Hal Halvorson
Hailing from Scobey, MT, Hal Halvorson is an Eagle Scout, former school teacher and gradate of EMC in Billings, MT. He has 50+ years of extensive competitive & coaching background at all levels of men’s and women’s gymnastics. He is currently certified as a coach through the USAG gymnastics certification program and is also “Safety Certified” through the same organization. Several dozen youngsters have received college scholarships under his tutelage.
Experience:
Hal originated, organized and directed the Flathead lake Gymnastics Camp conducted on the west shore of Flathead Lake in NW Montana for 20 years. He also originated, developed & directed the Big Sky Gymnastics Club in Great Falls, MT for 12+ years. It remains the most successful gymnastics club to date in the state of MT, having developed the only 4 elite (Olympic level) athletes ever from that state. Jeanine Creek of the club became the #5 gymnast in the USA & represented our country internationally on several occasions. She won a silver medal in the all-around and gold in the floor exercise in the Pan American Games. She also won the all around, floor and beam in the Golden Sands International in Bulgaria. Julie Jursnick of the same MT club became the second and only other MT gymnast to ever qualify and compete in Elite Championships of the USA. Hal then spent 16 years in Southern CA continuing his coaching and developing another dozen Elite gymnasts. The strongest was Cindy Tom who also made the USA Nat’l team and represented the USA on several occasions. New Zealand gymnast, Toni Benton trained for nearly 2 years with Verdugo Gymnastics in Souther CA under Hal and went on to represent her home country in the World Championships conducted in Stutgart Germany. In Southern CA, under Hal’s leadership, the “Golden State International Friendship Club Challenge” became one of the nation’s foremost gymnastics invitationals. It eventually hosted club teams from 25 states and 13 foreign countries. Several years ago Hal returned from a one year coaching tour around the world visiting friends and gymnastics in a dozen countries. He has been coaching the Summit Gymnastics Club in Buffalo,WY since 2006.
Honors:
- Hal has been honored on several occasions as an official USA coaching representative (PRC China, Japan, Nationalist China (Taiwan), Netherlands, Switzerland & Australia. He has also served as a representative club coach to a dozen more.
- In 2013 Coach Halvorson was awarded the Master of Sport distinction by the USA Gymnastics Association. This title is awarded to coaches who have demonstrated their ability to train and produce an athlete that has represented the U.S. in the highest level of competition in a Pan American, World Championship and/or Olympic Game.
- Assisted in various capacities with several world level competitions (2 World Championships, European Championships, Commonwealth Games, The London Olympic Test Event in 2012 as well as the 2012 London Olympic Games. Hal served there as one of 6 floor marshals for the entire gymnastics competition.
We are especially fortunate to have an Elite Level Coach here in Buffalo WY working with our gymnasts!
Holli Jones
Since graduating from University of Iowa with a Physical Education/ exercise science degree she and her husband Wayne live in the Bighorns of Wyoming and own and operate South Fork Lodge, Meadowlark Ski Lodge, Meadowlark Lake Resort and Deer Haven Lodge.
Holli looks forward to any time she is able to come down off the mountain to coach gymnastics. She loves the gymnasts and sharing all she knows about the sport and the nuances of competition.
Gloria Rogers
Gloria Rogers has been a coach since 2007 here at Summit Gymnastics Club. She has a special talent for connecting with and encouraging children of every age. She has coached the Tots & Tweeners groups since her start in 2007 and helped establish the beginning basics of body awareness, flexibility and movement for many, many kids. She is an active community member and is also a Boy Scout and Cub Scout leader.