About Me

Quick Facts:

Age- 23
Current Club- G2 Gymnastics & Fitness, Pennsylvania
Former Gymnastics Clubs- Flames YMCA, New York; OMEGA, Oregon
Former Cheerleading Gyms- StyleShock Cheer and Dance, Oregon
Former T&T Clubs- Impact and Kinetic, Oregon
Floor Music- "Bellydance" by Edvin Marton (Current), Paganini by Edvin Marton (former)
Favorite Event- Beam and Trampoline

Favorite Events to Coach- Beam and Floor 

Favorite Levels to Coach- Any!
Favorite Skill- Front fulls, double front off double mini

Obsessions- Cirque Du Soleil, giraffes, my dog

Biography:

My name is Melissa Diegel In 2016, I graduated at the top of my class from Alfred University in Western New York with a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training and minors in Psychology and Dance. During my undergraduate, I completed over 1000 hours of hands on clinical experience and paramedic ride-alongs. I hold a current USA-Gymnastics Professional membership in the disciplines of Gymnastics and Trampoline and Tumbling. I am a current USA-Gymnastics rating 4/5 and 7/8 Judge. I formerly held a Category 3 Double Mini Trampoline judging certification, however, it has lapsed, as there are no programs/meets in my current area.

During my first competitive career I competed in the optional levels of gymnastics, trampoline, and double mini. I flourished under the guidance of several phenomenal coaches and programs. Instilled into my gymnastics were the importance hard work, mental toughness, physical fitness and competitive nature. I originally got my start in acrobatic sports as a competitive cheerleader; hungry for an individual and more competitive avenue, I desperately wanted a gymnastics career. While involved in gymnastics from a young age, I had never been "serious" about the sport. At the old age of 14, I got serious about the sport and started my gymnastics career on pre-team, 2 month later, my competitive career began as a level 4, with less than one year of gymnastics training, I made the jump to level 7 where I placed on 3 events at the Oregon State Championships. After my level 7 season, I found competitive trampoline and tumbling, which capitalized on my best attributes as a gymnast. I flourished as an optional level athlete, traveling all over the United States to participate in Regionals and the USA Gymnastic Championships for several years. Upon entering college, I competed as a NCAA springboard diver in the Empire 8, I also auditioned and made the Alfred University Dance Company, and enjoyed intermural cheerleading. I returned to gymnastics in college originally as cross training for diving, which at 19 years old developed into a very rewarding and successful competitive adult gymnastics career. To date, I continue to train and compete in both gymnastics and dance.

I am a firm believer that every child should have a place in the gym to thrive and feel successful (whether that place is Excel, Level 1-10, or recreational) and feel welcomed to enjoy the sport of gymnastic regardless of body type, age (young or adult!), athletic prowess, or scoring potential. As a coach, I believe in creating a strong athletic foundation built on proper fundamentals, building the confidence of athletes, and fostering a love for livelong fitness and passion for gymnastics. 

More On My Coaching Career:

I began my journey of coaching at age 14, where I could be found assisting in recreational classes, preschool classes, birthday parties, day camps, parent-night-outs, or open gyms. Mentored by numerous standout coaches in the gymnastics community, as well as my former coaches, Russian Olympian Dmitri Bilozerchev, and former elite Tiffany Quincy, I developed a coaching style true to my values. As a coach, I focus on fostering a passion for lifelong fitness, and creating strong, beautiful, technical gymnastics. A major point to my philosophy is the idea that gymnastics can be applied to the foundation of any athletic endeavor, regardless of whether or not gymnastics is their chosen sport. I aspire for athletes to love the process of conditioning their bodies, pushing themselves to their physical limits, feeling as though strong is beautiful, and enjoying the experiences along the way. In addition to coaching gymnastics,  I later made my way into coaching trampoline and tumbling classes (level 1-7) and developmental levels, sideline and competitive cheerleading, and diving. Formerly a camper of Woodward West, I have returned each summer as staff or as a guest coach. In addition to coaching, I have choreographed numerous level 6-8 floor routines and several dance solos. Stay tuned to my blog for more on my coaching philosophy, drills, and lesson plans. 

More On My Trampoline & Tumbling Career:

Hands down my favorite sport ever, even though artistic gymnastics will always be my first love. I switched over to T&T at the end of my Junior year of high school after some injures and I started to get burnt out. I began with Kinetic T&T as a level 6 on all three events (trampoline, double mini, and tumbling). I briefly competed with Impact Athletics, before returning to Kinetic. Eventually, I worked my way up to the optional levels (level 8-10) on both trampoline and double mini trampoline and qualified to both Regionals and Nationals every year. I competed in T&T from 2012 through my college graduation in 2016. During my T&T career, and between the three events, I became a seven-time state champion, three time regional champion, and USA Gymnastics National Bronze Medalist. Eventually I plan to return to the competitive T&T world, once I'm back to living in an area with a program!

More On My Diving Career:

While now retired, I began my diving career my senior year of high school with Tualitain Hill Dive Club in Oregon. Diving was a major sport adjustment, because I had never learned to swim and was terrified of water. Upon graduation, I continued my diving career as a NCAA springboard diver at Alfred University. Coming in as a first year student, I was not medically cleared from a shoulder injury, but I healed up well enough to be cleared to contribute to the Saxons primarily on the 1-meter springboard board. While my diving career was short lived, I still thoroughly enjoy watching the sport and coaching. 

More On My Dance Career:

I would necessarily say I've had a "career" in dance. I started dance at age 4 in Tap. I loved it solely because I could make as much noise as I wanted and no one could tell me to stop. My mom still has my first dance costume... I stopped dance when I entered kindergarten, then started taking classes again in high school to compliment my gymnastics. Dance is actually a huge reason I picked my college, I fell in love with the amazing studios AU has. I ended up minoring in dance, and was a member of the AU Dance Performance Company. I enjoyed classes in ballet, modern, dance history, composition, improv, partner improvisation, African, master classes and fundamentals. Upon my graduation, I have continued to love dance, and have recently started up Tap dancing again!

More on My Cheerleading Career:

I started cheerleading in fifth grade, it was my mom's idea and she felt it would help me make friends since I was transferring schools. I started with sideline cheerleading with the youth football cheer team. After 2 years, they started up a mini-competitive group and which I tried out and made. In 2006, I found a private cheer club. I competed as a Flyer on a level 3 Senior team and a backspot on a Junior level 3 team. Eventually, I moved gyms to StyleShock, where I competed on a Senior 2 as a flyer/base, and on a Senior 4 as a flyer and backspot. Slowly getting irritated with the team aspect of cheerleading and the politics of the sport, I left to focus solely on my gymnastics.