CHEER AND TUMBLING INSTRUCTORS

Coach Kari Coach Naeem Coach Chad

Coach Nick Coach Marisa Coach State

Coach Pano Coaches Maddy & Paige Coach Toni

DANCE INSTRUCTORS - WOW WHAT AN AMAZING DANCE STAFF!!!

Dana Metz Kailin Metz Ariel Renna

Chloe Ranshaw and Andrew Ranshaw -picture coming soon!

STAFF BIO'S

Kari Kratchman - I am excited as the Owner and Director at American Elite Cheer, Dance and Tumbling Training Center. As director at American Elite for five seasons we have become National and International Champions at Levels 1-5. I have been involved in the “Cheer World” for over twenty five years. I have the honor to continue Judging Local and National competitions, and travel as a choreographer for several Junior High, High School and out-of-state All-Star Teams. I am the former director of the coaches association. I had a blast being part of the Phoenix Mercury Hip-Hop Squad for the first three years of the WNBA, and I enjoyed traveling and teaching cheer camps as an Instructor for the NCA (National Cheerleading Association). I was the Varsity Head Coach and rebuilt Pom and Cheer programs at many high schools here in the valley, as well as assisting other programs and at Glendale Community College where we won 3^rd place at College Nationals!!! I was also privileged to be coached by and work with Olympic Gymnastics coach Bela and Marta Karolyi for over five years. I feel that coaching is a privilege and hope to teach more than just cheerleading to any athlete I work with. Cheerleadering builds self-esteem and character while team members reach for their goals and accomplishing them. Each athlete should feel like they are a contributor to the team and believe in themselves as an individual. Most importantly, they should HAVE FUN! I look forward to working with you and your child and look forward to the season to come. Remember, “The Sky’s the Limit!”

Cheers,

Coach Kari

Owner and Director

TUMBLING & CHEER COACHES!!!

Coach Naeem - WELCOME COACH NAEEM!!! AMERICAN ELITE IS HAPPY TO WELCOME BACK COACH NAEEM. HE IS A FANTASTIC TUMBLING COACH WHO CAN DO IT ALL AND WE ARE EXCITED TO ADD NAEEM TO THE SCHEDULE STARTING IN MAY AT AMERICAN ELITE!!!

Coach Pano - I have had the experience of cheering at the University of Minnesota. I was a former gymnast on the Men's gymnastics team and had the opportunity to finish on the cheer team. I moved to Arizona in the summer of 2008 and I have been at American Elite ever since. I enjoy coaching tumbling and our Senior 5 team. I also assisted with all of our competitive teams and I look forward to another amazing season. American Elite has become my family and I love it!

Coach Chad is BACK!!! - Chad has coached at American Elite for a few years and has a lot of FUN with the classes and team kids. He is excited to be back and is great with all levels of classes. Chad has assisted many of our students to get their advanced tumbling skills and is always ready to help them get to the next level!

Coach Nick - I have been at American Elite for a few years. I am proud to say that I head the tumbling program and get our kids to their advanced levels. I love working with the kids at American Elite. They work hard and progress quickly. I enjoy break-dancing, tumbling and gymnastics. It's been awesome to see the programs grow and I can't wait to see what our kids can do this year!

Coach Clint - Picture coming soon! Clint has been a part of American Elite for the past few years. He love coaching tumbling and working open gym, birthday parties and more. Clint loves to be in the gym and have fun with the kids but likes to get them working hard and progressing to the next level. He is also currently attending ASU.

Coach Alison - Alison has been with American Elite for the past three years and has become an intregal part of the growth of our program. She works with our tots program and also coaches all levels of tumbling. Alison is a "technician" when it comes to teaching the essentials of tumbling and her students progress quickly.

Marisa Balbo - I have an extreme passion for cheerleading! I also danced in the Super Bowl Pre-Game show when it was here in Arizona in 1996. I then went on to become an ASU cheerleader and also competed in USA College Nationals where our team took 2^nd place. Following college, I wanted to continue cheerleading and became a gymnastics and cheerleading coach for an All-Star gym. I was also a cheerleader on the Phoenix Suns Zoo crew from 2000-2002. I coached Saguaro High School cheer and choreographed their State winning championship routine in 2002. I also choreographed a routine for Desert Canyon Middle School Pom that won State and Nationals! While loving cheer, I also decided to go back to school for my Master’s degree in Counseling and starting doing therapy for children, adults, and families. I now work in behavioral health social work for United Health Group. I continue to judge many local high school and middle school cheerleading try-outs. I also regularly judge the Fiesta Bowl competition. My passion for cheerleading brought me to American Elite where my team WON NATIONAL CHAMPIONS at the American Championships!!! I am very excited to return to American Elite again this year!

Coach Toni - Is a former ASU Cheerleader! Toni is a mature knowlegdgeable coach who enjoys working with her team and assisting the other teams in the gym.

Coach Paige and Coach Maddy - We love coaching at American Elite. We both started out as all-stars and are currently cheering for Xavier College Prep -- 2009 USA National Champions. We love our Tiny's who won 3rd at Nationals and they all got their kickovers!!! We look forward to working with our teams this year and can't for an AWESOME year.

The Sky's the Limit at American Elite!!!

Coach State - Bio coming soon!

DANCE INSTRUCTORS!

Dana Metz - Dana Metz was born and raised in Arizona. She began training at Dance Connection at age 8 and danced there until she graduated. There she participated in their competitive group and had a chance to work with many choreographers such as Ray Leeper, Tina Caspary-Cyphert, Mandy Moore, Mark Meismer, and Dee Caspary. Along with training at Dance Connection she attended Arizona School for the Arts for six years, and studied ballet and modern at the School of Ballet Arizona. Dana had choreographed at Dance Connection where she started her national winning choreography.

Kailin Metz - coming soon

Chloe Ranshaw - coming soon

Andrew Ranshaw - coming soon

Ariel Renna - coming soon