At the age of 10, she was selected by GHS teacher Charlie Jamieson to participate in a gymnastics show at Girard High School, marking the start of her journey. The subsequent year, she joined the Girard Gymnastic Club under the guidance of "Doc" Borger, igniting a lifelong passion for gymnastics. From 1966 until her high school graduation in 1972, she immersed herself in numerous gymnastic competitions, earning a multitude of awards. Notably, she secured a 2nd place finish at the AAU meet and clinched the 1st place all-around title at the Junior Olympics. Her journey to the state finals in 1972 involved qualification through sectional and regional events, culminating in her impressive 2nd place victory on the uneven parallel bars at the Ohio State gymnastics championship. Her collegiate path saw her captaining the YSU Women's Gymnastics team for three years. She took part in AAU nationals and the USAG, achieving significant accolades. Among them, she clinched 1st place in the Midwest Women's District meet, excelling in both floor exercise and the uneven parallel bars. In recognition of her achievements, she earned honorable mention for the Outstanding College Athletes of America Hall of Fame in 1972. Throughout her college tenure, she garnered a reputation as the preeminent uneven parallel bar performer in the Midwest, maintaining an undefeated record on this apparatus. Transitioning from her competitive collegiate career, she dedicated herself to coaching local gymnasts, including Girard's state champion, Michelle Frankford. During her time coaching at the collegiate level, she played a pivotal role in a committee that facilitated the introduction of gymnastic scholarships at YSU, providing crucial support to many women athletes. She graduated from YSU with a Bachelor's Degree in Education and went on to coach the Synchronized Swim team at McDonald High School for 18 years. She served as the director of gymnastics at Sandy Bee's Gymnastics and devoted herself to coaching gymnastics across various levels for an impressive span of 50 years, eventually retiring in 2021.
High School Competitions (1966-1972):
State Finals Success (1972):
Collegiate Gymnastics and Leadership:
Coaching and Contributions:
Synchronized Swim Coaching:
Long-Term Coaching Dedication:
