credits: Richard M. Hackett/Times-Call

Olympic gymnast Chellsie Memmel spots Alice Bosley, 11, during a clinic at Airborne Gymnastics in Longmont on Monday. Memmel will be instructing at Airborne today and Wednesday as well.

Longmont Times-Call

LONGMONT, CO- Chellsie Memmel doesn’t have a lot of coaching experience.  Area gymnasts are flocking this week to learn from her, however.

Memmel, 21, who was part of the United States’ silver medal-winning gymnastics team at the 2008 Olympics, is coaching local gymnasts at Airborne Gymnastics and Dance.

“I enjoy it a lot,” said Memmel, who has had a busy summer of coaching around the country. “It’s fun for me to come in see the little girls excited to see me and talk to me. It’s very cool.”

Of course, one of the reasons the girls are so excited is that Memmel has been in the spotlight in recent years.

At the 2003 world championships, she won the gold medal on the bars and helped the United States to the team gold medal. She was also the Pan-American Games all-around champion in 2003.

She won a pair of silver medals at the 2005 world championships (bars and beam) and then helped the United States take silver at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

“It’s so exciting, what I’ve been able to accomplish,” the Wisconsin native said. “Becoming a world champion — with the team and as an individual — that’s an amazing thing that only a handful of gymnasts can say. Making an Olympic team, of course, is awesome, and being able to medal, as well.

That experience is part of what she brings to Airborne this week.

“It’s really exciting because I get to learn a lot of new skills from her,” said 9-year-old Hannah McDonald, of Niwot. “I’m just excited to learn whatever I can.”

This week will be a learning experience for everyone involved — the athletes, Memmel and the coaching staff at Airborne.

“(Memmel) is great to work with the kids and teach them some new drills, but mostly she motivates the athletes,” Laura Amaya, a team coach at Airborne, said. “It’s a year-round sport, so it’s hard to stay motivated year-round. When an Olympian comes in for the kids, it just renews their excitement.”

Memmel enjoys a level of excitement, too. Because she’s new to coaching, this summer has been good experience.

“I still don’t have a lot of coaching experience with the younger kids, but it’s gotten a lot better,” she said. “All these summer camps have helped and I’ve gotten a lot of tips from nice coaches and people that have been doing it a lot longer than I have. I’m getting a lot more comfortable with it and it’s fun for me to be able to help them.”

Looking into the future, Memmel isn’t sure whether or not she’ll make a return trip to the Olympics, in 2012.

“I’d really love to do it again,” she said. “It depends on what my body wants to do.”

Regardless, Memmel will use the experience she gains this week at Airborne, and at other camps throughout the summer, to sharpen her skills as a coach.

“My parents own a gym,” she said. “I know I’ll always be involved in this sport. There’s no way I can get away from it. I love it.

“I’m definitely taking it all in as a learning experience. It’s nice to go to all different places and see all the different drills and how everybody else coaches.”

Permalink | Posted in: Gymnastics, Press, Chellsie Memmel |