01691 658048
Border Counties
School of Gymnastics
Meet the team!
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Our club's success is down to our dedicated team, and their seemingly tireless hard work.
All our coaches are qualified, insured and CRB/DBS checked.
Many of them are ex club gymnasts themselves and and are passionate about helping everyone to love gymnastics as much as they do.
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They are an incredible, crazy, awesome bunch and we know that your gymnast will be completely safe and happy with them.
Christine Barre
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The legend that is the club founder ~ Christine started the gymnastics club in September of 1991, after high demand from the local schools she was doing some after school coaching in.
The club started in the old Oswestry Leisure centre and soon expanded to the Marches School Sports Hall (the old one) and Oswestry School Hall.
Christine handed over the reins to her daughter Helene in January 2000 and remained heavily involved with the running of the club until her graceful retirement in 2019.
Christine will be honoured at the clubs 30th anniversary celebrations in September 2021.
We can't wait!
Helene Cook
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Gymnastics Manager
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Level 4 Women's Artistic Coach
Level 3 General Gymnastics Coach
Level 3 Team Gym Coach
level 2 Pre School Coach
Level 2 Trampoline Coach
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Genuinely not as scary as people think ~ Helene is an absolute pussycat really!
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Helene started gym when she was 6, and continued until the age of 12 when she chose ballet over gymnastics.
Helene started her coaching career at the age of 17 and coached both County and Regional squad level gymnasts to competition success in other clubs before returning to Oswestry to take over from her Mum in January 2000.
Helene has practically retired from coaching (sad times) ~ (ask her if she misses it) and now focuses on the the day to day task of keeping the club running.
Zoe Calloway
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Level 2 Women's Artistic
Disability Lead Coach
Level 3 Theory module passed!!!!
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Zoe is an ex club gymnast who has returned to coaching now that family time allows.
We are delighted to have her back as she has so much passion for gymnastics and really strives to get things right.
She is the master of asking daft questions in her quest for brilliance.
A genuinely caring soul, Zoe does a great job of building confidence within the gymnasts she coaches.
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Zoe runs the clubs monthly ASK / SEND sessions which are popular due to the empathy she has with the parents.
Amy Evans
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Level 2 Women's Artistic Coach
Level 2 Pre School Coach
Level 3 Theory module passed!!!
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Amy is 50% of our wonderful twin duo.
She started gymnastics when she was 7 yrs old and has been a gymnast, a volunteer coach and now coaches full time across the Pre School, Recreational & Improvers sessions.
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Amy knows almost every single gymnast in the club and which class they attend!
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She is affectionally known as Garfield because between sessions she can be found resting in any warm and sunny spot she can find!
Kelly Clarke
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Level 2 Women's Artistic Coach
Level 2 Pre School Coach
Fun4Baby Accredited Coach
Level 3 Theory module passed!!!!
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Kelly cannot keep still. Always dancing and singing her way through her classes.
She is the display QUEEN of the club and works incredibly hard making sure as many of our gymnasts as possible get to take part in as many performance opportunities as possible. You go girl.
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Kelly started her coaching career when she was 13 with Christine, and continued until the age of 18. After a break, she came back to coach with Helene in 2010.
She has gone from strength to strength since and has a new found passion for the joys, delights and imagination involved in pre-school gymnastics.
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Every now and then, when she stops twirling long enough you can still see her throw a few skills around the gym.
Jess Roberts
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Level 2 Women's Artistic Coach
Level 3 Theory module passed!!!!
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After a recent head scratch and some counting on our fingers we realised that Jess is one of the longest serving members of the club.
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She has an almost 20yr unbroken link with the club from gymnast to young coach volunteer to squad coach.
We are in awe of her continued commitment and have great respect for the knowledge and experience she has amassed in her years.
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Despite working full time and driving fast cars for fun Jess manages to also devote time to remaining glamorous whilst coaching and we love her for it.
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Katy Evans
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Level 2 Women's Artistic Coach
Level 2 Pre School Coach
Level 3 Theory module passed!!!
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Katy is the other half of our wonderful twin duo.
With an amazing recall she knows almost all the names and ages of every single one of our gymnasts ~ it's incredible. We never have to look anything up, we just ask her!
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Katy has also been at the club since she was 7 and coaches full time in Pre School, Recreational, Improvers and Squad sessions.
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Katy's incredible memory is put to the test as our reigning badge QUEEN. Without her organisational skills we would be in a right pickle.
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When not in the gym she can be found secretly spoiling the family pet dog Ronnie!
Laura Robbins
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Level 2 General Gymnastics Coach
Level 3 Theory module passed!!!!
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Laura is another home grown and long serving gymnast/coach who started doing gym at he age of 4 and can still get though an adult gym class today!
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When in the gym Laura mainly coaches our older Improvers, she has the oodles of patience required to work with teenage girls!
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Laura also works full time at a local forest school nursery and Farm park experience.
Harry Thomas
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Level 2 Mens Artistic Coach
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Harry is a former club gymnast and home grown coach who has re-joined us after a 6yr break where he has completed a degree in Wildlife, spent many weeks and years in Greece working with a turtle conservation project and has recently completed a Masters Degree in Acting.
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A busy guy who we all adore. His infectious enthusiasm fills the gyms and he is remarkably adept at keeping frogs in a bucket which is a necessary skill when coaching boys!
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Steph Machin
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Core Proficiency Coach
Julia Jones
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Level 4 Trampoline Coach
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Julia is a vastly experienced and knowledgeable coach who joins our team every Monday to run the trampoline sessions.
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Julia competed herself when she was younger, becoming Welsh Schools' Champion and reaching a high British ranking.
She still has a sneaky go every now and again too!
Kate Richardson
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Level 1 General Gymnastics Coach
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Kate has been doing gymnastics with the club since she was 8 and then moved into coaching at 14.
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She is reliable, articulate and has a very caring approach when in the gym.
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Kate has been studying Health and Social Care at college and is facing a decision about where to study Adult Nursing - Chester or Shrewsbury? Can anyone help her decide?
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Sion Lewis
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Level 1 General Gymnastics Coach
Jack Nowell
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Core Proficiency Coach
Kieran Hill
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Level 2 General Gymnastics Coach
Emily Williams
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Level 1 General Gymnastics Coach
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Our Em has been with the club since almost birth! We have been privileged to know her and have her as part of our team from gymnast to coach.
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Em is just starting out as a Nursery assistant apprentice at a local nursery, so look out for her and give her a wave.
She clearly likes young children to devote so many hours working with them each week.
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Good luck Em.
Lucie Calloway
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Core Proficiency Coach
Leah Griffiths
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Apprentice Coach
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Leah joined the team as an apprentice coach in September 2020 after being a gymnast with the club on and off over the previous few years.
Leah has completed her GCSE's and is excited to work with our gymnasts and coaching team to progress through her level 1 and level 2 coaching qualifications over the next 18 months ~ welcome aboard Leah.
Molly Isted
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Core Proficiency Coach
Poppy Denton
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Core Proficiency Coach
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Libby Ring
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Level 1 General Gymnastics Coach
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Libby started doing gymnastics at the age of 6 years old. Combined with her love of dance she was always a very elegant gymnast.
Libby has finished college and is working and coaching and deciding on the next route to explore in life.
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Lizzie Samson
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Core Proficency Coach
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Lizzie has been with the club for 6 years as a gymnast (and still a gymnast) and is growing into her coaching role. She likes young children - which is a goo thing - and she is sure her future plans will involve working with them in some form.
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Lizzie says she loves gymnastics and dance and dances at Bethan's Dance Academy.
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At home, Lizzie's household are a pretty chilled out bunch, maybe their two cats are teaching them how to stay relaxed?
Helen Jones
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Club Welfare Officer
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Helen is a parent of a former gymnast & coach at the club, and has carried on with the task of being our Welfare Officer.
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We would be lost without her rationale and wisdom.
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Any problems or complaints are dealt with quickly, fairly and robustly through her where appropriate.
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Holly Jones
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Level 2 Women's Artistic Coach
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Holly has been a member of the club since 2005, training and competing as a gymnast herself. She was one of the original gym-fusion squad members.
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Holly now devotes her time to University life where she is studying to be an Architect specialising in accessibility design solutions.
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Olivia Fox
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Level 1 General Gymnastics Coach
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Liv is a sassy, independent and caring soul who has followed her heart and allowed her love of animals to lead her into a Zoology and Conservation degree.
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She will be back in the University holidays to cover some sessions in the gym ask we can't wait to catch up with her.
Lisa Gardner
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Club Welfare Officer
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Lisa is a parent of a gymnast at the club and has a huge amount of experience and practical knowledge in the field of safeguarding children as part of her day job.
She is a knowledgeable and straight talking member of the safeguarding team.
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Any problems or complaints are dealt with quickly, fairly and robustly through her where appropriate.
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