Gemini Gymnastics programs are led by Head Coach and Owner, Elena Davydova, 1980 Olympic All Around Gold Medal Champion. Her achievements as a gymnast, and impact as a coach at Gemini Gymnastics, have been outstanding.
Elena DavydovaHead Coach & Owner
Born in Voronege, Russia, Elena’s contributions as an athlete changed the sport of gymnastics forever. She was the first woman to complete a backward giant and a Tkatchev on the uneven bars, a front salto and a side somersault on the balance beam as well as a round-off backhand spring. On vault Elena invented the full twist-on, tucked front somersault off and on floor she was the first to perform a 1 1/2 twist, punch front combination, an Arabian 1 3/4 somersault, and a piked Arabian 1 3/4 somersault. In addition to edging out Nadia Comaneci at the 1980 Olympics for the all around title, she scored a perfect 10 on vault during the Team Competition. She won another Gold Medal at the 1981 World Gymnastics Championships.
Elena retired as an athlete to attend Leningrad University of Physical Education and later received her doctorate in Pedagogical Science at the P.F. Lesgaft State Institute of Athletic Education. Upon graduation, she joined the St. Petersburg Olympic Reserve as a coach for the Soviet National Gymnastics Team, and served as an International Brevet Judge (the highest international level of judging awarded by the F.I.G. ‘Fédération Internationale Gymnastique’ which is the governing body of gymnastics world wide ). Elena immigrated to Canada with her family in 1991 and began working at Gemini Gymnastics. After a successful competitive season with athlete Sarah Deegan, Gymnastics Canada awarded Elena the 1997 Senior High Performance Coach of the Year award. In 2005 as a judge she achieved the highest score of all Canadian Brevet judges on the International exam, and in June 2006 she received Brevet Coach status. Elena is the only Canadian to hold both Brevet Coach and Judge status for women’s artistic gymnastics. As of 2007 as a Brevet Coach, she is only 1 of 31 female coaches worldwide and the only Olympic AA champion to hold this title. In May 2007, Elena Davydova was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame.
2020 marked the 40th anniversary of Elena’s Olympic victory. She is considered one of the top 10 heroes of the Soviet Games in Moscow because she did the impossible – in the All Around competition, Elena beat the best world gymnast Romanian star Nadia Comaneci.
Elena Davydova and her coaching staff at Gemini have produced champions in all levels of competitive gymnastics including 20 Canadian AA Champions, 9 Elite Canada AA Champions, 21 Eastern Canadian AA Champions and 108 Provincial AA Champions.
Valery Yahchybekov
Associate Coach
Valery was born in Noginsk, Russia. Before joining Gemini Gymnastics, he was the Head Coach of the Lvov Russian Training Centre in Ukraine. In 1996, Valery immigrated to Canada and joined our Gemini Gymnastics’ coaching team. He is a fully certified level 3 NCCP coach and received the Gymnastics Canada Junior High Performance Coach of the Year award in 2005, 2006 and 2010. At Gemini, Valery coaches the provincial and national level gymnasts. His athletes have ranked among the top in the province and across Canada. Several have been part of Canada’s National Team and have earned scholarships in the United States where they competed for the NCAA. He was one of the coaches to Kristina Vaculik, who was a member of the 2012 Canadian Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Olympic team.
Julie Sullaphen
Associate Coach
Julie was born in Manchester, England and came to Canada when she was 4 years old. Julie did recreational gymnastics as a young child. She has been involved gymnastics for the past 13 years with her 2 daughters who both competed in the Provincial program. Julie began coaching as a CIT in 2005-2006 and certified Level 1 shortly after. She joined our Gemini staff in January 2011, became certified Level 2, and also certified in First Aid & CPR. Julie currently coaches Competitive Levels 1-6. Julie was a hairstylist for over 25 years and a stay at home mom for 8 years. She has been married to her husband Aveen for over 18 years and lives in Bowmanville.
Danielle Patano
Recreational Coordinator
Danielle worked as a recreational gymnastics coach for six years before completeing her diploma in Dance Performance at Centennial College. She has a passion for both gymnastics, dance, and loves working with children! She is extremely excited to be working at Gemini and so happy to be working back in a gym! Danielle is fully Level 1 NCCP certified and looks forward to completing her Level 2.
Kathy Chin
Associate Coach
Kathy was born in Toronto, and raised in Pickering where she lives now with her family. She is a mother of 6 and has a daughter in Gemini’s competitive program. Kathy competed for Pickering as a provincial gymnast and has enjoyed coaching there for 30+ years in pre comp, invitational and provincial level. She is NCCP level 2 and trampoline level 1 certified.
Debbie Siemon
Associate Coach & Competitive Administrator
Debbie was a competitive gymnast for 9 years and has been coaching competitive for 25 years ranging from compulsory, up to the national level. She was Head Coach in Bramalea and Pickering. She is a certified Women's NCCP Level 3, and Level 2 Trampoline. Debbie has also been an Ontario Team Coach and has produced many Ontario, Eastern Canadian and Event Champions, receiving the GO Competitive Coach of the Year in 2012-2014. She has also been a Judge for the past 12 years, currently ranked to judge up to Level 10. She began Coaching with us Summer 2020.
Lia Kaiser
Associate Coach
Lia has been a part of Gemini since she was 7 years old. She joined the competitive program when she was 8, and competed until she was 14. Lia began coaching in 2018 and has loved every minute of it.
Evelyn Smaglinskie
Associate Coach
Evelyn was in the gems program for 5 years and during her time found her love for the sport, she began coaching in 2021 and started coaching pre-competitive in 2022. She has loved learning from her fellow coaches and continues to encourage her athletes to advance their skill set and technique. Currently, Evelyn has her NCCP level 1 and her Competition Theory is working on her Competition Introduction Certification.
Pre-Competitive (Gemini Gems)
Jocelyn Langevin (Sub Coach)
Pre-Competitive Coach & Office Assistant
Jocelyn has been doing gymnastics since she was 5 years old. She was a part of the Gems program and was working on level 6 before she quit. Soon after she joined the CIT program for a year and then started officially coaching in 2020. She strives to help kids find their love for gymnastics and be the best gymnast they can be!
Skylar Sach-Anderson (Sub Coach)
Pre-Competitive Coach & Office Assistant
Skylar has been doing gymnastics since 18 months old. She joined the competitive program at Gemini at 7 years old and competed for 8 years. She placed 2nd all around at the 2018 Provincial Championships. Skylar became a coach in 2019 and office assistant in 2022. She is NCCP Competition 1 trained and has her foundations in trampoline.
Kaleigh Hutchings (Sub Coach)
Pre-Competitive Coach & Office Assistant
Kaleigh has been at Gemini Gymnastics since she was 6 years old. She joined the competitive program at 8 years old, and stopped when she was 13. Kaleigh started the CIT program at 14 and began officially coaching in 2021! She loves watching the athletes progress throughout our program!.
Mackenzie Lepp
Sub Pre-Competitive Coach
Mackenzie has been apart of Gemini since she was 4 years old, her love for gymnastics pushed her to strive for greater development of her skills and eventually lead her into the competitive program where she competed until she was 13 years old. She is now a pre-competitive coach and has loved watching her kids grow and find the same love she has for the sport.
Daijha Heron
Recreational Coach & Office Assistant
Daijha has been at Gemini Gymnastics since she was 6 years old. She joined the competitive program at 8 years old and competed at the Provincial Level for 8 years, finishing her gymnastics career as a Level 9 gymnast. She started coaching Recreational classes in 2011 and enjoys sharing her passion for the sport of gymnastics to future generations! She is now working as an Office Assistant.
Avery Taylor
Pre-Competitive Coach
Avery started gymnastics at home and self taught a lot of skills! She began at Gemini in 2017. She moved up into the Gems program shortly after. Avery was then a competitive gymnast for 3 years and was working Level 6 when she retired. She started her Coaching journey in 2020 as a CIT and officially became a Coach in 2022. Avery loves coaching and helping her athletes progress!
Tyne Northey
Pre-Competitive Coach
Tyne was a competitive gymnast for 9 years and started coaching when she was 15. She has since coached many athletes of varying ages and abilities. She is excited to continue coaching and watching her girls progress.
Ashlyn Hayward
Pre-Competitive Coach
Ashlyn started gymnastics at 4 years old and joined Gemini in 2013 at the age of 5. When she was 6 she joined the Gemini Gems program and at the age of 7 she began competing. At the Provincal Championships in 2019 at age 12 she came in 1st place on bars, beam and was the All Around Champion! Ashlyn started CIT-ing in 2021 and became a Coach in 2022. She absolutely loves it!
Anastasia Chin
Pre-Competitive Coach/Associate coach
Anastasia began gymnastics at the age of 2 and joined the competitive Gemini team at the age of 11. She is the daughter of Gemini competitive gymnastics coach Kathy! Anastasia went on to become the level 5 Provincial Champion in 2022! Also, winning silver on floor, beam, as well as a bronze medal on bars! She is still currently training with Gemini and working on level 6. Anastasia started CIT-ing at the age of 12 and became a coach in 2022. She loves working with children and watching her athletes progress!
Alyssa Gaston
Pre-Competitive Coach
Alyssa is a former Provincial Level 8 Gymnast with over 10 years of competitive experience. Since retiring from gymnastics at the age of 16, she has begun to coach both recreational and competitive gymnasts. Alyssa also has experience teaching acro and tumbling skills to dancers. Alyssa is trained in Level 1 artistic gymnastics and is thrilled to be able to share her passion and love for gymnastics with the athletes at Gemini. Athletes will love her energetic personality and sense of humour.
Recreational Coaches:
- Alise Kaiser
- Alla Yahchybekova
- Alyssa Kirton
- BrookLynn (Brooke) Short
- Cadey Williamson
- Callie Sioui
- Ella Zamudio
- Farah Elhaloty
- Kate Hannah
- Maegan Hayward
- Maria (Jo) Valdivia
- Marisa Stewart
- Mary Modica
- Meagan Kennedy
- Myah Tabinga
- Reese Canning
- Sahar Narlidis
Seasonal Coaches:
- Abby Stewart
- Annabelle Kortner Iacobet
- Mackenzie Lepp
- Mila Poupard
- Mostafa Elhaloty
