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Gymnastics
Staff
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The staff
at All-American is specially trained by Patti Komara.
Members are CPR and First Aid certified as well as USAG Safety Certified.
Some members are USAG PDP, and Preschool Fundamentals certified. The staff loves
children and realizes that FUN has to play a part in every lesson so the
children will want to return.
Patti’s
All-American is very fortunate to have such a large, qualified staff.
The staff will try to maintain the same schedule throughout the
year. However, your child may
occasionally have a different teacher.
All the staff utilizes the same lesson plans and curriculum sheets,
but every instructor has their own style of teaching.
Please help your child adjust to a new teacher if this occurs.
Our enthusiastic staff is well trained through Patti Komara’s own
teacher–training program and mentoring system. Many of the staff members
are USAG Safety Certified, American Red Cross First Aid, and CPR
Certified. All of the teachers are involved with year round in–service
training as well as continuous video training.
Our office staff is always here to help you.
Our business hours during the school year are Monday thru Wednesday
8:30am - 9:00pm, Thursday 8:30am - 8:00pm, Friday 8:30am - 4:00pm, and Saturday from
8:30 am – 4:00 pm during the summer months.
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Rachael
Tripp (School-Age
Manager and Training Manager),
started teaching gymnastics at Patti’s in 1995.
She is a former varsity cheerleader at Lake Central High
School.
Rachael has been involved in gymnastics for many years and
competed as an optional level gymnast. She is a former Purdue
Calumet cheerleader and was asked to be on the UCA cheering staff.
Rachael has been certified by USA Gymnastics PDP Level I,
Preschool Fundamentals, Kinder Accreditation for Teachers, and is certified in American Red
Cross CPR and First Aid.
Rachael is also USA Gymnastic Safety Certified. She graduated
from Purdue University Calumet in May 2002 with a Bachelors Degree
in Marketing. Rachael attended the National Gymnastics
Congress five times where she took classes to further
her education and two National Brain Trust Conferences. Rachael
is married to Hugh and has a daughter named Tegan. |
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Diane
Spevacek (General Manager, Facility Manager,
Tumblebear Preschool Manager, Special Events Manager, and Staff Training
Director),
has
been teaching at All-American since 1989. She brings a lot of
enthusiasm and love of her job and is a former gymnastic student of
Patti’s Gymnastics.
Diane has been certified by USA Gymnastics, Preschool
Fundamentals, Kinder
Accreditation for Teachers and is Safety Certified.
She is also certified in American Red Cross CPR and First
Aid. Diane and her husband, Scott, reside in St. John. Her daughter,
Nicole, was a teacher here and now lives in Chicago.
Diane attended numerous classes during the 2005 USA National
Gymnastics Congress in Indianapolis as well as attending a national
preschool workshop in Chicago, and Region V congress in Columbus,
Ohio. |
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Nicole
Garza
(School-age Assistant
Manager and Gymnastics Teacher) Nicole
has been with us since 2001. Nicole is First Aid and CPR
certified. She
teaches both preschool and school age gymnastics and various dance
classes including Hip Hop. In 2001, she was the captain of the
Lake Central Cheerleading squad and an All-State nominee. She
also danced for 7 years, won National Dance Championship in Jazz and
Pom in 2000, and choreographs for different teams and stage
productions around Chicagoland area. Nicole
graduated college in May 2008 from Columbia College in Chicago,
Illinois in Vocal Performance and Music Business.
She has released her debut album – all original music -
entitled “Nicki G Versatility.” She lives in Chicago, Illinois. |
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Brittany
Ricciardi
(School-age
Assistant Manager, Gymnastics Training
Manager, and
Gymnastics Teacher) has
been with All-American since 2004.
She took
six years of gymnastics and four years of dance classes from All-American. She played basketball for Lake Central High School
where she was also a cheerleader. Brittany went to Purdue
Lafayette for one year then transferred to Purdue Calumet to be closer to her
family.
She is American Red
Cross First Aid, Adult, Child and Infant CPR certified.
She has graduated with a biology degree in 2009 from Purdue Calumet.
She is recently engaged and is planning her wedding for 2010. She has three sisters and lives in Schererville with her Mom and
Dad. |
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Amy
Pataky
(Gym-N-Learn Director), took gymnastic lessons at Shirley’s in Crown Point for eight
years and here at Patti’s for six years. She was hired originally
in 1990 and was employed for eight years during her high school and
college years. After receiving a degree in education from Purdue
University Calumet and teaching second and fourth grades for five
years she decided to return as a gymnastics teacher. She then
created the Gym-N-Learn Program--the only fitness based nursery
school in NorthWest Indiana. Amy is certified in American Red
Cross First Aid and CPR.
She also is
certified by USA
Gymnastics in Preschool Fundamentals, Kinder
Accreditation for Teachers, and is Safety Certified. Amy
is married and resides in Schererville with her husband Michael and
daughter Madalyn. |
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Nicole
Gainer
(Pool
Manager, Kids Night Out Manager, Gymnastics and Swim Teacher),
Nicole
has worked here at All-American for twelve years as a swim
instructor. She is a gymnastics instructor here at
All-American and has previously taught gymnastics for Tumblebear Gym
on Wheels. She also is American Red
Cross First Aid, Adult, Child and Infant CPR certified as well as a
Water Safety Instructor. She
is also certified by USA Gymnastics, Kinder Accreditation for
Teachers, and Preschool FUNdamentals which is the highest level for
teaching preschool gymnastics, and she is USA Gymnastics Safety
Certified. Nicole is married and resides in Dyer with
her husband, Dave.
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Kelli
Devine (Gymnastics Teacher, and Assistant Preschool Manager)
graduated
from Indiana State University with a degree in Exercise Science.
She has two children, Taylor and David, and a wonderful
husband who also happens to be her best friend.
She has been a fitness instructor and a personal trainer for
the past 24 years-- the last seven at Omni. Kelli
is also certified by USA Gymnastics,
Kinder Accreditation for Teachers that
is the highest level for teaching preschool gymnastics. Kelli
also is USA Gymnastics safety certified and Preschool Fundamentals
certified. She
was a competitive swimmer, tri-athlete and a
body builder.
Kelli is First Aid and CPR certified, AFAA and Ace certified
for group fitness and personal training.
She’s is also a member of I.D.E.A. – International Dance
and Exercise Association. |
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Rhonda
Zaluckyj
(Gymnastics Teacher
and Public Relations Manager) joined
our All-American staff in 2006. Rhonda is a former
varsity cheerleader at Lake Central. She took tumbling classes in
Griffith and at Patti's All-American. She brings
much enthusiasm to her job and loves being around children! Rhonda
is American Red Cross First Aid, Adult, Child and Infant CPR
certified.
She is also certified by USA Gymnastics for Preschool Fundamentals.
Rhonda has spoke at local schools about nutrition and healthy
living. She also was one of the speakers at Patti's "I Love
Gymnastics" Workshop in August 2008. She is
always learning new things and makes her class the place to be! Rhonda
lives in Cedar Lake with her husband, Stevie and her two children,
Seth and Faith.
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Vashanna
Kendrick (Gymnastics
Instructor and Special Events Instructor) Also known as VeVe, has joined our staff this year.
VeVe was a competitive gymnast for ten years.
She participated in three Junior Olympics in Des Moines,
Iowa; Orlando, Florida, and Virginia Beach, Virginia.
In 2002 she retired as a gymnast and became interested in
dance. She studied
jazz, tap, and ballet at Emerson Visual Performing Arts in Gary,
Indiana for four years. VeVe
also traveled across the Midwest while employed with Universal
Cheerleaders Association (UCA) teaching
young cheerleaders tumbling, dance, cheers, and stunts. |
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Kristin
McDermott (Gymnastics Teacher, Special Events
Instructor, and Swim
Teacher) is part of our staff this
year.
Kristin
took gymnastics here at Patti's All-American for four years.
Kristin also
was
a
competitive swimmer with the Lake Central Barracuda swim club for
three years. She
is certified in American Red Cross First Aid, Adult, Child and
Infant CPR and is certified as a Lifeguard.
Kristin
lives at home in Dyer with Mom, sister, Danielle and
dog named Holly.
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Jill Hansen (Gymnastics
Teacher) joined the All-American staff
this year. Jill took six years of gymnastics and four years of
tumbling classes here at Patti's All-American. She was on the
Junior Varsity Lake Central Cheerleading squad for two years.
She also competed on the JV Lake Central cheerleading squad earning
a fifth place in the State of Indiana. Jill loves to tumble
and can't wait to share her knowledge and talents with her
students. Jill lives at home with mom, dad, brother, Josh and
her dog named Sammie.
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Ashlee
Russell
(Swim Teacher and Gymnastics Teacher)
is
part of our All-American staff. Ashely
was a Varsity Cheer Squad from Lake Central High School that won First
Place at the Bulls Classic Cheerleading competition.
Ashlee was named Scholar Athlete two years in a row with a
grade point average of 4.3 out of a 4.
Ashlee took ten years of gymnastics at Patti’s All-American
with Miss Rachael. She
is certified with American
Heart Association in First Aid and Adult, Child, and Infant CPR.
Ashlee reside in St. John with her parents.
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Natasha
Wojciechowski
(Gymnastics Teacher)
is
part of our All-American gymnastics staff.
She took gymnastics at Patti’s All-American for four years.
She enjoys working with children and teaching gymnastics. Natasha
lives in Dyer with her mother, sister Ashley and five foster
children, Amber, Harmony, Tyler, Kylee, and Katrina. |
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Jessie
Parker
(Gymnastics Teacher)
is
part of our All-American gymnastics staff.
Jessica took gymnastics at Patti’s All-American for five
years. She was a cheerleader for four years. Jessica was the
captain of the cheer squad at Thornton Franctional South High
School. She loves working with children and wanted to share
her talents with them. Jessica is currently attending Purdue
Calumet University seeking a degree in Elementary education.
She lives in St. John with her parents.
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Kelly
Gross
(Gymnastics Teacher)
is
part of our All-American gymnastics staff. Kelly
brings seventeen years of gymnastics and ten years of dance classes
to All-American. She was a competitive gymnast. Kelly is
attending Calumet College in Whiting, Indiana. She is active
in theater and loves to sing. Kelly lives in Schererville with
her parents and seven siblings -(four brothers and three
sisters).
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