Our Staff

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North Florida Gymnastics & Cheerleading is the only gym in Orange Park to qualify anyone to the USA National Team in the past 13 years!

Mary Purvis - Owner & Head Coach

NFGC was established in 1990 by the current owner/head coach Mary Purvis. Mary was a USGF competitive gymnast for 8 years at Rines Gymnastic Club in Buffalo, NY, where she began her coaching career at the age of 15. As the NY State Vaulting Champion, Mary received a gymnastic scholarship to the University of Clarion, PA where she went on to be the PA State Bar Champion, a Regional Balance Beam Finalist, and a National Collegiate Uneven Bar Finalist. After graduating in 1985 with a degree in communications, Mary coached in Virginia and then moved to Florida, where she established herself as one of state's top coaches. Mary has worked with many successful gymnasts, including Lissy Smith, a 3-time NCAA All American, who placed 6th in the nation, which put her on the USA National Team. Mary assisted Lissy with her training in Colorado Springs at the US Olympic Training Center. Mary has also qualified Samantha Schueler to the National Team. Samantha was co-captain of the Jacksonville Roar Cheerleading Squad and was voted Rookie of the Year in 2004. She currently is a kindergarden teacher at Lake Asbury Elementary School. Samantha trained under Mary for 10 years!

Mary is a proud mother of 3, Doug who is headed to Gulf Coast University the end of July '07, Lori who is a 5th grader at Fleming Island Elementary, and Isabella who will be turning 2 this September!

Sergey Detkov brings 30 years of coaching experience to our facility! He received his masters degree in massage therapy from the University of Physical Education and Sport, St. Petersburg, Russia. Sergey is a former member of the National Team of the Soviet Union He spent 18 years training and competing at the elite level in gymnastics and competed internationally. Sergey is currently our boys team coach, head tumbling coach, and teaches boys recreational classes.

Kathy Boyer has been with North Florida Gymnastics since August of 2004 and has fast become one of the favorite coaches at the gym. Kathy came to us with considerable experience as a gymnast herself, and as a coach. Starting gymnastics at age 4, Kathy continued in the sport and competed at a private level and high school level in California. She began coaching for United Gymnastics in 1985 at all skill levels and progressed to coaching the level 5 rhythmic gymnastics team in 1986.

Kathy has also worked at other gymnastics facilities in this area, as well as taking a break from gymnastics and working in the corporate world for 15 years as an accounting specialist, recovery analyst, and accountant. She is the proud mother of three daughters that compete in soccer and gymnastics. Kathy currently coaches our pre-team, preschool, recreational, and tumbling classes.

Ashley has fast become a favorite coach to our competitive gymnasts. She offers fun with structure and a “you can do it” attitude. Ashley was a former North Florida Gymnast competing Level 10 where she was the state vault champion 5 out of her 10 years of competition. She placed 2 nd in the Alabama State Championships at Level 9 in 2002, and placed 2 nd in the Alabama State Championships at Level 7 in 2000.

Ashley has been coaching with us, and in Gainesville for two years and is currently on academic scholarship at the University of Florida. She is a double major in history and classics. Ashley has been coaching with North Florida Gymnastics for four years and is currently on an academic scholarship to the University of Florida where she is majoring in history.

Lisa Lucas

Lisa Lucas is a former all-star, collegiate, and high school cheerleader. Lisa is an active member at Lakeforest Church of Christ and enjoys her position here at North Florida teaching pre-team, preschool and recreational classes. Lisa has been with us for close to a year and has become a favorite among the children. Lisa was just married in August of 2006 and enjoys working more pre-school morning classes.

Jeri Stevenson

Jeri Stevenson has 2 years experience as a competitive gymnast, and 9 years experience in cheerleading. She has been employed at North Florida Gymnastics since the summer of 2005 and was a wonderful addition to our Summer Camp staff. Jeri is currently coaching preschool and recreational classes, as well as, beginning tumbling. She is also currently attending FCCJ and majoring in accounting.

Michelle White

Michelle began working with us in June of 2007 at summer camp and has been training all summer long. She is one of our tumblers and has been attending our facility for over 4 years. She is currently at Junior at Fleming Island High School and cheered at OPAA. Michelle enjoys art and design and is currently working on a new design for our facility t-shirts. Always working to get the job done right, Michelle is teaching preschool gymnastics classes two days each week.

Alana Frederick

Alana is one of our favorite pre-school coaches! Her sweet voice and calm demeanor are very comforting to our "first time in the gym" little ones. Alana has been volunteering with us over the past two summers in camp and now has taken on weekly classes of her own. Alana attends Ridgeview High School and is the co-captain of the Ridgeview Panther Prowler dance team. She is a member of the IB program and is an awesome violinist. She has been playing for over 11 years and plans on majoring in music at college so she can one day teach violin to children.

Maddie Goldstein

Maddie has made a wonderful new addition to our coaching staff! She comes to us with 2 years of gymnastics experience and 4 years cheerleading experience at Orange Park High School. She has also coached in the PAL program for 2 years. Maddie has been one of our students here at NFGC for years. Maddie is active in the community volunteering at various youth functions and loves working with the kids. She is currently coaching pre-school, recreational, and tumbling classes.