Finals!). From left Zoe (CC), Kelly (SCC), Fiona (ACC - left for Uni but still visits), Louise (SCC), Adam (CC), Tracy (SCC), Becki (SCC), Jenny (awaiting ACC exams), Abby (CC). Separate photo: Liz (CC) - working that weekend so couldn't go.

The Club have four Senior Club Coaches: Tracy, Louise, Kelly & Becki

Four Club Coaches: Liz, Abbi, Zoe & Adam

Five Assistant Club Coaches: Christina, Charlotte, Leoni, Stephanie & Michelle

ABIGAIL ATKINSON

Abigail joined the Club in September 1994. Like Becki and Liz she was a member of the County squad during its existence.

Abbi has won 11 medals since joining: 3 gold, 5 silver and 3 bronze. She and her former parner Lauren were County champions at Naitonal 3 in 1999.

She passed her ACC exam on crutches after damaging the tendons and ligaments around her knee (not doing gymnastics I mgiht add!). Abbi had some time out from training due to the knee injury returned to training earlier this year (2006), winning a silver medal in July - but has retired again as she now has a full-time job which clashes with gym..

Abbi is a qualified Club level judge and judges as many competitions as work will allow (provided they are on Sundays!).

ADAM PARKS

Adam first joined the Club in March 1995 but took a break from acro between the Summer of 1996 amd March 1998, returning after representing his school at the Regional Finals.

Adam has become the Club's most successful gymnast (and is the County's most successful sports acrobat) having won twelve Regional and two County titles (having only entered the County championships twice) as well as an impressive 51 medals (34 gold, 12 silver and 5 bronze) in his time with the Club. There have only been six competitions that Adam has entered when he hasn't come home with a medal: and four of those were National Finals!

ZOE HOGBEN

Zoe only joined the squad in March 2000, after having partnered Becki to represent their school in the Regional Schools Competition. Zoe is the sister of Becki's ex-pairs partner Charlotte and is the same age as Adam (actually she's three weeks' older).

Zoe has won two medals since joining the squad: a gold and a bronze. Zoe was County Champion at Intermediate 1 Women's Pairs a title she won in November 2

The picture on the right is Zoe with sister Charlotte and Lily Summers in the 2004 National Qualifier where they achieved 5th place.

SENIOR CLUB COACHES

CLUB COACHES

ASSISTANT CLUB COACHES

CHARLOTTE HOGBEN

Charlotte joined the squad in August 1999 - her first partner being Christina.

In the Autumn 2000 she started a very successful partnership with Becki which wrought many medals and twice just missed out on National places. The partnership ended when Charlotte grew too tall for Becki (who is only 5' 1"): the last time they worked together Charlotte towered over her! Charlotte then worked as a base for a few years but how now decided to stop competing at acro although she still intends to continue tumbling.

Charlotte was County Champion with Becki in 2000 and has won a total of 13 medals: 2 gold, 4 silver and 7 bronze.

Picture left is Charlotte with sister Zoe and Lily

MICHELLE SIMMONS

Michelle joined the squad in July 99 and is another gymnast who has had many "near misses" finishing in the top six in many of her competitions and her medal total (one gold, five silver) does not reflect her ability.

One of Michelle successful partnerships, as a top, was with Liz but, unfortunately she grew (as children have a habit of doing!) and had to move down to being a base. This was a very successful transition. She returned to working with Liz as the middle of an Int 3 trio but this partnershp ended when she tore a muscle in her thigh playing hockey at school - an injury that kept Michelle out of training of a very long time.

She returned to training, taking things slowly at first, but is now back working in a trio with Zoe and as a pair with Tessa (pictured left)

STEPHANIE BAX

Stephanie joined the club in September 1997 at the tender age of 7 - her first partner was Liz, a partnership which lasted for three years.

She had a brief, but successful, partnership with Zoe (along with a few other very brief partnerships as both top and base - awkward age/size thing) then, had a short successful partnership with Bernice Bourner before they both moved into a trio with Becki. Within weeks of the trio's formation they won the Intermediate 2 WG Regional Title (her second regional title, having won the first in a schools' pairs partnership).

Stephanie has stayed in a trio with Becki but they now have a new top, Bryony (the trio is in the photo on the right)

Like Charlotte Stephanie is also a very good tumbler and will also be competing at tumbling.

Stephanie has won eight medals altogether, three gold, two silver and three bronze: one of the gold was for tumbling in late 2004.

LEONI BOURNER

Leonie was a late starter to gymnastics, joining the squad in October 2002 at the age of 13. Until the latter part of last year she had only one partner since joining: Paige Handley. Paige and Leonie together won three medals: two gold and one bronze and Leonie has recently won another bronze with new partner Rebecca (pictured right).

The above are our dedicated coaching team: it's hard to keep them out of the gym! All are gymnasts themselves (or ex-gymnasts in the case of Tracy, Kelly and Louise) who have a love of the sport itself and want to "give something back" to the sport and pass on their expertise to youngsters in the area.

The club already have other "coaches in training" in readiness for the next ACC course: Grace Gleeve, Emma-Louise Poole and Gemma Cave, Billy-Joe Poole, Rachel Leadbeatter & Bernice Bourner.

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