| Owners | |
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Tom Koll
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Jody Newman
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Tom has been with the company since 1981. Tom graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha with a BS in Physical Education and French. He is greatly involved in the sport of gymnastics for the country. He is currently the National Junior Olympic Committee Chairman, Women’s Program Committee Chairman, and the Women’s Program Representative on the Board of Directors for USA Gymnastics. He has been coaching and judging gymnastics for over 30 years, and has a USAG Brevet judge’s rating. He has been one of the authors of the USA Gymnastics’ national compulsory routines since 1997. Tom enjoys teaching all levels of gymnastics. Along with his teaching responsibilities here at Premier, he travels often doing State, Regional, and National clinics and congresses throughout the country. He has two children, Blake and Lauren. |
Jody has been with the company since 1997. Marketing and Advertising are his primary responsibilities at Premier in addition to normal day to day business responsibilities. Jody graduated from Arizona State University with a B.S. in Communication. He has been involved in gymnastics since the age of 5. His gymnastics experience includes: being a member of the U.S. National Team, getting the opportunity to compete in Romania, competing for Arizona State University, and obtaining NCAA All-American status on the floor excercise, pommel horse, and in the all around. Jody is married to Karli (Urban) and has three children, Bailey, Spencer, and Zoey. |
| Directors | |
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Trampoline & Tumbling Director Starting February 15, 2010 Eric Carlson |
In his 15 years coaching gymnastics, Eric has worked with all levels of athletes from toddlers to top performers. This includes attending several Junior National Championships with participating athletes, the World Age-Group Games in Denmark and developed the youngest athlete to qualify for the Junior Elite ranking at that time. |
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Birthday Party Director
Nova Cottle |
Nova has been with Premier since December of 2004. She joined the company after her daughters got involved in gymnastics. As birthday party director, Nova makes sure that the parties are fun and safe for children of all ages. The parties are a combination of organized activities and free play time. Nova graduated from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio with a BS in Nursing. She put her career on hold so she could stay at home and raise her family. Nova has five great children (Quintin, Zachary, Amber, Montana, and McKenzie) who are involved in many extra curricular activities. Nova's husband, Larry, has proudly served in the Army and is currently an Omaha Firefighter. |
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Martial Arts Director
Wesley Smith
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Wesley has been with the company since 2009. Since the 80’s one of his longtime dreams was to become “The Karate Kid”. In 1989 he started his career with Martial Arts. Judo was his first style. He was only 10 years old. Since then he has trained in different styles of Martial Arts such as, Tae Kwon Do, RBWI, and Jujitsu. He then found that Japanese Karate and Jujitsu to be his favorite. He competed in the 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998 Cornhusker State games where he won 1st place in forms and 1st place in sparring. In May of 1998 he took 2nd at the Tornado nationals. In 2008 he made a comeback to the Cornhusker State games and placed 2nd in forms and 2nd in sparring. He is currently teaching Kamishin Ryu Karate Do and has been teaching this style for over 2 years. He has quite a bit of instructional training in other different activities. He was an aquatics teacher for 10 years. He taught gymnastics, and has been a soccer coach as well. Wesley has also had experience in teaching Preschool. He was a Preschool teacher at an intergenerational child development center for 4 years. He is a proud father of four children. |
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Girls' Artistic Gymnastics Team Director
Mike Durante |
Mike has been coaching since 1993. He has coached optional level gymnasts in Arizona and Florida. He is a USAG professional member and USAG safety certified. Mike graduated from Arizona State University in 1997 with a Bachelor of Science in Construction where he was also a member of the men's gymnastics team. Mike is the proud father of 2 sons: Jett and Justice |
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Dance / Combo / Sleepover Director
Gerry Matsunami |
Gerry has been with the company since 2001. She has been coaching and teaching gymnastics since 1977. Gerry competed in gymnastics in high school and was a gymnastics judge for the Nebraska School Activities Association for 27 years. Gerry has been teaching dance for over 20 years. She began her teaching career with Mary Waugh Taylor and danced with Visions Unlimited and the MWT dancers. Gerry also taught for Ballet Omaha and ADA. Her expertise is in young children’s dance education, with a specialization in pre-ballet and pre-school dancers. She and her husband Rick along with their three children Merrit, Ryley and M’rcy have been very active in the Omaha Dance and gymnastics community for many years. |
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Administrative Director
Celeste Olson |
Celeste has been with the company since August 1996. As the Administrative Director Celeste manages the Premier Pro Shop, supplies and ordering, class registrations, handles accounts receivables, accounts payables & human resources. Celeste attended both the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and the University of Nebraska Omaha, with studies in Early Elementary Education, Business and Accounting. Celeste has worked in the field of accounting since 1979. Celeste married Douglas Olson, August 2005. Children/stepchildren include Bruce & Maryanne Olson of Florida, Faye & Peter Olson, Omaha, Megan Duster, Omaha, Rachel & Chris Emerson, Wisconsin & Justin Duster, Omaha. Her hobbies include reading, sewing, needlework, spending time with her husband and visiting granddaughter Parker Emerson and grandson Gunner Olson. |
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Recreational Gymnastics Director
Jamie Pritchard |
Information to come |
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