Meet our Staff at Spirit n' Motion Athletic School
Amanda Wilson is the owner and Head Coach of SMAS Gymnastics. Amanda has been coaching in the gymnastics and cheerleading industry for over 28 years. She grew up as a gymnast and did competitive cheerleading internationally in high school and was a Varsity cheerleader for the University of Idaho while attending college. Amanda has a degree in Elementary Education and loves teaching and working with children. Her love for gymnastics and children, started as a hobby creating programs for youth and has branched into a full business over the past 20 years. She loves coaching and offering gymnastics programs to the wonderful children of this community. Amanda coaches both competitive gymnastics teams and recreation classes, as well as runs the business. She is head coach to all her assistant coaches. She is also a Zumba instructor at Zenergy and has a travel Agency business on the side as well. She loves to help and work with other people. She loves being a mom, and spending time outdoors with her family and traveling when opportunities arise! Amanda will be coaching/overseeing all team levels.
Zoe Lee is from Idaho Falls. She grew up there and did competitive gymnastics up to level 7! At 14, she quit gymnastics to fully pursue soccer. She started coaching recreational gymnastics at this time. She played two years of soccer at North Idaho College and got her bachelors in nursing there. She graduated with my RN in May 2022 and moved from Coeur d’Alene back to Idaho Falls. She worked a year at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center on the surgical/orthopedic floor. She plans to continue her nursing career here at St. Luke’s! She has been coaching gymnastics for 10 years now starting at Idaho Elite Gymnastics. From there she coached at Avant Coeur Gymnastics in CDA then at Avalanche Gymnastics Academy in Idaho Falls. She is forever grateful for the life lessons gymnastics taught her and the friendships it has and continues to bring her. She loves working with kids and hopes that she can help inspire them the same way she was inspired!
Amy Backus–Amy Backus was raised in the Wood River Valley, competing in gymnastics as a child and cheerleading through her teenage years. That passion has continued into adulthood and blossomed into a love of yoga and coaching gymnastics. Amy believes that gymnastics benefits all children (and adults!) in developing balance, flexibility, mobility, coordination and grit that they can apply to many different sports and facets of life! Amy has extensive experience working with children as a kindergarten and special education teacher as she enters her 18th year of teaching. She is also a mom of two, both of whom have thrived in the gymnastics and ninja programs at SMAS. Amy loves yoga, adult gymnastics, swimming, skiing, and all water sports! Amy will be working with our Silver, Gold, and Platinum Athletes.
Tina McGrew–Tina McGrew is a Wood River Valley native, but lived away for 25 years for college and as a military spouse. She competed for Wood River Gymnastics through her junior year of high school. She's remained active in skiing, mountain biking, running, and strength training. Tina is a Registered Dietitian and has a private nutritional counseling practice, Elevation Nutrition, LLC. She was also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist from 2003 to 2017. In her years of experience she has worked in various gyms in college and the Seattle area, in clinical outpatient for the Army, and clinical in-patient in the NICU, ICU, and acute care. Her most recent clinical position was at Primary Children's Hospital in the outpatient Food Allergy and EoE, and gastroenterology clinics. Before moving back to Hailey in 2021, she was a Haus Frau in Germany for 4 years (Ja, ich spreche ein bisschen Deutsch). Tina is excited to be able to coach the Xcel Gymnastics Kids at SMAS! She will be working with our Silver, Gold and Platinum athletes.
Jaime Masner– A little about me…I was born and raised in Kirkland, WA, later attending the University of Washington. I began gymnastics at 5 years old at Northwest Aerials. Later on, my coaches started their own gym and I moved with them to North Shore gymnastics in Woodinville, WA. I made it to level 10 in club gymnastics where my biggest accomplishment was qualifying and competing at level 10 nationals when I was 14. Due to some ongoing back issues, I decided to end my club career at 15 and focus on high school gymnastics. I was fortunate to attend a high school with a very strong gymnastics team where we ended up winning state 3 out the 4 years I was there. I was also a high school cheerleader for 4 years as well. I absolutely loved the team aspect of my high school years and it was an incredible experience. I have two daughters and Emi, my 9 year old is currently a gold gymnast with SMAS. I love skiing, mountain biking, snowboarding and skate skiing. We love living in our beautiful mountain town and the lifestyle and sunshine. We have been in the valley off and on, and moved here permanently 4 years ago. I’m still new to coaching gymnastics but I’m excited to continue learning and growing in this role. I really want to see the girls succeed and at the same time help foster the joy and confidence that I found in gymnastics. She will be coaching the gold team.
Chelsea Kandler–Hello all, my name is Chelsea & I am so excited to be coaching. I am a single mom of 3 beautiful girls. This will be my daughter, Peyton’s, 2nd year on team. She has fallen in love with competing and it’s been fun watching her confidence boost. I’m grateful I now have the opportunity to be apart of the team and these kids growth. I was a rec coach with SMAS back in 2015-2016 and currently help with open gyms and run birthday parties on the weekends at the gym. I’m excited to grow and learn with these girls, it’s going to be an awesome year! Chelsea will be coaching our bronze team.
Isabella Vazquez– Isa is in high school and has been coaching gymnastics for the past two years. She was a dancer growing up and was also a cheerleader. She absolutely loves coaching rec gymnastics and is wonderful with the kids. She is excited to move into coaching bronzes as well and learning more about competitive gymnastics and being a team coach as well as a rec coach. She is also a Barista and you can catch her mixing up some yummy drinks at Java. She loves to travel and got to go to Italy last year. Isa will be coaching Bronze and Silver Groups as well as all levels of rec gymnasts.
Alaylia Norton–is finishing up her Senior year at the University of Idaho double majoring in Public Broadcasting and Journalism with minors in Theater and Creative writing. She is Amanda’s daughter and has grown up in this gym and absolutely love coaching our team girls. She was a competitive gymnast for a few years, but specifically was an All Star Competitive and high school cheerleader and dancer as well. She was a competitive athlete from 5 years old-17 years old. It is part of her soul. She is also a professional nanny and absolutely love teaching, nurturing, and caring for children. We are so lucky to have her joining our staff for the summer. Alaylia will be coaching our Bronze and Silver groups.
Laila Duke was a competitive gymnast for 6 years. She has retired this year and is loving coaching. She is bilingual and loves working with our athletes! We are so lucky to have her on our coaching staff for rec and beginner team classes.
Ally Madrigal coaches rec and also does open gym and birthday parties. She is a great asset to our team. She is super sweet and loves working with kids. She is also an avid soccer player as well and plays club and high school soccer year round.
Teal Duncan is a wonderful mother and coach to our young gymnasts. She also works open gyms and runs fabulous birthday parties! We are super lucky to have her on our staff!!
Jennifer Paaske--Once upon a time, Jennifer was a competitive club gymnast in Michigan before competing for Western Michigan University. She coached competitive gymnastics in California and went on to start a recreational gymnastics program for expat families living in China during her time living abroad. Since that time Jennifer has dabbled in hobby coaching as time permits, while raising her two boys. She loves the sport, and the life lessons it offers – perseverance, grit, strength and courage just to name a few! Jennifer will be working with all levels, but especially with our Platinums when we get to have her expertise. She is a guest coach when she can come in and work with our girls.
