| Program Directors |
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RALPH DRUECKE
Boys Developmental Director-Brookfield
Owner and operator of Salto since 1978. A graduate of UW-La Crosse,
BS 1970, MS 1977—Physical Education. Nine years of teaching physical
education at Home-stead in Mequon, WI; coach of the boys gymnastic
team, winning 4 WIAA State Championships; coach of the Salto boys
teams, winning Class 1 & 2 State Champs in 1980 thru 1984, 1988,
1990 and 1991 thru 1993, Class 6 State Champs in 1994 & 1995 and
Region 4 Class 6 Champions-1995. USGF Region 4 Men's Program
Di-rector from 1984-1996 and USAG Safety Certified; Coach of 1986
Olympic Sports Festival.
JAMES MELCAREK
Cheer/Tumbling Director-Waukesha
Girls Optional Director-Waukesha
Owner and operator of Salto since 1978. A graduate of UW-La Crosse with a double
major in Physical Education and Health Education. He was a former
coach for many State Championship teams at all Levels. He has
coached USAG competitors at the Regional and National Levels and
many have gone on to earn full ride gymnastic scholarships at many colleges around the United States. USAG Safety Certified. He currently coaches our Levels 7-10 Girls Optional teams along with our Tiny Tot, Home School, High School and Cheer/Tumbling classes.
LYNNELL PETERSON
Girls Developmental Director-Waukesha
Owner and operator of Salto since 1978. Girls gymnastics coach at Sussex Hamilton High School from 1974-1977. She currently coaches girls Developmental classes. She was a former USAG Team 4-6 coach. USAG Team 7 State Champions in 1980-1986, 1988, 1995. USAG Team 4 State Champions in 1998 and 2000. USAG Team 6 Champions in 2000. USAG Safety Certified.
MITCH CONNOR
Boys Competitive Team Director-Brookfield
A former member of the Virgin Island National Team. Competed in the 1983, 1987, and 1991 Pan American Games, as well as the 1982 and 1986 Central American Games. A former member of the University of Iowa Men's Gymnastics Team from 1988-1992. Boys team coach of the Hawkeye Gymnastic Training Center from 1990-1995. Currently coaches all levels, including qualifying athletes to the J.O. National Championships and the AAU National Championships.
CRISSY DRUECKE
Tiny Tot Director-Brookfield
A four-year scholarship athlete at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where her team won the Big 8 Championships three times. She received her B.S. in Physical Education in 1980. Head Coach of Brookfield Central's Girls Gymnastics Team from 1981-1984. Crissy has been an instructor for Salto since 1984. She currently teaches Tiny Tot classes.
BETH ETTL
Tiny Tot Director-Waukesha
Beth graduated from UW-Whitewater in 1982 with a B.A. in marketing. She worked in the marketing business for twelve years before ―retiring into the child-rearing years. Beth brought her daughter to Salto in 1993, and she is currently a senior at Penn State on their gymnastics team. She was a walk-on and earned a scholarship her sophomore junior and senior year. She was the Big Ten Bar Champion for 2010 and 2011. Beth is also the Birthday Party Coordinator at the Waukesha facility. She teaches our Tiny Tot and some Developmental classes. Beth has been an instructor at Salto since 2001.
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Dance Instructors |
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Ginger Wachter
Ginger graduated from Belhaven College in Jackson, Mississippi in August, 2009, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. She was a dance instructor at To The Pointe Dance Studio in Hartland, WI, from 2009-2010. She currently is dancing at Dance Works. She has choreographed and performed in numerous musicals. She is proficient in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop and Contemporary dance. |
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Gymnastics
Instructors |
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Stacy Abbondanza -
Stacy was a former Salto gymnast, starting at the age of 2. She
graduated from WCTC with a degree in early childhood education. She is pursuing a
career in the medical field. She is the assistant office manager. She also supervises
our open gyms. She is pursuing a career as a radiologist.
Amy Droster - Amy graduated from Hope College with a B.A. in Physical Education
and a minor in Dance. She has had years of experience teaching gymnastics and fitness.
She coached at Elkhorn High School and Middle School for one year. She has
been at Salto since 1996. She coaches Tiny Tot and Developmental classes.
Angela Hardison - Angela has an Associate's Degree in Police Science, and worked
as a Police Aide with the Milwaukee Police Dept. for 5 years. She was a Varsity High
School gymnast, and was a State Champion on Vault. In 2000, she brought her two
daughters to Salto—one is now coaching here at Salto, and one is a Level 10 gymnast.
Angela teaches Developmental classes.
Brittany Hardison - Brittany was a former Level 10 Salto gymnast and graduated in
2007. She currently coaches our Pre-Team through Team 7 groups. She also helps
supervise the open gyms. She is pursuing a career as a Surgical Technician. Coach of
2009 Level 4 State Champions.
Julie Holden - Girls Competitive Team Director
- Levels 4-8 & Tops Director -
Julie is a graduate of UW-Milwaukee with a degree in Child Psychology. She was a
former gymnast at Salto. Julie has been an instructor at Salto since 1995, and currently
coaches the Girls Teams 4 through Team 7 and TOP's. She is USAG Safety certified.
Coach of 2009 Level 4 State Champions and 2010 Level 7 State Champions.
Samantha Jaskulski - Samantha has competed as a team gymnast for 6 years and
has been coaching for 5 years. She is finishing her associate's degree at MATC this
fall. She coaches Developmental classes.
Sandy Maher - Sandy began teaching Tiny Tots at Salto in 2004. She is a graduate
of UW-Milwaukee with a degree in Economics. She currently has 2 of her children in
our Salto Team programs. She coaches our Tiny Tot and Developmental classes. She
is also one of our Team 1, 2 & 3 girls coach.
Emily Melcarek - Girls Team 4-8 Coach
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Emily was a former Salto gymnast for 10 years. She started taking classes at the age
of 1 and continued into the team program. She was a Varsity gymnast at Mukwonago
High School for 4 years. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in
August of 2006, with a bachelors degree in Recreation Management and a minor in
Spanish. She coached Teams 4-6 at the La Crosse YMCA for 4 years, while attending
college. She currently coaches Teams 4 through Team 7. She is USAG Safety certified.
Coach of 2009 Level 4 State Champions and 2010 Level 7 State Champions.
Nicole Reinhardt - She started gymnastics at the age of four and spent the majority
of her competition years at Salto. After spending eleven years as a gymnast, she continued
at Salto in the tumbling classes and joined her high school cheerleading team,
where she was a member of the Varsity squad for 3 years. During that time her team
won three consecutive State championships and also took sixth at Nationals. She currently
coaches our developmental classes at our Brookfield facility.
Vitali Rudnitski - Vitali was a member of the 1996
& 2000 Belarus Olympic Teams. He also represented Belarus at 4 World
Championships. He has a Master's Degree in Physical Education. Vitali was an Assistant Coach of the Belarus Junior National Team
before coming to the U.S. He coaches our Boys teams.
Peggy Sterigades - Peggy began working at Salto in 2008. She is a Tiny Tot
instructor, Birthday Party Instructor and works in the office. Currently, two of her
sons compete for Salto's Boys Competitive Team.
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