Richmondshire Gymnastics Club

Gallery

View some pictures of our gymnasts in action here.

Coaches

Pam Portas

Pam began her coaching career over twenty five years ago when she gained a club coach award in Women’s Artistic Gymnastics at Eston Gym Club. She continued to coach when the club moved to the Gymworld Centre at Middlesbrough College, gaining experience in the use of a pitted facility. In September 2009 she began coaching at Richmondshire GC.

During her career as a PE teacher Pam coached school teams to regional and national level. She was chair of the North of England Schools’ Gymnastics Association and Cleveland Schools’ GA for a number of years and organised numerous schools’ competitions during this time.

Dave Portas

Dave began his coaching experience at Eston Gym Club, achieving a senior club coach award in Men’s Artistic gymnastics and a club coach award in Women’s Artistic. He coached boys and girls at Eston and at Gymworld in Middlesbrough for more than twenty five years before becoming one of the founder coaches at Richmondshire GC. He has coached many gymnasts to national level, including TV personality Matt Baker.

For more than five years, Dave was chair of the North of England Gymnastics Association and represented the region on the English Gymnastics committee. He is a course tutor for NEGA and has judged regularly at regional competitions.

Rebecca Clay

Rebecca started her gymnastics career aged 5, after seeing it on playschool and demanding to be taken to the nearest club! After 15 years as a competitive gymnast, Rebecca qualified as a club coach in Women’s artistic and general gymnastics, initially working at Eston and then Gym World Gymnastics Centre in Middlesbrough. After qualifying as a teacher, Rebecca moved to London setting up her first gymnastics club out of the school she taught at, leading teams to success in county and regional competitions.

Rebecca returned to the North in 2006 and set up Abbey Gymnastics Club in Selby, before forming Richmondshire Gymnastics Club in 2008. Rebecca works as a Schools Sports Coordinator and PE teacher, and is a tutor for British Gymnastics. Rebecca has recently completed her coaching qualifications in Pre School and fun 4 baby gymnastics and works all around North Yorkshire teaching and tutoring.

Katie Usher

Katie has been involved in gymnastics for 15 years as a competitive gymnast and coach. As a gymnast she competed at a national level and represented her club and the North of England Squad up to the age of 16.

Katie began her coaching experience at South Durham Gymnastics club where she gained her assistant coach award, and in 2008 began coaching at Richmondshire gymnastics club. Katie has since achieved her level 2 coaching award and is currently undertaking her pre-school coaching qualifications. In the last year, Katie has also been running our satellite gymnastics clubs in some of the local primary schools. Katie has also recently gained a foundation degree in applied sports management and development.

Nicola Walker

Nicola started coaching at Richmondshire when her daughter Molly joined as a gymnast when the club first formed. She had been a gymnast as a child and was persuaded to help out with the classes. She obtained her British Gymnastics coaching qualification and has been an asset to the coaching team on a Saturday ever since.

Abigail Bentall

Abigail’s interest in Gymnastics began when she was 6 years old and she took part in after school classes at primary school. She became hooked and joined Northallerton Gymnastics Club when she was 8 years old. There she was able to build up my skills and compete in club and area competitions. Abi was a student at Richmond School when Rebecca started up an after school class in Gymnastics, this lead on to competing in school area competitions. She displayed a flair for coaching and was given the opportunity by Rebecca to help out at Richmondshire Gymnastics club. Abi qualified as a British Gymnastics Coach in 2011.

Charliey Stroud

Charliey joined the coaching team in 2011 after being asked to come along after displaying a talent for leadership at her school club. She has competed in area gymnastics competitions for her school team and her enthusiastic outgoing personality is perfectly suited to coaching.