It isn’t about who we are. It’s about your kids and who we get to help them become.

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Rebecca Tillekeratne

 

Rebecca is our Gym Director. Rebecca started coaching in 2005, while she earned her degree in Psychology. Even while working jobs focused on her degree, she coached gymnastics. She has over 10 years of experience as a gym director, in Missouri and Texas. As a child, Rebecca participated in competitive gymnastics throughout elementary school. In jr. high, she transitioned to cheerleading and continued throughout high school. Rebecca can usually be found at the front desk but also helps coach recreational classes & our competitive teams. Rebecca’s favorite part of gymnastics is watching the kids learn skills that will help them throughout life. “Gymnasts are different. They are more determined, they work harder, they are more respectful & disciplined. Gymnastics just creates well-rounded human beings. I am grateful to be part of that journey every day.”

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Cash McGowan

 

Cash started coaching gymnastics in 1997 while cheering at SMSU West Plains. In 1999 Cash started coaching competitively. Cash started the Team Program at Gold Medal Gymnastics in 2004 and created a great competitive Team Program, so well that a company in New York offered him a job. In 2013 Cash and his family moved to Long Island, New York where they helped to get a new gym started, and had a very successful JO Team program. Cash and his family have been back at Gold Medal Gyms since June 2015. In his first year back Cash led his Team Program to multiple state and regional champions, as well as a level 10 National champion. Coach Cash has a comprehensive learning style that focuses on developing all around athletes. He has a white belt mentality and is always trying to learn more.

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Sara McGowan

 

Sara has been Coaching team and pre-school at Gold Medal Gymnastics since 2005. After moving to Long Island, New York with her family in 2013, where she helped to revamp the preschool program there. In 2014 Sara was instrumental in getting another pre-school program started in Garden City on Long Island, New York while working alongside her husband starting a very successful JO Team program. In 2015 Sara and her family moved back to Gold Medal Gyms and Sara couldn’t be happier to be home where it all started.

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Lauren Messenger-James

 

Lauren is our Xcel Program Director and Head Coach. Lauren began gymnastics when she was two years old. She did competitive gymnastics for nine years and competed through Level 9. Lauren started coaching gymnastics in 2015. Lauren was also part of the Gold Medal Gems competitive cheer program for four years. During her 4th year of competitive cheer, she accepted the position of Xcel Head Coach. Lauren has led numerous gymnasts to winning State & Regional titles in 2021, 2022, & 2023. Lauren’s attention to detail and dedication to the program is evident.  In 2023, her Xcel Program was awarded “Xcel Program of the Year” for the state of Missouri.

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Jenae Templeton

 

Jenae is our Xcel Program Assistant Coach. She has been coaching since 2019, mainly Xcel but has coached some recreational gymnastics. She was a competitive gymnast for four years before moving to competitive cheerleading. She did competitive cheer for six years, where her team made it to Worlds. Jenae has helped Gold Medal athletes achieve multiple State & Regional titles. Gold Medal Xcel Program also earned 2023 Program of the Year in Missouri. Jenae & her husband have a one-year-old daughter, who is enrolled in the Sweet Pea program at GMG.

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Lindsey Cooke

 

Lindsey is our Competitive Cheer Director and Head Coach. Lindsey has been coaching competitive cheerleading and tumbling since 2010. She cheered competitively from 2002-2014. During that time she also cheered for Glendale High School and Drury University. Lindsey won various National Championships and the All-American Cheerleader award twice as an athlete. She decided in 2014 that coaching was what she wanted to do and pursued it full-time. Since being with Gold Medal, Lindsey has led our teams to multiple championships; including, a 3rd place finish at the D2 Summit in 2021 & a 2nd place finish at the All-Star World Championships in 2023. Lindsey’s favorite part of her job is seeing the look on her athlete’s faces when they achieve a new skill or hit their routine. She is very thankful for the opportunity to teach her passion for the sport to the next generations of cheerleaders.

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Annabelle Pierce

Annabelle is our Competitive Cheer Program Assistant Coach. Annabelle has been coaching competitive cheer since 2019. She was a competitive cheerleader from 2004-2017. During that time, she won a National Championship with her team & attended prestigious competitions, including NCA & Summit. While at Gold Medal, she has helped lead our teams to a 2nd Place title at the All-Star World Championship in 2023. Annabelle said her favorite part of coaching “is seeing all their hard work pay off when they hit the competition floor!”