Owner/operators, Justin-gymnastics instructor, all levels including apparatus, team coach, ninja coach
owner/operator, Jessica- gymnastics instructor, office manager
hello! We are Justin and Jessica Thoms we have two children, Bryson age 12 and Brooklyn age 10. We currently reside in Fulton Illinois. have been running and teaching at Great River Gymnastics since we took over for bob douglas 3 years ago. But before that We have taught acrobatics and tumbling in Davenport IA. Our daughter Brooklyn has been coming here since she was 4 years old She loves power tumbling and dances competitively with acro dance. Bryson also recently joined gymnastics and dance. he also enjoys hiking, baseball, and wrestling. We love sharing our knowledge of tumbing, gymnastics, acrobatics, and personal fitness, to help children achieve their goals and to build healthy active life-styles.
Justin's usga Certificates-
Usga Safe sport certificates 1,2, and 3
gymnastics business foundations
Fundamentals of gymnastics instruction
gymnastics pro first aid
gymnastics sports science
safety and sports management
stewards of children
gym cert 101
development coaches - hands on training
instructor certified
professional coach membership
usa gymnastics fitness
cpr & Aed certified
usga professional member background check
Jessica's Certificates
Usga instructor certified
Usga professional member background check
safe sport practices
cpr & Aed Certified
Preschool gymnastics development certificate
Bailee Spencer, gymnastics Instructor and team coach
I started gymnastics at a very young age because I would always watch it on tv and beg my mom to be apart of it. I started when I was around the age of 6 and continued on until about 16 years old. I joined "show team" which is where a group of girls go around a perform for half time shows, or show in parades and so on. I had the option to compete on a competitive level 7 team, or to become apart of the "new" pre-op team which is basically a level 8 but you get to make up your own routines for all events. I continued on with gymnastics and Played volleyball through highschool. I will ALWAYS have the love for gymnastics . I now have a one year old little boy, his name is Maverick and I cannot wait until he is old enough to join gymnastics. I absolutely love working with children of all ages to help better themselves!
Certificates
usga instructor certified
usga instructor background screen
usga safe sport
usga safe practices
Amy Craft, gymnastics Instructor and Assistant team coach
Amy is a former gymnast who took many years of classes with bob douglas. Amy and husband jason have three children, Elijah, Elaina, and Eleah who all enjoy the sport of gymnastics and dance. in Amy's free time, she enjoys running, outdoors, healthy and family activities. Amy enjoys instructing the young age of gymnastics, and building a strong foundation of the sport.
Certificates
usga instructor certified
Professional Coach member
usga instructor background screen
usga safe sport
usga safe practices
Team Coach
CPR Certified
Erin started dance when she was 3 at a studio in her hometown, Morrison, where she danced for 15 years until she graduated from high school. In high school, she was on her hometown’s competitive dance team and earned a state title her freshman year. She continued to dance competitively in college on the St. Ambrose Dance Team. Erin and the team traveled to many different states for competitions and ended up winning the NAIA National Championship her freshman year! Erin’s sophomore year she decided to take a break from the competitive dance lifestyle and joined the St. Ambrose Dance Company as a dancer & choreographer. Erin was the assistant coach for Morrison’s Pom Poms team for the 2017 - 2018 year and also began as an instructor at Great River the fall of 2017. Since then, Erin has tought Hip-Hop, Poms, and even some preschool tumbling for us! She has experience in several different styles of dance, including: ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, hip-hop, poms, and lyrical/contemporary. Erin is very passionate about teaching her love for dance to children of all ages!
Ashly Brown - Dance instructor
I have been dancing for as long as i can remember. From a young age i have been dancing and competing in dance. Now i have a wonderful husband and three children. I have been instructing and doing choreography for over 10 years. I enjoy instructing dance to all ages.
tap, jazz, hip-hop, poms, ballet instructor (substitute)-Jill Beswick, is from Morrison IL, she began her dancing career at the age of 4, and continued dancing at that studio for the next 14 Years. She was chosen in 8th grade to be the doll in her studio's Nutcracker ballet, and then she was chosen to be Snow queen for her studios Christmas Recital her junior year. Once she got to high school she was selected for the high school dance team, and was a member for all 4 years; 2 of the years as Captain. Her high school dance team also were state champions all 4 years! After graduation she was offered an assistant coaching position at the high school for the dance team, and did that for one year. Another position she was offered after high school, was an instructor position at the studio she previously attended in Morrison. She worked at that studio from 2011-2014 . In 2011 her studio traveled to Miami Florida to dance in the half time show of the orange bowl with Train. The following year, her studio went to san Diego California, to perform in the half time show of the holiday bowl with Dierks Bentley. She performed in both of these unforgettable events, as well as took convention classes with famous choreographers. In 2014 she began her instructor position at The Stage Door studio in Dixon Illinois. She currently is still teaching there. In 2015 she was offered head coach position at Morrison high school for dance team, and is the current head coach. Her dance teams have been state champions both years she has coached. She has had lots of different dance experiences throughout the past 20years and loves inspiring kids to have the love for dance that she does!
Mary- Office manager
Mary has been with us for two years! Mary takes care of all office work, working with customers to help find classes, clothing, and keep us all in line. Mary is the mother of three, and the mother of owner jessica. Mary is also know as the "candy lady" providing all the candy for the students after they leave class.
Katie Gallagher Gymnastics instructor
I have been doing gymnastics since i was 11 years old with Bob douglas. I helped coach with bob for two years before going off to college. In college i participated in club gymnastics. I have been instructing at great river now for going on two years. I am a dog mom of 4, and have a baby boy!
Certificates
usga instructor certified
usga instructor background screen
usga safe sport
usga safe practices
ballet instructor-Linda Luckstead!
Linda discovered ballet as a child growing up in Clinton, where she began her early training. As a teen, she continued her studies in Chicago and New York City. In Chicago, she studied at Allegro School and Stone Camryn; in New York, at Ballet theater (now American Ballet Theatre); and Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo as a private student of Marie Swoboda. She studied jazz with Gus Giordano in Chicago and Buzz Cooper in New York. More recently, she has studied with Master Karlov Zsedenvi, presently teaching in New York; Robert Barnett of the Atlanta Ballet; Fred Mathews of New York City; and Lynn Taylor-Corbett. In 1981, as a member of the Quad City Civic Ballet Company, she created the role of Queen of the Night in its production of The Blue Bird. She was Artistic Director of the Quad City Company until she assumed the same position with Gateway Contemporary Ballet when it was founded in 1983.
Gymnastics substitute instructor
Hi I'm whitney strehle. as a child I spent many years in gymnastics, and loved the sport. I have a three year old lennon. I currently work at mercy medical center as a cna. in my free time I enjoy spending time with my daughter, and doing yoga. I have been teaching at great river for two years, and love every minute of it.
Certificates-
Gymnastics instructor certified
preschool gymnastics hands on training
gymnastics safe sport practices
usga instructor background check certified