ORGC Coaching Staff
Aliesha W., NCCP II: Aliesha started rhythmic gymnastics at the age of 7. She
trained competitively for the next 12 years. She has a coaching diploma, NCCP II and is
currently in the process of getting her NCCP III (finished theory and technical courses
already). Aliesha spent a lot of time developing her skills at Sport Seneca and Etobicoke
RG Club as well as out in Vancouver. Aliesha loves the RG sport and is very happy to be
able to share it with others at ORGC.
Alla S., NCCP II: Alla has been coaching for 11 years. She began her gymnastics
career at the age of 5 in Eastern Europe. After moving to Canada, she continued training
with Club Ritmika in Toronto. She was a Provincial Champion in 1993 and then went on to
compete at the national and international levels. Alla holds Bachelor degrees in
Education (Primary/Junior levels) and Kinesiology and Health Science.
Amanda Y., NCCP I: Amanda has been a rhythmic gymnast for 13 years. At the age of 6
Amanda started competition being coached by Xinhong. She grows up with gymnastics being a
huge part of her life. Amanda has been named a provincial champion 4 times (2 individual
and 2 group). She also won a national group silver medal in 2005. In 2006, Amanda received
the Cappie Award for Best Dancer in Canada. Now retired, Amanda is part of the ORGC
Professional Performance team and continues to perform and coach new gymnasts.
Chelsea P., NCCP I: Chelsea began training with the ORGC in September 1997 at 8.
She continued training throughout a busy schedule at Canterbury High School, which she
attended for the dance program. She began coaching at camps and taught the Recreational
Sunday 5-7 class in grade 12. Chelsea graduated from Canterbury in June 2006 and decided
to pursue a career in modeling. She went to New York City for three weeks in July 2006
and has been working in Montreal recently. When she is in Ottawa she drops by training to
stretch and is a demonstrator for the Synchronized Swimming Team's flexibility class. She
is also a replacement coach. In January 2007 Chelsea will be leaving for Milan, Italy to
model for at least three months. Rhythmic gymnastics has had a huge influence on who
Chelsea is today and she will carry the values of dedication and perseverance into every
aspect of her life. She will miss this beautiful sport and everyone at the club
tremendously while she is away.
Genevieve D., NCCP I: Genevieve is a retired National and Provincial gymnast. She
represented New-Brunswick as a National gymnast and Ottawa as a provincial gymnast. She
did rhythmic gymnastics for 6 years and has been coaching for 5 years.
Keiko M., NCCP II : Keiko moved to Canada from Japan in 2002. She was part of the
coaching team at the MEG RG club while in Japan. She joined ORGC as a coach in 2003. As a
child, Keiko had ballet training for 7 years since the age of 6. She then joined a junior
high school rhythmic gymnastics club at the age of 14. In addition to dance and RG, Keiko
studied Japanese calligraphy for several years. She also studied piano throughout her
childhood.
Kelly T., NCCP I: Kelly was first introduced to rhythmic gymnastics when she was
seven years old by her ballet instructor. She immediately took to it, entering the Sports
Seneca Competitive Program one year later. In her first year she won a gold metal in
group, and in her second year won provincial championships. In the course of her career,
Kelly has won six group national titles, competed internationally at Four Continents,
twice at Junior Pan American, winning the gold metal in clubs group and third in ribbon
group and team. Kelly began coaching gymnastics at 13, first teaching ballet then rhythmic
gymnastics.
Kristina A., NCCP II: Kristina grew up in Montreal, where she first got involved in
rhythmic gymnastics at Questo rhythmics at the age of 6. Kristina was Quebec Provincial
Champion 7 times in her career and was also individual Eastern Canadian Champion and group
Canadian Champion. She participated in various international competitions in Europe and
the USA and was a member of the Canadian National team in 1997. Kristina moved to Ottawa
to pursue her university studies and began coaching at the ORGC in the fall of 1999.
Kristina is currently in her 4th and final year of medical school at the University of
Ottawa and hopes to continue her post-graduate medical training in Ottawa, so she can
continue coaching at the ORGC.
Laurie L., NCCP II: Laurie is a graduate in honours science from York University.
Her competitive artistic gymnastics career concluded with many provincial and national titles
in the varsity program. Her gymnastics coaching career started as a young teenager and
even allowed her to use her expertise overseas. Laurie has managed many fitness
facilities and coached in a variety of gymnastics clubs for close to 30 years. She enjoys
the complimentary effects the disciplines of fitness and gymnastics have with each other.
Currently, Laurie holds Provincial Level 2 certifications in Artistic and Rhythmic
Gymnastics and Trampoline. She is also an Invitational Artistic Gymnastics Judge and
Ontario Development Program (ODP) Assessor. Laurie recognizes the importance of fun,
creative programming for participants. She strives to have participants put forth their
best effort and achieve success in a positive environment. Laurie joined Ottawa Rhythmic
Gymnastics Club as a coach in 2002.
Melanie A., NCCP II: An avid ballet dancer since age three, Melanie was one of the
club's first gymnasts when it opened in 1996. Starting out as a recreational gymnast,
Melanie got to experience many of the different and creative sides of rhythmic gymnastics
as a red ribbon competitor, as well as a provincial group member and an interclub
individual gold medalist. Along the years, she has participated in many of the club's most
exiting and memorable moments, such as the 1998 Canadian gymnaestrada - the club's first -
as well as the first official trip to China, where she performed with other group members
in Hangzhou. She is now a NCCP II coach for the ORGC, and hopes to spread her love of RG
to all future generations of gymnasts.
Nancy C., NCCP I, CDTA, CDDDSC, Club Administrator: Nancy has been dancing
ballet since a very young age. She has been teaching ballet now for 20 years. She has
been with ORGC for the past 10 years. Nancy is a CDTA (Canadian Dance Teachers'
Association) member, a CDDDSC (Canadian Dance & Dance Sport Council) member, NCCP I, and
is currently in the process of getting her NCCP II (finished theory courses already).
Olga C., NCCP II: Olga was born in the town of Omsk, Western Siberia in Russia. She
started her rhythmic gymnastics training at the age of 6. Her training was very intensive
with a weekly program of 30+ hours in the gym with some of the top coaches in Russia. Her
school has produced national and world champion rhythmic gymnasts. By the age of 12, Olga
was competing nationally in the former USSR. Olga reached the level of master sport in
Rhythmic Gymnastics and helped coach the younger gymnasts while attending university and
graduating with a degree in Sports Administration. Olga immigrated to Canada in 2002 with
her husband Chris to start their family. She is currently a NCCP II coach and has been
working at the ORGC for 4 years. Olga hopes one day her two daughters will enjoy RG as
much as she does.
Sarah C., NCCP I: Sarah was born in February 1988 during the biggest snowstorm of
the year. Her mother first took her to dance class after the 4 year-old Sarah said:
"Mommy! I dancer!" At the age of 5 or 6, Sarah joined Rhythmic Gymnastics and was coached
by Xinhong. Her first competition was the Kanata Cup at the age of 7. Since then, she has
competed at a provincial level individually and in groups for about 11 years. Her final
competitive season saw Sarah become Provincial Champion and a national gymnast as her
group took silver at the National Duo competition. Now retired, Sarah is part of the ORGC
Professional Performance team and continues to perform and coach new gymnasts.
Xinhong J., NCCP III, Head Coach: Xinhong holds a M.A. degree in Sport Psychology
and a B.A. in Physical Education. She is a certified NCCP level III coach and judge, as
well as a NCCP course conductor for Gymnastics Ontario. Xinhong has 20+ years RG coaching
experience. In 2006, she won the National Wild Rose Domestic Development Coaching Award.
This award is given annually to one exceptional coach in Canada who works directly with
gymnasts and also develops programming and initiatives that build the sport from the
grass-roots.
Ottawa Rhythmic Gymnastics Club
P.O. Box 74162, Ottawa, K1M 2H9
Tel: 613-741-8808, Fax: 613-741-7881
ORGC@goldenbridge.ca
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