Eleven members of the Gail Frederick Flyers gymnastics team returned from the United States Trampoline and Tumbling Association (USTA) 2026 National competition with top-10 finishes.
The Flyers and their coaches travelled to Madison, Wisconsin for the end of their competitive season, which runs from November to June. The competition hosted power floor, trampoline and double mini trampoline events. Around 4,000 athletes attended and were divided among seven levels from beginner to elite and age range.
The 11 competitors from the Flyers qualified for the national’s competition at the Kentucky State Meet on April 25 in Morehead. The Flyers members who attended the national’s competition were Zina Antonov, Karis Couchman, Jaxtyn Davis-Owens, Axell Lawson, Mattie Mills, McKinley Moses, Alivia Pirani, Nevaeh Ridener, Mia Rutland, Kaitlin Willson and Mia Wombles. Only three of the competitors, Ridener, Rutland and Willson, had attended a national’s competition before.
2026 is the 30th anniversary of the Flyers. The team is coached by Kelly Chesnut, Jennifer Willson, Tammy Spencer and Natalie McNamara. Chesnut said the team has been to 14 national’s competitions since 1996.
The Flyers had a total of 18 top ten positions between six levels in the competition, and each of the 11 members placed in the top ten at least once. Antonov, Lawson and Rutland were in the top ten for all three events in their divisions. Three members won third place in the nation: Antonov in beginner double mini trampoline, Rutland in intermediate double mini trampoline and Wombles intermediate double mini trampoline. Three members won second place in the nation: Pirani in advanced double mini trampoline, Ridener in novice double mini trampoline and Willson in sub-advanced trampoline.
Pirani, 12, has been on the Flyers for three years. Next year, she will advance to the elite level at USTA. Chesnut said this is the highest level offered and the only level with age divisions and an open division for all elite level competitors.
Willson, a 19-year-old Knox Central High School graduate, has competed for the Flyers for 12 years. Chesnut said it was rewarding to see Willson all the way through her starting gymnastics at three years old in the tumble-bugs program at Gail Frederick Gymnastics to winning second place in the nation in her senior year.
Chesnut is retiring at the end of the summer after 38 years of coaching and instructing at Gail Frederick Gymnastics. She said she hopes to return as a substitute instructor next year.
“I’ve always said I want to be a positive influence in the life of a child,” Chesnut said. “I have a very personal relationship with the team because I want them to feel like they have a friend, not just a coach.”
