"The instructors at Aspire are not only knowledgeable, but are willing to help push my daughter to go beyond what she may think she can do without pressuring her. It is so nice to see that when she is ready to advance, the instructors do just that and move her up levels so she don't become stagnant in her learning or get bored." -Shalayne S.
Aspire Staff
If you would like to join our staff, please fill out and bring in our job application.
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Recreational Gymnastics & Tumblebug Program Director
Casey Chapel
Email Casey: casey@aspirekidsports.com
Casey has been working at Aspire since 2001. In addition to being the Upward Bound Program Director, she has also coached in the Tumblebugs program, various teams, and at summer camps. Casey has an extensive past in the sport of gymnastics. She competed level 9 in St. Louis, Missouri and has been coaching since 1996. She is also a hip hop dancer with the entertainment crew “Foot Klan”.
Casey graduated from ASU with a Bachelors Degree in Kinesiology. She enjoys break dancing and walking on her hands. Casey’s favorite food is toasted ravioli and she also loves cats. When asked why she loves working at Aspire, Casey simply states that she “loves those kids”!
Swim Program Director
Erin Sampley
Email Erin: erin@aspirekidsports.com
Erin has been at Aspire since we opened in 2005. She was an essential part of the development of an aquatics program in the gym. She coaches many different classes for a variety of ages in the swim program. Erin started competitive swimming at age 5 and continued for many years. She began coaching swimming in 1997.
Erin has degrees in Early Childhood Development and Elementary Education. She enjoys spending time with her husband and four wonderful children and her favorite food is ice cream.
Martial Arts Program Director
Kenny Jezek
Email Kenny: kenny@aspirekidsports.com
Kenny started Aspire's martial arts program back in 2005 when we opened our doors at this location. After running the program for 2 years, he took a break to work on some other opportunities. He re-joined Aspire's staff in the early summer of 2010. Kenny has been involved with martial arts since the age of 14. He has numerous black belts and used to own his own martial arts school in the East Valley.
Kenny enjoys jogging and is very involved with theater production and dance choreography. His favorite food is anything at Bennihana. When asked why he enjoys working at Aspire, Kenny said, "I enjoy the staff and the kids. No matter how bad my day has been, I always leave there with a smile on my face."
Front Desk Manager
Carol Otto
Email Carol: carol@aspirekidsports.com
Carol came to work at Aspire in 2005. She keeps the gym functioning correctly by managing the front desk. Carol describes her job as cleaning up and helping people, but in reality she does that and so much more! She keeps the registration process organized, orders many of Aspire’s supplies, and makes sure that your student is in the right class.
Carol graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Interior Design from S.U.N.Y. College in Buffalo, New York. She is in her 12th year of home schooling—”graduated two, one to go!” Carol enjoys reading, martial arts, and traveling. She likes to eat Italian food and her favorite drink from Starbucks is a grande extra hot decaf mocha. When asked why she enjoys working at Aspire, Carol responds, “I love kids and love to help people. My gifts and abilities are best utilized here and I feel blessed to be a part of this organization.”
Boys Team Coaches
Rob Survick
Email Rob: rob@aspirekidsports.com
Rob has been coaching at Aspire since 2006. He has been instrumental in starting Aspire’s first Trampoline and Tumbling competitive team. Since Rob has been at Aspire, he has coached boy’s team, girl’s team, Mighty Mites, T & T team, and is an assistant coach for the ASU Men’s Gymnastics Team.
Rob says that he has been involved with gymnastics forever! He competed on the ASU Men’s Gymnastics Team and was the team captain in 2002-2003. He graduated with a BS degree in Kinesiology. Rob enjoys playing golf and poker. He is also a realtor when he is not coaching. His favorite food is anything and he really likes to eat! He likes working at Aspire because “the kids are cool and I don’t have to wear shoes”!
Evan Shaw
Email Evan: evan@aspirekidsports.com
Evan has been involved with gymnastics for over 14 years. He is a 3-time All-American and has 3 National Championships with the ASU Men’s Gymnastics Team. He began coaching at Aspire in 2003 and has coached in the Upward Bound program, the Tumblebugs, and is currently one of the Boys Team Coaches.
Evan graduated from ASU with a degree in Biology. He enjoys scuba diving, snowboarding, poker, music, and movies. He really seems to enjoy food since his list of favorite foods include: pizza, steak, chicken, enchiladas, cheesesteaks, ice cream, pie, In-N-Out Burger, pancakes, omelettes, crab legs, sushi, lobster, egg rolls from Lynn Nguyen, pasta, and big sandwiches!
Girls Team Coaches
Paul Kahovec
Email Paul: paul@aspirekidsports.com
Paul came to Aspire with an extensive history in the sport of gymnastics. He started gymnastics in 1959 and became an All-American in 1973 during his college days at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He has been coaching gymnastics for almost 40 years, has owned 2 gymnastics clubs, been a men's and women's rated judge, been the men's and women's state director in Hawaii, and is currently on the AZ State Board.
Paul recieved his BA in Physical Education from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He enjoys swimming, playing golf and traveling in his spare time. Paul has been married to Lynn and the step-father to 4 since 2003. When asked why he enjoys working at Aspire, Paul said, "I've found at Aspire that I'm surrounded by others who, like me, love being a positive influence in the lives of their students."
Kim Brown
Email Kim: kim@aspirekidsports.com
Kim is our compulsory and developmental director for our girls program. She comes to Aspire with years of experience in the gymnastics world. Kim started gymnastics at age 9 and was the Elite National Champion on vault and part of the USA National Team. Kim was an ASU gymnast and the Collegiate National Champion on floor and vault. While she was at ASU, Kim was an All-American and has been inducted into the ASU Sports Hall of Fame. After college, Kim danced professionally. She is currently a high level judge for women’s gymnastics.
In addition to gymnastics, Kim loves to hike, camp and do a variety of outdoor activities. She is married and has two boys.
Maryn Petera
Email Maryn: maryn@aspirekidsports.com
Maryn came to Aspire in 2006 and has put a lot of time in many different programs. She has coached in our Upward Bound, Tramp & Tumbling, Tumblebugs, Girls Team and Developmental Team programs. She participated in gymnastics for 13 years. Maryn started competing Level 5 at age 7, became a TOPS team member, was a part of her gym’s elite training program, and went all the way to Level 10 where she was the AZ State Level 10 Floor Champion in 1999. She also did one year of collegiate gymnastics at ASU.
Maryn graduated from ASU with a B.S. in Kinesiology and is currently pursuing her nursing degree. She enjoys wakeboarding, snowboarding, working out and playing with her English Bulldog, Titus. Her favorite foods are BBQ snow crab from Joe’s and lemon sorbet from Cold Stone Creamery.
Monique Auger
Email Monique: monique@aspirekidsports.com
Monique has been working at Aspire since 2005. She has coached in the Tumble Bugs program, girl’s team, and directed summer camps. Monique has more than 10 years of competitive gymnastics experience in Colorado. She was one of the original National TOPS Team members in 1992 and went on to compete through Level 10. She has been coaching for 7 years and works as the team manager for the ASU Men’s Gymnastics Team.
Monique received an associate’s degree from MCC and is currently attending Artistic Beauty College. She enjoys photography, arts & crafts, food, and movies. She says that her favorite foods are her Grandma’s cooking, pancakes, and Lynn Nguyen’s egg rolls.
Marketing/PR
Bethany Juarez
Email Bethany: bethany@aspirekidsports.com
Bethany began coaching for Aspire in 2004. She has coached in the Upward Bound program, the Tumblebugs, and currently coaches cheer. She also works at the front desk and does public relations and marketing for Aspire.
Bethany has been involved with gymnastics and cheer since she was four year’s old. She attended and cheered at Valley Christian High School and went on to ASU where she graduated with a degree in Journalism and Public Relations. Bethany married Brandon Juarez in January of 2007. She enjoys snowboarding with her husband, shopping, and riding her horse (when she finds the time). Her favorite food is cheese enchiladas with queso enchilada sauce from Abuelo’s Mexican Restaurant.
All-Star Cheer Coaches
Jason Mitchell
Email Jason: jason@aspirekidsports.com
Jason and his wife Krystle merged their award winning all-star cheer program, Arizona Heat Elite, with Aspire in August of 2010. Jason got his start in the cheer industry back in 1990 as a professional cheer instructor for the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA), the largest cheerleading company in the US. As an instructor, he taught camps all over the US as well as in Japan. During this time he recieved a scholarship to cheer at Grand Canyon University where he served as captain all four years. He has coached at the jr. high, high school, college and all-star levels for the past 20 years. He is also a respected cheerleading judge and has spoken at severval national coaches conferences.
Jason recieved his BA in English from Grand Canyon University and his Master's in Administration from the University of Phoenix. He is married and has 3 daughters and loves to run in his spare time.
Trampoline & Tumbling Team Coaches
Jon Black
Email Jon: jon@aspirekidsports.com
Jon has been coaching at Aspire since 2006. He coaches our T&T Teams as well as tumbling and trampoline recreational classes. Jon has over 20 years experience in tumbling. He was the 2000 National Power Tumbling Champion, a USA National Team member from 200-2002, a World Championship Team alternate in 2001, and is still a Sr. Elite Power Tumbler. Jon is currently ranked in the US Top 10 for Power Tumbling.
Jon enjoys working out, reading, and traveling and he says that his favorite food is all food. When asked why he enjoys working at Aspire, Jon replied, “I have never been in a gymnastics facility with such a positive learning environment.”
