Katie Smith, Owner and Head Coach
Katie started gymnastics at the age of 3 at her local YMCA. She quickly advanced and began competing at the age of 5. She competed until the age of 17 with USAG and AAU and was training as a level 10 gymnast at the time of her "retirement."
In 2012, she opened a gymnastics and cheerleading facility in NY and trained both recreational and competitive gymnastics and cheerleaders, incluidng her oldest daughter, who won multiple competitions over the years. Katie also served as a USAG certified judge from 2013 thru 2016.
Besides her love for gymnastics, cheer, tumbling, and teaching children the art of these amazing sports, she is also a Certified Nurse Midwife/Advanced Practice RN and has certification in CPR, Newborn and Pediatric Advanced Life Support, and Advaned Cardiovascular Life Support.
Katie is an ARMY veteran and understands the challenges military families face. She is very excited to offer classes to the children (many of which are from military families) in our community!
Katie is USA Gymnastics certified.
Dennis S, Director of Operations, Ninja Director & Competitive Gymnastics Team Coach
Coach Dennis joined us in the summer of 2024 and brings extensive knowledge of coaching team sports. He was a very successful wrestler in middle and high school as well as a wrestling coach and has taken his love for wrestling and coaching to the next level! He started as a ninja director and helped CXA launch our very successful Ninja Zone program. He has since expanded his role at CXA to Director of Operations, Ninja Director, AND instructor for both NinjaZone and our competitive gymnasts! He is USA Gymnastics Certified and attends all of our gymnastics competitions. Coach Dennis brings such positivity to all of the athletes in the gym and we are so thankful for all he does at CXA!
Coach Dennis has a wife, Justice, and two daughters, Addison and Aubree. He has a beloved dog at home as well. He is from upstate NY.
Betsy S, Tumbling Instructor & All-Star Cheer Coach
Coach Betsy joined CXA for the inaugural season of our cheer program and helped coach our Sassy Sharks to an undefeated regular season and an amazing 3rd place finish at the ONE Global Finals in Orlando! She has only been in Panama City for 2 years, but is not new to the competitive cheer world. She's starting her 11th season coaching competitive cheer and is excited to be a part of the CXA Sharks family!
When not at the gym, Coach Betsy is an Active Guardsman for the Air National Guard working at Tyndall AFB. She can also be found talking about all things Cheer, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, and about her puppies Gizmo and Shelby.
Amber B, Preschool Gymnastics, Cheer & Tumbling Instructor
Coach Amber joined CXA when we opened in February 2023. She has a passion for teaching the littles tumbling and gymnastics! Coach Amber says, "It is so rewarding to see each child gain confidence and skills as each week goes by."
Amber also enjoys teaching cheer as she was a cheerleader for several years as a child.
Besides teaching classes at CXA, Coach Amber is a Registered Nurse and Birth Assistant. She graduated from Gulf Coast State College with her Associate's Degree in Nursing in 2020. She holds certifications in BLS and NRP.
Amber says " I am just a southern girl that loves Jesus. She is a native of Bay County and resides here with her husband Jonathan and daughter, Ryleigh.
Destiny D, All-Star Cheer Coach & Tumbling Instructor
Bio coming soon...
Madison D, Pre-Team Gymnastics Coach and Competitive Bronze Level Coach
Coach Madison is a dedicated gymnastics coach bringing extensive experience as both a competitive gymnast and coach. Recently relocating from Southern California, Coach Madison brings passion for helping young athletes achieve their goals in gymnastics and beyond. She loves working with her gymnasts, guiding them to develop confidence, strength, and discipline both in and out of the gym. Coach Madison is USA Gymnastics Certified.
Outside of coaching, she enjoys spending time with her family and two beloved dogs. She also loves exploring the outdoors, whether it is hiking scenic trails or relaxing at the beach.
Bio coming soon...
Hannah, Gymnastics and Tumbling Junior Coach
Bio coming soon...
Erin, Gymnastics and Tumbling Coach
Bio coming soon...
