North American Sports Academy- also known as NASA Gymnastics
Opens for training June 15, 1981- Historical Events and Dates to Remember
June 1981- Purchased matting from NAAG Dick Mulvihill
June 15, 1981- Began teaching classes in Gig Harbor, WA.
June-Dec 1981- Classes at Town and Country Health Club, Annie Wright School,
Harbor Heights Elementary, Purdy Elementary, Ft Lewis Rec. Center, Gig Harbor Studio
Jan 1982- Opened NASA Tacoma Training Center 6910-27th Ave West Tac. WA
Feb 1982- Competed First Meet at Portland Colours Invitational in Oregon
Apr 1983- NASA Teams Compete in Class II & III State Championships
Oct 1983- Hosted the “Goblin Cup” Invitational with 210 competitors from OR.CA. WA
1983-1985 Coach Smith serves as Washington State Chairman for USGF Class 3 Modified Program
Dec 1983-Won First WA. State Team Championship- Class 3 Modified Compulsory
Apr 1986- NASA’s Ryan Ferguson wins Pacific Northwest Championship Floor Exercise
Jul 1986- Trained with National Coaches in Moscow, USSR at Goodwill Games Training Camp
May 1990-Opened Gig Harbor Training Studio
June 1990- NASA Trains Goodwill Games Gymnastic Venue Interpretors
Aug 1990- Coach Smith Serves as Host- USA Men’s Gymnastics Team Goodwill Games
Apr 1991- Lindsey Lauderdale wins Pacific NW All Around Championship
Apr 1992- Lindsey Lauderdale wins National Championship All Around- USAIGC in Las Vegas
Apr 1992-Lindsey Lauderdale wins National Championship Floor-USAIGC in Las Vegas
May 1992- Open Gig Harbor Regional Training Center 2905 Jahn Ave NW #11 Gig Harbor
Dec 1992 Tiffani White qualifies to USAG National TEAM Talent Opportunity Program
Mar 1993- Hosted “Harbor Classic” Invitational with teams from around PNW
Apr 1993 Tiffani White Competes in the Western USA National Championships
May 1993- Tiffani White Qualifies to US National Elite Program
Aug 1993- Tiffani White performs 2/1 layout on Floor Ex. at Region 2 Clinic
Aug 1994- Participants in Closing Ceremonies “Goodwill Games” St.Petersburg, Russia
Aug 1994- Coach in “Goodwill Games” training camp St. Petersburg Russia
1995,96,97-T. White Qualifies to USAG National Elite USA NATIONAL Team
1995 Hali Saucier qualifies to USAG National TEAM Talent Opportunity Program
June 1996- T.White performs Full Twisting Double Back on Floor in Elite Qualifying Zone Championship
1996 National Champion- Olympic Sport Festival- Balance Beam National Elite
1996 National Champion- American Classic- Floor Exercise National Elite
1996 Hali Saucier qualifies to USAG National TEAM Talent Opportunity Program
1996- Hali Saucier wins COPA Invitational Junior A Elite Division All Around Title
1996- Danielle Crowley wins COPA Invitational Junior B Elite Division All Around Title
1996- Saucier wins Elite Junior A Division International Bar and Floor Titles at COPA
1996- Crowley wins Elite Junior B Division International Vault and Floor Titles at COPA
Oct 1997 Hali Saucier qualifies to USAG National TEAM Talent Opportunity Program
Oct 1997 M. McIntyre qualifies to USAG National TEAM Talent Opportunity Program
Jun 1998-Hali Saucier wins TOP's Elite Division National Championship All Around, Beam & Vault
Jun 1998-Hali Saucier wins TOP's Elite Division National Championship Runner Up Floor Exercise
Mar 1999-Heather Hudson qualifies to Western National Championship
Jun 2002- USAIGC National Championships- NASA Gymnastics wins National Team
Championship and win 5 All Around National Titles and 8 Ind. Event National Titles.
2003 Brittany Helm qualifies to USAG National TEAM Talent Opportunity Program
Jun 2003 Coach John and Linda Smith win the USAG Washington State “Optional Level Coaches of The Year” award.
May 2004- Victoria, B.C. Canada- NASA Gymnasts win three team titles and numerous All Around and Individual event championships in the “Garden City Classic”
Jul 2004- NASA Gymnasts compete in London, England in “Friendship Cup” and
participate in the Southern Ireland National Training Camp in Cork, Ireland.
Coaches L. Smith, J. Smith serve as Individual Event coaches for the five day National Camp.
May 2005- NASA Gymnasts compete in Delta, British Columbia and win two team
titles and six All Around Championship titles in the prestigious “Delta Invitational”.
May 2005- Victoria, B.C. Canada- NASA Gymnasts win the team title and
numerous All Around and Individual event championship titles in the “2005 Garden City Classic”
Sep 2005- NASA Gymnasts win team title in London, England at the “Capital Cup” with teams from Scotland, Ireland, Belgium, England and NASA Gymnastics from the USA. Kaela Smith wins the All Around Title and Maggie Churchill finishes 2nd in the All Around.
Coach J. Smith spends 7 days coaching in Cork and Ballinaugh, Ireland with Irish National Team Members.
Dec 2005- NASA Gymnastics Nominated to USA Gymnastics Washington State Hall of Fame
April 2006- Haily Luong wins level 9 USAG Region 2 Balance Beam Championship
May 2006- NASA Gymnasts win numerous championship titles in the Delta B.C. Invit.- Kaela Smith, Kyra Plitt, Madison Rich, win All Around titles.
Haily Loung competes in the open division and wins Floor, places 2nd on Beam and 2nd in All Around with Canadian National Team members..
June 2006 NASA Gymnastics host the 25th Anniversary “Quarter Century Cup” Invitational and “Team Reunion” at Life Christian Academy, with teams from Ireland, Oregon, Idaho, and WA. NASA Gymnasts win the Level 7 and 5 Team Titles and 6 All Around Championships
July 2006 NASA Gymnasts compete in Kyoto Japan the “All Japan Gymfest” and Osaka Japan and take part in training camp with Nishinomiya Gymnastics Academy in Osaka. NASA Gymnast Lauren Tossey wins Floor Exercise in International Competition “Hydrangea Cup.”
Dec 2006 Coach John Smith coaches at the Christmas Camp of Champions in Anchorage, Alaska with Olympic Gold Medal Coach Evgeny Marchinko of W.O.G.A. in Texas who is the personal coach of Carly Patterson 2004 Olympic Gymnastics Champion.
Aug 2006 Coach John Smith is selected for induction in the USA Gymnastics Washington State Hall of Fame.
Sep 9, 2006 Coach John Smith is inducted into USA Gymnastics WA. State Hall of Fame.
June 2007 NASA Alumni Gymnast Tiffani White Selected to Tacoma Athletic Commission Sports Hall of Fame
SERVICE to USA Gymnastics, Region 2 and Washington State:
Hosted International Athletes, Olympians and Guest Teams from Foreign
Countries and provided cultural and technical exchanges with athletes and
coaches, while sharing the wonders of the Pacific Northwest while raising
the level of knowledge and expectations for gymnasts, judges and coaches of Washington:
July 1984- Hosted German Gymnastics Team from Augsburg, Germany
July 1986- Provided NASA Gymnasts for the Goodwill Games Training Camp- Moscow,
Russia where we met Steve Nunno and 9 year old Shannon Miller at the Training
Camp, Worked with USSR Coaching legends Leonid Arkayev, Luba Bogdanova,
Yuri Zagladev and Dimitri Zoran, and studied their techniques and philosophy.
Aug 1987- Hosted Double Back Salto training camp for Coaches and Gymnasts
June 1989- John Smith Serves as Gymnastics Chairman for Washington State Games
May 1990-Trained Gymnastic Foreign Language Interpreters for Seattle “Goodwill Games”
July 1990- Hosted Trent Dimas and Lance Ringnald USA National Team Members “GWG”
July 1990- Hosted Bulgarian National Team Member Kalofer Hristosov during “GWG”
July 1990- Served USA Gymnastics as Local Host for Men’s Goodwill Games Team
Working directly with Head Coach Ed Birch- Francis Allen and Mas Watanabe
June 1992- Hosted Olympic Gold Medalist Peter Vidmar for gymnastics presentation @ NASA Gymnastics
Oct 1992- Hosted USA National Team Members and Olympians Chris Waller and Trent Dimas for gymnastics club presentation
Aug 1993- Provided Coaches Clinic at Region 2 Congress on Advanced Tumbling
NASA Gymnasts demonstrated Back Double layouts, Full-In, Triple Full Twists, and Front 1 ½ Twisting Saltos on the Floor Exercise.
Feb 1994- Hosted British Columbia All Star Team in WA.-vs.-BC All Stars meet
Aug 1994- Provided Athletes and Coaches for participation in the Closing Ceremonies of the “Goodwill Games” in St. Petersburg, Russia
Aug 1994- Coached in the “Goodwill Games” training camp in St. Petersburg Russia
Worked with 1988 Olympic All Around Champion Elena Shushanova who was Gym director of St. Petersburg Gymnastics Academy
July 1995- Coached in Beijing China with 13 athletes from NASA Gymnastics with Chinese Olympians
Li Ning, Mo Hui Lan, Ming Ming at Chinese National Training Center Studied Chinese training techniques and coaching philosophy.
May 1996- Hosted REGION 2 Elite ZONE Qualifying Meet at NASA Gymnastics
June 1996- Served as Co-Head Coach of Pacific NW All Star Team in the COPA Invitational in Monterrey, Mexico-
June 1996- Pacific Northwest All Star Team including 3 NASA Gymnasts Win International Division Team Title
Aug 1996- Coached at “Summer Camp of Champions” at NAAG in Oregon with 1988 USA Olympian Missy Marlowe
March 1997- Hosted USA Gymnastics WA Level 7 State Championships
1997-‘98,’99-NASA Coaches provide technique clinics in Idaho, Falls and Boise, ID, and in Pennsylvania and New Jersey
Jun 2002 John Smith Appointed Director of USA Gymnastics Washington State Hall of Fame
2003-2008 John Smith Serves as USAG WA Board of Directors as State Hall of Fame- Director
2004- Coached at Irish National Training Camp Cork, Ireland
2005- Coached in Cork, Ireland with Irish National Team Members
2006- Provided Coaches Clinic at Region 2 Congress in Portland, Oregon on Blind Change and Front Giants for young gymnasts
2006- Coached in Osaka, and Kobe, Japan with gymnasts from NASA Gymnastics
Feb 2007- Coach John Smith selected by USA Gymnastics to serve as Washington State Talent Opportunity Program State Chair
June 2007-Coached in Coeur de' Lane, Idaho at Funtastics HPTC provided Bar Training Expertise on Higgins, Jaegers and developmental skills
SKILLS DEVELOPED AT NASA GYMNASTICS:
Jul 1993- Lindsey Lauderdale & Taft Dorman perform Vault Handspring front Rudy Out and Tsukahara with Double Twist into Pit at NASA
Jun 1995- Tiffani White performs Double Layout on Floor Exercise
Jul 1996- Tiffani White performs Front Pike Salto and Back Full Twist on Beam First Female Gymnast in PNW History
Jun 1997- Hali Saucier performs German Giant on Uneven Bars First Female Gymnast in PNW History
Jul 1997- With coaching from John Smith- Tiffani White & Hali Saucier perform Whip through to Triple 3/1 Back Salto
at Camp of Champions in Eugene, OR on Tumble Trak-First Gymnasts in Pacific Northwest History to perform the combination.
Aug 1997- T. White competes Back Giant 1 ½ Pirt. to immediate Pike Jaeger-1st in PNW
Aug 1997- T. White performs Double Front on Floor Exercise
Feb 1998- Mackenzie McIntyre competes Dorsal Grip Giant-First Female Gymnast in PNW History
Mar 1998-Mackenzie McIntyre competes Front Giant, Healey to Dorsal Grip into Dorsal Giant, Full Ono to Front Giant ½ into
2/1 twist Layout Flyaway Dismount- First Female Gymnast in PNW History
Apr 1998- McIntyre performs Dorsal Endo, Full Ono to Endo- First Female Gymnast in PNW History to perform this combination
Apr 1998-McIntyre performs 3 ½ twist back flip to immediate punch front on Tumble Trac First Female Gymnast in PNW History
Apr 1998- H. Saucier performs F. layout with 2/1 twist Salto on Floor Exercise First Female Gymnast in PNW History
National Titles won by NASA Gymnasts:
USA- 1992 USAIGC National Championship All AROUND CHAMPION Lindsey Lauderdale
USA- 1992 USAIGC National Championship FLOOR EXERCISE CHAMPION Lindsey Lauderdale
USA- 1996 USAIGC National Championship Floor Exercise Champion T. White
USA- 1996 USAIGC National Championship All Around Champion Runner-Up Tiffani White Silver Medalist
USA- 1996 USAIGC National Championship All Around Champion Ryann Devaney
Mexico- 1996 Copa Invitational Child Elite Division Floor Champion: Hali Saucier
Mexico- 1996 Copa Invitational Junior Elite Division Floor Champion: Danielle Crowley
USA- 1998 US Classic TOP’s Elite Balance Beam Champion: Hali Saucier
USA- 1999 USAIGC National Championship All Around Champion E. Rice
Canada- 2000 “Surrey Classic“- All Around Champion Heide Luong
Canada- 2000 “Surrey Classic” Floor and Vault Champion H. Luong
USA- 2002 USAIGC National Championship All Around Championship Titles Junior A Division F. Jacobs and Junior B Division Heide Luong
International Titles won by NASA Gymnasts:
England 2004 “Friendship Classic“- Uneven Bar Champion Maggie Churchill
Canada 2005 “Garden City” Invitational: All Around Champion Brittany Helm
England 2005 “Capitol Cup” International Gold Medal ALL AROUND : Kaela Smith
England 2005 International Gold Medals on Floor & Beam in Capitol Cup: Kaela Smith
Canada 2006 “Delta Invitational” Open Division Floor Exercise Champion Haily Loung
USA 2006 “ Quarter Century Cup” International Invitational Open Division All Around and Beam Champion H Luong
with Muckross Gym from Ireland and teams from Idaho, Oregon and Washington
Japan 2006 “Hydrangea Cup” International Champion Floor Exercise: Lauren Schmeiss
Hawaii 2009 "Aloha Gymfest" with Australia, Japan, Canada Champion All Around, Bars, Floor Exercise Lauren Schmeiss
NASA Teams have won more then 12 USAG Washington State team titles from 1981-2008
NASA Gymnasts have won 45 Region 2 Championship titles in the Individual Event and All Around competitions.
NASA Gymnasts have competed or performed in Russia, England, China, Ireland, Mexico, Japan and Canada while promoting the ideals of USA Gymnastics. Goodwill Games ‘86 and ‘94 Russia, ‘95 Training camp China, 1996 COPA’ Invitational Monterrey Mexico, "Friendship Cup" London ‘04, Irish National Team Training Camp ’04 Cork, Ireland, "Capital Cup" London ’05, Irish Training Camp Cork, Ireland '05 , Canada- Surrey Classic, Garden City Invitational, Delta Invitational, Richmond Invitational, 2008 Aloha Gymfest with Japan, Australia and US Teams
NASA gymnasts have won events at the Elite LEVEL at the US Classic and USOTC Olympic Sports Festival.
NASA gymnasts have competed in Level 10 JO Nationals, and Level 9 Western Nationals
NASA has served as host for USGF and USAG State Championship meets and Elite Zone Qualifying meets.
NASA has qualified 3 gymnasts to the Elite and TOP’s Elite program and one gymnast is a three time national team member:
Tiffani White earned National Qualification as Junior National Elite and a Senior National Elite.
Hali Saucier qualified to Nationals as a National TOP's Elite in 1998
Mackenzie McIntyre qualified to Nationals as a National TOP's Elite in 1998
NASA has trained 3 International All Around Champions-
Hali Saucier-All Around ‘96 Copa Invitational Mexico
Danielle Crowley- All Around ‘96 Copa Invitational Mexico
Kaela Smith- All Around 2005 Capital Cup London.
NASA has trained 7 USAIGC National All Around Champions.
NASA Alumni Gymnasts have competed in college for Oregon State, Michigan State, U of W, BYU, Boise, Winona State, and Hamline University.
