Mini-Hops is Proud to Introduce our Part-Time Coaching Staff
Coach Holly Burk – Girls Compulsory Team Co-Head Coach and Pre-Team Coordinator
Hometown: Johnston City, RI
Education: B.S. in Graphic Design.
Levels Coaching: Preschool – Preschool and Recreational classes; Pre-team – Levels 4-6 Compulsory Girls Team Co-Head Coach.
Coaching Certifications and History: National Safety Certification; USAG Pro Member; CPR and First Aid Certified. Holly has 15 years coaching experience. She has coached in the private club (Level 1-6) for 11 years and at a YMCA program for 4 years; she has 8 years experience working with pre-team athletes. She has competed through USAG Level 6. She attended the 2007 GAT Texas Congress, the 2006 USAG National Congress, and the 2000 Gymnastics Olympic Trials in Boston. She has also attended the National High Performance Seminar and Tom Burgdorf’s Super Staff Seminar.
Fun Facts: Holly traveled to Tonga, Oceania on a Kayaking trip. She was also a Karate instructor for 5 years, and holds a black belt in Tae Kwon Doe.
Coach Courtney Norman – Girls Optionals Team Co-Head Coach
Hometown: Minneapolis, MN
Education: B.S. in Business Marketing Education.
Levels Coaching: Preschool through Girls Team.
Coaching Certifications and History: USAG Safety Certification; MELPD; USAG Professional Member; USAG Meet Director; PDP 1 & Kinder Accreditation for Teachers; Hands on Training Certification; CPR and First AID Certified; AED. Coach Norman has 10 years coaching experience, and competed through college at the University of Minnesota (Go Gophers!). She has also attended the State Congress.
Fun Facts: Courtney’s pride and joy is her beautiful little girl Ayanna Emily Dahlia Zarlee. In College Courtney tied the all-time vault record.
Coach Laura Jansen
Hometown: Minnetonka, MN
Education:2005 Graduate from University of Minnesota with a B.S. in Family Social Science.
Levels Coaching: Preschool & Recreational as well as Boys Team.
Coaching Certifications and History: National Safety Certification; USGA USA Professional Member; CPR and First Aid Certified. Laura has competitive experience through Level 9 in USAG, and was a State Champion in the beam event for Hopkins High School. She coached gymnastics at Hopkins High School for 3 years.
Fun Facts: Laura likes winter more than summer.
Coach Kristi Olson
Hometown: Minnetonka, MN
Education: Graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire with a BA in Communications and Journalism/Spanish
Levels Coaching: Preschool through Level 4; Boys and Girls
Fun Fact: Kristi is a former Mini-Hops gymnast (13 years) as well as a UW-Eau Claire gymnast
Coach Keyla Kraus
Hometown: Minnetonka, MN
Levels Coaching: Preschool thru girls Level 2
Coaching Certifications: First Aid, CPR Certification, in house bi-monthly coaching clinics. Keyla was a gymnast for 11 years and competed for Mini-Hops through Level 8
Fun Fact: Loves Koala Bears!
Coach Sharon Keller
Hometown: Richfield, MN
Education: Sharon has an A.A. degree with Spanish emphasis and is pursuing nursing.
Levels Coaching: Preschool, Recreation Girls Beginner thru Level 4.
Fun Fact: Sharon was a was a cheerleader for the University of Minnesota – Duluth Bulldogs. She cheers for the Northern Elite All-Stars.
Coach Josh Krier
Hometown: Minnetonka, MN
Levels Coaching: Preschool, boys and Girls Beginner levels
Coaching Certifications: CPR and First Aid Certification, in house training clinics.
Fun Fact: Josh went to Mexico as a foreign exchange student and had a great experience
Coach Jeanna Letzring
Hometown: Grand Forks, ND
Education: B.A. in Interior Design at Art Institutes International, Minnesota.
Levels Coaching: Boys Pre-Team, Recreational PreSchool.
Coaching Certifications and History: USAG Safety Certification; USAG Professional Member; CPR and First Aid Certified. Jeanna has been coaching for a total of 6 years and boys team for 4 years. She attended both the 2005 USAG National Congress and the 2005 National Future Stars Workshop. In addition she also serves as secretary for the Minnesota Men’s Gymnastics Board.
Fun Fact: James and Jeanna have 2 American Pit Bull Terriers:Tsukahara and Roxy. They are also the proud parents of their beautiful daughter Addi.
Coach Neda Raeker
Hometown: Edina, MN
Education: Graduated from Hopkins High School with the class of 2007. Spent 1 year at UMD and is currently in her sophomore year at MCTC studying Advertising.
Levels Coaching: Preschool, Pre-team, Birthday parties. She is also an integral part of the customer service team.
Coaching Certifications and History: CPR and First Aid Certified as well as in-house coaches training. Neda is also a home grown former MH Team gymnast, and has spent many years studying the art of Ballet.
Fun Fact: In addition to speaking very good English, Neda also speaks Persian and French.
Coach John-Paul Singh
Hometown: Minneapolis, MN
Education: Senior in High School
Levels Coaching: Preschool – Early Boys – Boys Team Level 4
Coaching Certifications and History: USAG Safety Certified; Currently competing in USAG Level 10
Fun Fact: John-Paul plays piano and sings rock and pop.
Coach Diane Swenson
Hometown: Bloomington, MN
Education: B.S. Degree in Business Administration
Levels Coaching: Preschool through Levels 1-4
Coaching Certifications and History: CPR and First Aid Certified; USAG Safety Certified; KAT; MELPD. Diane has been a Mini-Hops Coach since 1983. She also attended the 2005 Gymnastics National Congress, as well as the 2005 Minnesota State Gymnastics Congress.
Fun Fact: Diane lives in Chanhassen with her husband, son and daughter. In her freetime, she loves reading, especially mysteries!
Coach Bethany Thorsen
Hometown: Golden Valley, MN
Education: Bachelor of Theater Arts
Levels Coaching: All Mini-Hoppers and early girls beginners
Coaching Certifications and History: CPR and First Aid Certified; 3 years of coaching experience in preschool gymnastics.
Fun Fact: Bethany lived in Ireland for 1 1/2 years.
Coach Carly Jackson
Hometown: Valley City, North Dakota
Education: Attended MN State Community College with a degree in Legal Studies.
Level She Coaches: Preschool – Girls Level 4; Recreational Team Coach
Additional Certifications or Gymnastics related information: Started gymnastics at age 3; competed for Valley City High School; Performed with the Valley Twisters Acrobatic Team for 2 years.
Fun Fact: Collects Marilyn Monroe memorabilia
Coach Aleksa Walter
Hometown: Plymouth, MN
Education: Wayzata High School
Level She Coaches: Preschool A and B
Coaching Certifications and Experience: Have participate in gymnastics since 1996
Additonal Certifcation or Gymnastics related information: Currently competing on the level 10 team; attends MHG Coaches Education Clinics.
Fun Fact: Been doing gymnastics since she was 3
Coach Janna Singh
Hometown: Corcoran, Minnesota
Education: Student
Level She Coaches: Preschool A and B and Camps
Coaching Certifications and Experience: Former team gymnast; interned at MHG for 3 years, then started coaching in 2009.
Additional Certifications or Gymnastics related information: Started gymnastics at the age of 3 and all of my four siblings are former gymnasts as well.
Fun Fact: She loves walking in mud with her bare feet.
Coach Kelsey Piepkorn
Hometown: Mound, Minnesota
Education: College. Athletic Training Major.
Level She Coaches: Rookies, Veterans, All-Stars and Girls Level 1, 2, 3 and 4
Coaching Certifications and Experience: Gymnast for 16 years (10 years-club, 5 years-highschool, 1 year- college), coach 3-5 year olds in college (Winona State)
Additional Certifications or Gymnastics related information: 5 times all state, all-state honorable mention, all-conference, captain senior year of mound westernka highschool, sections champion senior year
Fun Fact: she celebrates tye dye tuesday every week