Kayla started competitive cheerleading at the age of 3 and went on to compete for a total of 19 years on 38 teams thanks to crossover opportunities. When she wasn’t at cheerleading practices you could find her at gymnastics, dance, tumbling classes, the gym, or in a kitchen. Kayla went to school for culinary arts and management at George Washington Carver Center and later returned to Coach the Varsity and JV Cheerleading teams. In total, she has 14 years of Coaching experience through Cheerleading, Gymnastics, Dance (Acro, Ballet, Hip hop, Jazz, Lyrical, and Tap), Tumbling, and Strength and Flexibility working with Children ages 10 months through 18 years old.

Naomi began her gymnastics journey at the age of 5. Throughout her childhood, she flipped, tumbled, and swung her way through various gyms, including Sokol Baltimore. She eventually took her passion to the next level by competing on a gymnastics team. After her competitive career ended, Naomi returned to Sokol as a volunteer coach, where her love for gymnastics evolved into a passion for coaching. Committed to mentoring children in Baltimore, Naomi tutors youth in three different programs and is hoping to pursue a path in Special Education. She coaches Sokol's explorer, beginner, and intermediate classes. Naomi also contributes her creative flair to social media development.

Madelyn has a background in dance and aerial arts. During high school, she studied ballet, jazz, and contemporary and performed with her school's dance team. At the age of 15, she started learning aerial arts at a local studio and especially fell in love with lyra. Soon after, she began taking tumbling, handstand, and contortion classes to learn new skills. Madelyn is originally from Austin, TX, but moved to the Baltimore area following her graduation from Goucher College. She is excited to share the joy and confidence that gymnastics offers!

London has a background in the fundamentals of gymnastics and acrobatics. Her passion for dance, gymnastics, and the artistry of movement shines through in every class. She loves helping students build confidence, flexibility, and strength. Whether in the studio or on the mat, London brings creativity and care to every class she leads.

Brittany has been coaching children’s gymnastics at Sokol for the past year and a half. A lifelong gymnastics enthusiast, Brittany trained as a child and always hoped to return to the sport. Now, she shares that passion with a new generation of kiddos — including her own two children, who also love training at Sokol!

Dom is a versatile athlete and coach who thrives on new challenges. After his siblings joined Sokol, he added gymnastics to his background in hockey, cross-country, and high ropes. Over the next year and a half, he gained hands-on experience as an assistant coach, performed in Sokol gymnastics shows, and participated in the 2025 Sokol Slet festival. In the Summer of 2025, Dom attended the Sokol Instructor School, a ten-day program that included training in spotting, class management, practical teaching, and team building. He has now stepped into leading his own classes, bringing both his broad athletic background and his enthusiasm for teaching to every class.

Jillian found Sokol while looking to get back into gymnastics after having other interests throughout her college career. She previously did recreational gymnastics for 8 years and has 9 years of dance experience with her favorite events being floor and bars. Jillian is currently working towards earning her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. She is CPR certified and is looking forward to working with the gymnasts in explorers, beginners, and intermediate classes.

Lindsey is passionate about teaching many styles of dance, movement arts, Yoga and acrobatics. She has loved performing and directing her professional dance and circus arts company, Golden Dance Experiment since 2012. Lindsey has 20 years of teaching experience in dance and 18 years in yoga. She is also a dedicated choreographer, videographer, and production director. Lindsey brings excitement and whimsy to her classes and is now teaching partner acrobatics, Acro for Dancers, rhythmic gymnastics and other special events like floor routine clinics. She is happy to be the adult and events program manager at Sokol Baltimore and loves coaching youth gymnastics.

Kim started coaching at Sokol in early 2019. Her gymnastics adventure started at age 3 and she competed up to Level 6 through high school. Kim moved to Baltimore in 2015 and lives in the Patterson Park Neighborhood. She credits gymnastics with building her self-confidence and enjoys sharing the sport with the young gymnasts she coaches. Kim utilizes her experience to coach any classes needed from parent/child to intermediate levels and adult fitness.

Jill is a full-time Project Manager for Hussmann and has been a volunteer coach at Sokol for 5 years. She
started with Sokol as a participant in adult classes in 2011, then her 18mo daughter joined Sokol's
parent-child classes in 2014 as soon as she was able. Jill only has 2 years of formal gymnastics, but spent
10 years as a cheerleader, 15 years in dance, and over 15 years as a CrossFit coach. She has over 12
years of experience teaching children in fitness and exercise-related classes. At Sokol, Jill has coached
the parent-child classes, Explorers and Level 1's. In addition to coaching at Sokol, you might spot her teaching CrossFit adult & kids classes, and kids dance classes in Southeast Baltimore. She loves teaching kids how to properly and safely move their bodies and wants kids to learn that exercise can be fun!

Joseph’s dad, a Sokol gymnast himself, took him to beginners’ gymnastics class at Sokol Dallas when he was 6 years old. That became his second home where he practiced and coached younger children until he graduated from high school. After college, work took him to Houston, where he coached at the Sokol there. Several years and career moves later he landed in Baltimore and enrolled his own children in Sokol classes. He has been a member and coach at Sokol Baltimore for over 25 years. He enjoys sharing what he knows and watching gymnasts progress in strength and self-confidence.

Alisha is a former competitive gymnast from Frederick, MD. She is a current pre-med undergraduate student at Johns Hopkins University. Beam is her favorite event and she is excited to join the Sokol gymnastics community!

Anne Straith was a competitive gymnast for six years, first competing out of Troy, MI from 2011 to 2015, reaching Level 6. After a break from the sport, she rejoined gymnastics in college through the National Association of Intercollegiate Gymnastics Clubs (NAIGC), further refining her skills and deepening her love for the sport. She is excited to bring her experience and enthusiasm to Sokol Baltimore, eager to learn and grow alongside our athletes as they build their fundamentals and begin their own gymnastics journeys.

Mariyah Wiggins is a sophomore at Morgan State University and a member of the Acro and Tumbling team. She has been passionate about gymnastics since the age of three, training and competing through high school at Level 9 and working on Level 10 skills. With years of experience, Mariyah loves teaching young athletes about the sport she loves, focusing on building strong fundamentals and boosting confidence. Her coaching style emphasizes strength, flexibility, and technique, while creating a positive, supportive environment for growth. Mariyah’s goal is to inspire a lifelong passion for gymnastics and fitness in all of her students.

Jessie began her Sokol Adventure when she enrolled her daughter Addie in classes. Soon after her sons, Dom, Wil & Izzy, were also involved at Sokol. As an erstwhile civil engineer and keen homeschool Mom, Jessie supports her parent & child teams with research based pedagogy spilt into manageable bits. She is grateful to be part of the dedicated and deft coaching staff at Sokol Baltimore.

Katie started gymnastics in elementary school after quitting ballet and loved it right away, going on to compete in high school gymnastics and college club gymnastics. Katie moved to Baltimore to work at the US Army Corps of Engineers and was thrilled to find an opportunity to continue practicing gymnastics at Sokol Baltimore. She has been a volunteer coach since 2014, competing for Sokol Baltimore several times and performing at the Czech and Slovak Heritage Festival. Katie coaches beginner, intermediate, advanced, and adults. She has two lovely kitties, Wendell & Lulu, and a supporting husband, Scott.

De’Mara Dodson is a high school student working towards an associate's degree in general science. She is also deeply involved in the world of dance and gymnastics. Her journey began at 11 years old when she discovered her above average flexibility. As a dancer, coach and gymnast, she has explored and bettered her skills and found particular joy in acrobatic dance. With her diverse background and dedication to helping others, she is excited to make a significant impact in the lives of her students. She looks forward to inspiring them to explore their own potential in movement and flexibility with gymnastics.

Sarah’s passion for movement and dance began at 5 years old and she went on to study ballet and modern dance as a teenager and has been teaching dance since age 16. She then went on to major in modern dance and kinesiology at the University of Maryland. While at UMD Sarah expanded her movement expertise to rock climbing during her time as co-president of the UMD club rock climbing team as well as coaching young athletes in strength and conditioning. She is currently a Student Doctor of Physical Therapy at University of Maryland Baltimore School of Medicine and has a passion for injury prevention in young athletes. Sarah loves learning new things and is excited to translate her knowledge and experience to gymnastics.

Molly has been loving gymnastics since she was 3 years old. Recreational gymnastics classes were one of the highlights of her childhood. In high school, she got the opportunity to coach toddler and preschool classes. Molly also has an extensive dance background, including dancing and choreographing up to the college level. Molly is currently working towards her Master’s in counseling at Loyola. She believes movement and gymnastics are for everyone, and is very excited to be a part of Sokol Baltimore’s mission.

Jasmine Todd began her dance journey at Flair Dance Studio at the age of seven. Her foundational training there led her to the Peabody Preparatory Dance program, where she further honed her skills and cultivated a deep passion for the art form.

Jasmine chose to pursue her academic and artistic goals by enrolling in the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University.

She is currently working towards her bachelor’s degree, seamlessly blending her love for dance with her dedication to education.

Jasmine has held various teaching and leadership roles that showcase her commitment to nurturing the next generation of dancers. Through these roles, Jasmine continues to expand her own artistry while inspiring others to pursue their passion for dance.

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