Coaches and Directors
Coaches and Directors
Megan Edwards, Director of Gymnastics
- Megan has worked for the YMCA for 9 years. Durning that time she has served many rolls. She has taught preschool classes, recreational classes, coached all levels of preteam and competitive team. She has been a part of the Management team since early 2016 and has Directed the program since late 2018. Megan is a former competitive gymnast herself. She started taking classes at the age of 3 and ended her gymnastics career as a USAG level 7. Megan also competed on a National Championship Cheer Team, as well as cheering on her school team ( GO CYCS!) She also has experience as a cheerleading coach. Outside the gym, Megan loves to shop, travel, and spend time with her family, including her husband, Cody, and 1 year old, Harper. Megan’s favorite part of working for the YMCA is watching her kids and staff grow. She believes in the cause and mission of the Y and loves to carry it out.
Laura Moy, Head Coach
- Laura has been coaching for the YMCA for a little over 2 years. She started instructing rec classes in 8th grade and has been involved with coaching gymnastics ever since. Laura has 32+ years coaching experience. She has taught preschool classes, rec classes, coached preteams, and competitive gymnasts of all levels. Currently, she is the Y’s competitive team Head Coach. She has also coached HS cheerleading and a USTA Tumbling team. Gymnastics, dance, tumbling, and cheerleading have always been a huge part of Laura’s life. She is a former USAG gymnast, National Champion USTA tumbler, was a member of a State Champion Dance team, competed and performed individually in all genres of dance, and was a member of a State ranked cheerleading squad. Outside the gym, Laura spends most of her time with her 3 daughters, Erin, Anna, and Molly. She also enjoys spending time with friends, shopping, and painting. Laura’s favorite thing about working for the YMCA is getting to work with such amazing and welcoming coaches, the best boss ever, and the sweetest gymnasts and their families.
Bailey Martin
- Bailey has worked for the YMCA for 4 years. She has been a camp instructor, taught preschool and rec classes, and is currently a Team Coach. Bailey did gymnastics and tumbling as a child for many years. Outside of the gym, she enjoys spending time with her family and dogs, crafting, concerts, shopping, and cheering on the St Louis Cardinals!. Bailey is also working towards an Elementary Education and Psycology degree at UIS to graduate in the spring of 2023. Her favorite things about being a YMCA employee are being able to watch the kids grow into great individuals and watch them succeed at getting new skills.
Emily VanMeter
- Emily has been coaching for the YMCA for 4 years. She does just about everything at the gym from camp instructor, preschool classes, recreational classes, and coaching team. Emily did gymnastics herself at the YMCA from ages 5-15. Aside from competitive gymnastics, she also has experience competing in tumbling, trampoline, and all-star cheer. Outside the gym, Emily loves being a Mom to Millie and Cormac (who are also YMCA gymnasts). She also likes iced coffee, trivia, and true crime. Emily’s favorite part about coaching is getting to watch our gymnasts learn and grow as athletes.
Que Evans
- Que has coached for the YMCA for 5 1/2 years. He is currently a team coach and has coached all levels of team. He has an accumulated 11+ years of coaching experience. Before the Y, he coached gymnastics and all-star cheer in NY, in addition to teaching acro locally. Que began doing gymnastics himself around the age of 6 and dancing at the age of 9. He also began cheering in 2011. Outside the gym, Que is interested in molecular plant biology, computational protein structure determination, and clinical research. He also enjoys reading, writing, growing his own food, karaoke, and listening to podcasts about science. Que’s favorite things about working for the Y are Megan Edwards and all the girls. He loves to see people win over their challenges. Que believes all our gymnasts are winners.
Kalli Stubbs
- Kalli has been an employee of the YMCA for 6 years. She is currently a Team Coach. She has coached every level of team as well as taught preschool and recreational classes. Kalli is a former USAG gymnast. She was training level 7 at the end of her 12 year competitive career. Ousting the gym, Kalli works for St. John’s Hospital and graduated from Nursing School in May of 2022. She enjoys shopping, hanging out with friends, and spending time with her dog. Kalli’s favorite things about working for the YMCA are the positive atmosphere, the amazing coaches, and the gymnast’s smiling faces always seem to make her day.
Grace Newman
- Grace has coached at the YMCA since 2008 (about 13.5 years). She has coached pre-school, Rec, and team. Grace took rec classes at the Y from ages 3-12. Outside of the Y she has been working in the field of occupational therapy for 10 years. Grace loves spending time with her family. She loves the YMCA, because it always feels like a family. She loves how every child is treated with love and importance. She says, “the coaches create a strong bond and support each other through it all!”
Lacee Peebles
- Lacee has been coaching for the YMCA for 1 year, but she is definitely not new to the world of gymnastics. She grew up in a gym. Her parents owned and ran Midstate Gymnastics Academy for many years. She began coaching herself at the age of 15. She has experience coaching all ages and levels from preschool, recreational, compulsories, and optionals. She’s been working with competitive team level for 6 years now. Lacee did gymnastics from the time she could walk until she was 14. She was training level 6 when an injury ended her gymnastics career. Lacee then tumbled off and on from ages 14 to 18. Outside the gym, Lacee is an EMT at St. John’s in the ER. Lacee is planning to start nursing school next fall. She has an associates degree in Exercise Science and her EMT license and certificate. Lacee enjoys spending time with friends, family, and her beautiful 96 pound German Shepherd. She loves to travel, hike, and spend time outdoors. Lacee’s favorite things about working for the YMCA are getting to work with the kids and their upbeat personalities. She likes watching them learn and grow. Lacee also love the amazing staff at the Y.
Taryn Griffith
- Taryn has been a YMCA employee for 1 year. She was a gymnastics camp instructor all summer and is now doing rec classes, assists jr preteam, and coaches team. Gymnastics has been a major part of Taryn’s life. She did gymnastics herself for 12 1/2 years. Taryn was a level 8 gymnast her last year of competing. She brings her gymnastics experience and amazing ability to relate to the kids every time she’s in the gym. Outside the gym, Taryn is a student and a competitive softball player. Taryn loves coaching at the YMCA because she feels the positive environment is absolutely amazing.
Erin Ellet
- Erin has been working at the YMCA for 1 year teaching preschool and recreational classes. She has about 1 year of previous coaching experience. Erin did non competitive gymnastics for many years as a child. She also competed on a dance team for several years. Outside the gym, Erin enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and crazy cat, Bambi. She has also worked as a CNA and Nurse Tech at St John’s, but has decided to switch paths and is enrolled in a Veterinarian Tech program. Erin’s favorite things about working at the YMCA are watching the kids excitement when they get new skills and she loves how welcoming her new boss and coworkers have been.
Lexi Corey
- Lexi has been working for the YMCA for a year as a rec class instructor and gymnastics camp counselor. Lexi has been a part of our gymnastics program since she was very young. She is currently competing as an Xcel Gold. Outside the gym, Lexi is a student and likes to hangout with friends. Her favorite thing about working for the YMCA is how nice all the coaches she works with are. We think the same about her and are so proud of her. She is patient, dedicated, and kind when working with the kids.
Emily Rapacz
- Emily has worked at the Y for about 1 year. She is a rec class instructor and has also been a gymnastics camp counselor. Emily is a SHG class of 2022 graduate. She spends most of her time outside the gym with friends, cheering, and attending school. Emily loves seeing the kids happy faces when they show up for class and getting to help them learn new skills.
Beth Weidiger
- Beth has been working at the YMCA for a year. She is a fun and energetic preschool class instructor. Beth did gymnastics herself as a child for about 4 years while growing up in Brazil. Outside the gym, Beth is a Psychology Professor at Lincoln Land Community College. She loves to run, binge watch shows, and spend time with her husband and 3 kids. Beth enjoys working at the YMCA because of the people she gets to work with. She loves her boss, amazing coworkers, and especially the kiddos in her classes. She likes the very family oriented feeling at the YMCA. As a bonus, Beth likes getting to exercise after work and watch her daughter practice gymnastics.
Murana Musso
- Murana has worked at the YMCA for almost six months. She is a camp counselor and rec class instructor. Murana has been a YMCA gymnast for 6 years. She is currently competing at the Xcel Platinum level. Outside the gym, Murana likes to hang out with friends and family. Her favorite thing about the YMCA is the environment and the people because they are very nice and welcoming.
Louisa Eldridge
- Louisa has worked for the YMCA for about 2 years. She is a patient and dedicated gymnastics camp instructor and rec class instructor. She also helps with Xcel Bronze and Silver team practices. She has been a gymnast herself for 10 years. She is currently competing as a Level 7. Outside the gym, Louisa likes to watch Netflix and spends a lot of time college searching. Her favorite thing about working at the Y is getting to watch the camp kids get new skills!
Madi Pacelli
- Madi has been employed by the YMCA for almost a year, but she is not new to our program. She has been a YMCA gymnast for more than 10 years. She is currently competing as a Level 7. Madi attributes her success as an instructor to having grown up around all of the awesome coaches at the YMCA. All though we love the compliment, we know Madi is a great employee because she takes her roll seriously and wants the kids she teaches to have fun and learn how to do some gymnastics. Outside the gym, Madi is a student, loves to hang out with friends and family, and likes to shop. Her favorite part of working for the YMCA are Megan and all of the amazing staff.
Hannah Markovic
- Hannah has worked at the ymca since last Spring. In all, she has 4 years of gymnastics coaching experience. She has taught all classes at all levels. Hannah is currently away at school, but still coaches at the YMCA when she is home and we sure LOVE it when she does!! Hannah was a dancer for 11 years. She also took some gymnastics classes as a child, but was always in the gym with her sister who competed for 10 years. Outside the gym, Hannah loves hanging out with friends and her cat. She goes to school at the University of Tennessee at Martin. Her favorite things about the YMCA is her amazing boss and her amazing coworkers. She also loves the positive environment in the gym, as well as being able to get excited with they kids when they master new skills.
Laura Pinkstaff
- Laura has been coaching at the YMCA for almost 6 months. She has previous experience coaching cheerleading and tumbling. She has been active in the gymnastics and tumbling world off and on for 20ish years. She also spent about 8 years competing across the Midwest as a figure skater. She was a high school and competitive cheerleader as well. Outside of the gym, Laura enjoys spending time with family and friends, hiking, traveling, and running. Her favorite thing about the YMCA would be the friendships and watching the girls gain new skills and confidence. She is looking forward to being active in the gymnastics world again!
Alex Edminston
- Alex has worked for the YMCA for 1 year. She has a couple years experience previously coaching youth sports. She was a soccer coach. Alex is currently teaching preschool, recreational classes, and helping with team practices. Outside the gym, Alex enjoys yoga, working out, reading, and spending time with family and friends. She graduated from Illinois State this spring with a bachelors in Elementary Education. Her favorite thing about working for the YMCA is all of her coworkers. She loves the welcoming feel in the gym.
Caitlyn Markovic
- Caitlyn is currently away at school, but still coaches for the YMCA. At the Y, she coached team and taught rec classes. Caitlyn also choreographed some of our floor and beam routines. Caitlyn is a former competitive gymnast. She competed for 10 years and ended her career as a Level 9. Her last year competing, she got 2nd on beam at the Level 9 State Meet. Her favorite events are the uneven bars and balance beam. Caitlyn has about 4 years experience coaching Team, as well as helping with recreational, preschool, and tumbling classes. Outside the gym, she has an Associates Degree in Criminal Justice and is currently majoring in Sociology and minoring in Psychology at Illinois State University. Her goal is to one day have a job in Forensic Psychology or Sports Psychology. Her favorite thing about coaching is watching gymnasts become strong enough to get through challenges in and out of the gym and watching them get new skills. Her favorite thing about the Y is the staff and how much it feels like we are a family.