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EGA Staff Information

On this page you can find detailed information about EGA staff members. We are committed to provide our members with the best and safest training possible. All of our employees are required to go through continuous extensive safety training, are USAG safety certified and First Aid Trained, and we also require a national background check. If you are interested in working at Elite Gymnastics Academy, please visit our Employment Opportunity page.

Alexandr Balakirev

By admin - Posted on July 29th, 2008
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Elite Level Artistic Gymnastics coach with more than 35 years of International, Regional and State level experience. Ten years of head coaching responsibilities in the United States including curriculum development and club management for competitive and recreational programs.

EDUCATION

1973: B.A. Degree in Physical Education, National Institute of Physical Training of Republic of Kazakhstan

  • 1988 -1990:  USSR National Team Qualification
  • 1987: Massage Certification and member of Faculty Physiotherapy, Medical Institute of Republic of Kazakhstan
  • 1998 - 2010:  National Safety Certification, USA Gymnastics


EXPERIENCE

Valentina Balakireva

By admin - Posted on July 30th, 2008
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 Elite Level Artistic Gymnastics Coach and Choreographer. Renowned success as a coach at the local, state, national and international competitive gymnastics levels. Over 35 years of experience in Russian style coaching and training from beginning skill levels through elite. A coach with a strong emphasis on technique and safety.

EDUCATION

  • 1971 - 1975:  B.A. Degree in Physical Education, National Institute of Physical Training of Republic of Kazakhstan, USSR 
  • 1971 - 1975:  Head Choreographer, National Team Coach, Institute of Physical Education, Republic of Kazakhstan, USSR
  • 1988:  Post Graduate Training, Artistic Gymnastics, Central Sports Training, Unions Club, Moscow, USSR

 

EXPERIENCE 

 

Mariya Balakireva

By admin - Posted on July 30th, 2008
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Pre-School Gymnastics, Tots GymnasticsAs a former Competitive Gymnast, she has translated her experience into a successful coaching career in youth gymnastics. Her focus on coaching has been with pre-school through high school levels of gymnastics.

Her coaching technique is structured in the Russian style with a strong emphasis on solid technique and safety.

Michelle Frederick

By admin - Posted on February 1st, 2009
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Rec. Program Director/Prep Optional Team Director

Former USAG Competitive Gymnast. Started gymnastics at the age of 5 and competed levels 5 – 8 in USA Gymnastics. Moved to high school gymnastics where her team won Sections (Big 9).

Michelle’s daughter Lexi is currently in Elite’s Level 5 team program.

Michelle holds a J.D. from St. Thomas School of Law and a B.S. in Child Psychology from the University of MN. She is a family law attorney when she is not coaching.

Michelle is USAG Professional Member, USAG Safety, American Red Cross First Aid and CPR Certified..

Vadim Balakirev

By admin - Posted on March 20th, 2010
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Former Competing Diver.
One of the founders and owners of EGA.
USAG Professional Member.
USAG Safety Certified.
USAG HOT (Hands on Training) Certification.
American Red Cross First Aid Certified.

Chelsy Morris

By admin - Posted on March 7th, 2011
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We are happy to welcome back Chelsy Morris to the EGA staff. She was with us from 2007-2008 and moved to Arizona in 2009.

She is back in Minnesota and we are glad that she has returned as Office Administrator and Coach at EGA. Chelsy was in gymnastics for 10 years and was a dancer for 15.

Chelsy took lessons in ballet, lyrical, jazz, tap, hip-hop and modern dance as well as competition kickline. She has 3 years’ experience teaching dance as well as gymnastics.

In her free time, Chelsy likes to play kinect and spend time with her friends and fiance’ Zach.

Georgiy (Egor) Grebenkov

By admin - Posted on March 7th, 2011
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Egor comes to us from Moscow, Russia. He was an Olympic competitor as well as coach. We are excited to have him among the elite coaching staff at EGA!

Egor’s athletic accomplishments include Russian National Champion 2000-2004, member of 6th Place Team at Olympic Games 2004 in Athens, participant in World Championships 1999 winning the Silver Medal in Men’s Team Finals, Champion of Europe 1996 & 2000 and Champion of World Junior Games 1998, Moscow, to name a few.

Egor was Mila Grebenkova’s coach for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, the 2008 Russian Nationals (in which she received the Gold Medal), 2007 & 2008 World Cups and numerous other National and International competitions between 2006-2009. Igor and Mila, now husband and wife, have a beautiful little girl named Elizaveta who makes frequent appearances at the gym.

Egor is also a Master of Sport at the International Level in Artistic Gymnastics, a very prestigious honor. Egor’s other interests include sports, cars and spending time with his daughter.

Emily Kaas

By admin - Posted on March 7th, 2011
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Emily is a former EGA team member who has been with EGA for 3 years and competed through Level 5.

She has left competitive gymnastics to have more time for school and friends, but is excited to be a gymnastics coach.

Emily will be helping Masha coach the Super Stars pre-team for the time being. Emily is a sophomore in high school and is already taking college classes at the University of Minnesota.

In her free time Emily likes to swing dance, play the flute and hang out with friends. We are excited to have one of our very own gymnasts join the coaching staff at EGA!

Dana Holmgren

By admin - Posted on June 19th, 2011
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Dana started gymnastics at the age of 4. When she was 11 years old, she competed Levels 6-9 all in one year as she had moved to a new club who saw her potential. As a level 9 gymnast, her favorite event was bars. In 2005, she tore the tendons in both of her ankles which ended her competitive gymnastics career; however, her love for the sport continued. She started coaching beginners classes and taught for 2 years at Midwest Gymnastics. Currently.

Dana is a student at the University of Minnesota studying Civil Engineering. She is also a gymnast on the U of M club team. She is very excited about her new coaching position at EGA!

Lyudmila Grebenkova (Mila).

By admin - Posted on June 19th, 2011
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Mila comes to us from Russia and has an impressive resume. Mila was on the Russian Olympic Team from the late 1990’s to mid-2000’s helping her team to win the Silver Medal at the 2001 World Championships and the Bronze Medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics.

She was awarded the Olympic Bronze Medal on balance beam in 2004! She also competed for Russia at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing where she competed balance beam. Mila was particularly noted for her work on balance beam where she was a four-time world and European medalist, including being a champion once.

Her balance beam routines were characterized by a wide array of difficult acrobatic skills connected in immediate, unusual sequencing. We are honored to have Mila join the staff at EGA. We are confident she will help us continue to foster and develop high caliber gymnasts!