Meet the 1st Class Management
Debbie L. Dixon
(Recreational & Team Coach)
Marcus Flom
(Recreational Program Manager & Coach)
Molley Jackson
(Recreational Program Manager & Coach)
Sarah Thomas
(Acrobatic Program Manager & Coach)
Amy Grear
(Arcobatic Coach)
Belinda Watson
(Arobatics Coach)
Brian Sateriale
(Junior Olympic Team Coach)
Beth Stracka
(JO Team & Recreational Coach)
Alison Canfield
(JO Team & Recreational Coach)
Jeannine Olivier
(Mason Dixon Team & Recreational Coach)
Lucas Graenicher
(Boys Team & Recreational Coach)
Dolan Watson
(Boys Team & Recreational Coach)
Robina Rives
(Allstar Cheer Program Director)
Nina Charity
(Aerial Dance Instructor also know as “Silks”)
Angela Darnes
(Owner/Director)
Angela opened 1st Class Gymnastics in 2005 to fill a void and create a gymnacstics facility that cares for family values and the “Children1st!” She has over 20 years of extensive experience in business environments. Excelling in education, Angela has been awarded numerous prestigious professional designations. A successful task master, Angela handled multiple volunteer positions and served as President of a professional organization even while she worked towards her business degree. Success defines her, a positive and winning attitude coupled with endless energy that is contagious to all her students, co-workers and clients alike.
Angela’s love for the sport of gymnastics began in the early 1980′s as a coach of a recreational program in Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL. She has maintained this love of the sport and has held positions in coaching, teaching, coordinating and directing gymnastics recreational programs. As the parent of a competing gymnast, Angela has the unique perspective of knowing the viewpoint and thoughts of a parent as well. She has been in the local competitive gymnastics industry in the Annapolis , Maryland area since 2000.
Certifications: USAG Coaching Accreditation, USAG Certified Meet Director, USAG Professional Member, USAG Safety Certified, Red Cross First Aid & CPR Certified, United States Elite Coaches Association.
Marcus Flom (Recreational Program Manager & Coach, ACRO Coach)
1st Class Gymnastics is fortunate to have Marcus as our Recreational Program Manager. He has over 25 years of experience in performing and coaching gymnastics. Marcus has exceptional interpersonal skills, is detail oriented and an enthusiastic teacher of the sport of gymnastics. Taking a cerebral approach to teaching he has infused learning techniques that encourage the child to reach new heights in the development of skills. learning techniques that encourage the child to reach new heights in the development of skills.
Marcus excels at children from ages 18 months to adults. Both competitive and recreational students are afforded the same through training implementing techniques and skills instruction in a most enjoyable and positive approach in all areas of gymnastics.
Certifications: USAG Coaching Accreditation & Skill Evaluator,
USAG Professional Member, USAG Safety Certified, KAT & MELPD
Certified, Red Cross First Aid & CPR Certified.
Debbie L. Dixon (Recreational & Team Coach)
A Former State Champion , Debbie has competed at a very high level and knows what it takes to be a champion and can relate this to the girls at 1 st Class Gymnastics. With over 16 years of coaching experience Debbie brings a fantastic balance of experience in both coaching and participating in gymnastics in Maryland. She is great with coaching the little guys in preschool through competitive levels of Team as well. Her personality allows her to reach the potential of the kids through a thorough understanding of gymnastics in combination with each child’s natural ability. Debbie makes it fun to learn and accomplish new skills, each child embraces the positive attitude and warm smile she brings each day.
Certifications: USAG Professional Member
Certified, Red Cross First Aid & CPR Certified.
Amy Grear (Acrobatic Team Coach)
1st Class Gymnastics has Maryland’s top Acrobatic Team and is pleased to have Amy Grear as an experienced coach for this team.
Amy was a competitive acrobat from 1995 to 2002. In 2001, she and her Women’s trio placed 6th in the Junior division at the Flanders Acro Cup Purrs in Purrs, Belgium. That same year, she and her group received 1st placed in dynamic and 3rd place in both balance and all-around at the 2001 USA Gymnastics Acrobatic National Championships. In 2002, Amy’s trio placed 2nd in balance and 3rd in dynamic and all-around at the 2002 USA Gymnastics Acrobatic National Championships as a Senior elite trio. The following year, her trio retired, and Amy began her coaching career. Since 2003, her athletes have received numerous accolades, including being named to the USA Gymnastics Acrobatic Junior Olympic and Senior National team (2005 and 2008), and earning medals at international competitions, such as 3rd place all-around at the 2005 Freedom Cup. Aside from coaching acrobatic gymnastics, Amy also enjoys choreographing. She graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2005 with a BA in Dance. She has performed in venues throughout New York City, as well as at The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Her acrobatic gymnastic routine choreography has been competed at multiple national competitions, as well as at several international competitions. Amy also attended the prestigious FIG International Coaching Course and is the current Region 7 Technical Committee Chair. Amy is also a judge of acrobtic gymnastics and holds a National rating.
USAG Safety Certified and am also a USAG Professional Member
Sarah Thomas (Acrobatic Team Director & Head Coach)
Sarah began her acro coaching career in 2001 by pioneering the first acro team in San Antonio, Texas. By 2004 she had produced her first national team members and international medalists. Since 2004, Sarah’s athletes have consistently won national titles, national team placements and international medals including gold. After moving back to her hometown of Crofton, MD, she started the acro team at 1st Class Gymnastics. She is the current Junior Olympic Committee Chair for Region 7 and was named Coach of the Year in 2009. Sarah recently attended the prestigious FIG International Coaching Course at the famed Cirque du Soleil training center in Montreal, Canada where she was honored as valedictorian of her class. Sarah is also a judge of acrobatic gymnastics and holds a National Superior rating.
Belinda Watson (Recreational & Team Coach)
Belinda was a competitive artistic gymnast for 7 years before switching to acrobatic gymnastics. She is a 2-time member of the US National Acrobatic Gymnastics team and represented the USA at the 12th Annual Sachenpokal Tournament in Reisa, Germany this past spring where she won the gold medal with her partner. She was named “Athlete of the Year” in 2010 and was the silver medalist at the 2010 National Championships. Belinda balances both coaching and competing and has proven to be an integral part of our coaching team.
Beth Stracka(Team Coach)
She has a BS Degree in Physical Education from the University of Maryland. For 20 years she has coached USAG womens programs ranging from pre-team to level 10, coaching several State Champions, Regional and National Qualifiers. Recently she has become a USAG judge rated Levels 5 – 8. She is the Secretary for the Maryland USAG Board.
Brian Sateriale (Team Coach)
A USAG professional member with over ten years’ experience coaching gymnastics, having trained every level from beginner to elite. He has worked with, and trained with, the best coaches in the United States: John Holman, Donna and Bill Strauss, Enrique Trabanino, Ivan Ivanov, and many others. His education has made him a very effective technician and a very adept spotter: there is no skill that he cannot teach a gymnast. As a member of the United States Elite Coaches’ Association, and a respected clinician who travels throughout the Northeast, Brian and the 1st Class Staff are developing one of the best gymnastics programs in Maryland.
Nina Charity(Aerial Coach)
Nina grew up as a competitive Figure Skater in Columbia, Md, due to the nature of the sport she was required to take dance classes to better her grace and athleticism. Soon after she enrolled in the University of Maryland Dance program where she obtained a BA in Dance. After graduation to continue dancing she discovered the art of Aerial Dance. By working with Air Dance Bernasconi for a little over 5 years, under the direction of Jayne Bernasconi, she was able to explore the ability to fly through the air gracefully. Her training and performance experiences include the Aerial Dance Festival in Boulder, CO where she performed along side of Elsie and Serenity Smith, Nancy Smith, & Fred Deb. Along with her teaching endeavor at Gerstung Inter-sport, she donates her time and performs her Aerial Fabric Act for elementary school age children.
