Serguei Popov: Team Head Coach

Serguei born in Russia and became a competitive gymnast at age 6. He began coaching gymnastics while still a teenager. He earned a spot as a member of the Russian National Gymnastics Team from 1991-1993. He knows Valeri Liukin, Nastia' s dad, also a Russian gymnast.

In 1994 he joined the Russian Circus as a skateboarder, and performed all over South America. He traveled with the circus until 1996 and then returned to Russia.

In 1999 Serguei came to the United States on a Extra Ordinary Ability Visa. He started coaching again here in Idaho Falls and has been a gymnastics coach for 19 years. Serguei also married his wife Anna in 1999, and they have 2 children Michael 4, and Paulina 6. His 2 sisters and his mother still live in Russia.

In 2007 Serguei was named the Region 2 Level 8 coach because of his gymnast's high scores at State. Both of his level 8 girls were State Champions that year.

His gymnastic goals are to help his gymnasts feel like they have accomplished something important in life.

Serguei's hobbies are fishing and doing Russian crossword puzzles. He also likes to work with his hands. He has remodeled their home by himself - from hardwood floors to the tiled kitchen. He grows an incredible garden, he enjoys barbequing on his grill and having friends over to his home.

Serguei and his wife Anna were made American Citizens in May of 2009.

Yuliya Brown: Team Coach

I have a dual citizen of the United States and Russia, began competing internationally for the Soviet Union in 1985. She is a two time USSR National Champion in all around gymnastics (achieved Elite level at age of 10), a four times USA National Champion, World Cup Champion, and World Games Medalist in Power Tumbling. I was selected as the United States Gymnastics Association "Sportswoman and Athlete of the Year" in 2005, 2006 and 2008. I'm is currently on the USA National Team, is the highest ranked women's tumbler in the United States, ranked second in the world, and is a professional member of USAG.

I have coached young gymnasts of all levels since 1989, and was selected as the "Idaho Coach of the Year" in 1999, as voted on by her peers. I have coached in southeastern Idaho since 1997, and currently reside in Idaho Falls.

Personal Information

• Hometown: Moscow, Russia
• Began Gymnastics: 1980
• USSR National Team; 1985-1989
• Begin Coaching; 1989
• USA National Team; 2004-2008, 2010, 2011

Competition Results

• 2011 World Cup RUS 3rd
• 2011 World Cup CHI 5th
• 2010 National Championships, Hartford, CT 1st
• 2010 Elite Challenge, 1st
• 2010 World Championships FRA 4th
• 2007 National Championships, Memphis, Tenn.: 1st
• 2007 U.S. Elite Challenge, Colorado Springs, Colo.: 1st
• 2007 World Championships, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada: 1st-Team; 7th
• 2007 World Cup, Ostend, Belgium: 3rd
• 2007 World Cup, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada: 7th
• 2006 U.S. Championships, Schaumburg, Ill.: 4th
• 2006 U.S. Elite Challenge, Las Vegas, Nev.: 1st
• 2006 Winter Classic, Birmingham, Ala.: 1st
• 2006 World Cup Final, Birmingham, England: 4th
• 2006 World Cup, Salzgitter, Germany: 5th
• 2005 U.S. Championships, Houston, Texas: 1st
• 2005 U.S. Elite Challenge, Phoenix, Ariz.: 1st
• 2005 Winter Classic, Fort Smith, Ark.: 1st
• 2004 Winter Classic, Salt Lake City, Utah: 1st
• 2005 World Championships, Eindhoven, Netherlands: 6th
• 2005 World Championships, Eindhoven, Netherlands: 2nd-Team
• 2005 World Games, Duisburg, Germany: 3rd
• 2005 World Cup, Levallois, France: 3rd
• 2005 World Cup, Sofia, Bulgaria: 2nd
• 2005 World Cup, Ghent, Belgium: 1st

Hayley Nazer: Team Coach

Hayley was born and raised in Logan, Utah. She started gymnastics at the age of 3 and continued through her high school years. At the club level, She competed for Ten-O Gymnastics Club in Logan, Utah where she was a Level 10 gymnast. Hayley was Level 8 state all-around champion in 1995, a member of the Utah team and state vault champion all optional years. She competed for Brigham Young University in 2000 as a freshman where she competed every meet and helped the team qualify for Nationals that year.

Her career ended as a gymnast after her first year at BYU due to health reasons. Hayley graduated from Utah State University in 2004 with a major in Exercise Science. Coached the Level 4 and Level 5 gymnasts at Air-bound Gymnastics in Logan, Utah from 2002-2004.

She has been married to Burke Nazer for six years and recently moved to Idaho Falls from Columbus, Ohio. She enjoys running, playing tennis, shopping, and spending time with family.

She is excited to get back into coaching and looks forward to coaching the gymnasts at Idaho Elite Gymnastics.

Sheila Klaass: Recreational Coach

Grew up in Hamilton Montana. Started working with children at age 12. Was a nanny in Connecticut and California. Went to Ricks College. Focused on Early Childhood Education. Got Married in 1991 to Peter Klaass. Moved to Idaho Falls in 2003. Has 4 daughters ages 7 to 16. Enjoys riding bikes with her girls, family vacations and Sno Shack.

Has taught preschool off and on for the past 12 years in various places. Has taught preschool gymnastics for the past 4 years. Loves being with family, being a soccer, cheer and dance MOM, and loves working with your children.

Candy Cripps: Recreational Coach

I was born on May 3, 1990. I was born and raised here in Idaho. I have a little sister named Holly she is 15 and a freshman at Bonneville High School. I live happily at home still with her and my mom. I graduated from Hillcrest High School in May 2008. Then I stared at Vogue Beauty School that September. I just finished and got my license. Some of my hobbies and the stuff I enjoy doing in my free time are: dancing, gymnastics, cheer. I love the summer heat; swimming, tubing, and lying out. I don't like the cold or snow, but I do like snowboarding and sledding when im really bundled up. I have really started to like reading. And I try to work out at least a couple times a week to stay healthy and fit.

I started doing gymnastics when I was five. Nothing serious yet but I have always loved doing it. When I got older I stared taking it to the next level. When Idaho Elite first opened I decided to check it out. I was a freshman at hillcrest when I joined the team I skipped level four and went straight to five and then six. I competed for two years and did great. It was such a blast. I was going to go up to level seven but decided I wanted to be more involved with school. I tried out for my high school cheer team end of my sophomore year. I cheered for two years. We went to nationals and competed in Hawaii my junior year and took third. And Districts we took first. It was a real challenge working and depending on other people in a routine and not just yourself out there.

I stated coaching for Idaho Elite summer of 06. I love it. Its one of those jobs that you enjoy doing. I stared out with the little levels but as I grew as a coach I move up in the levels as well. I can coach from preschool to competitive. I really enjoy teaching the level 3 pre-team. I just started them this year. It is so cool so see the kids you coached in level one or two now on team competing.

I love to watch them grow and achieve what they want. My biggest hero is my mom. She is always there when you need her. She puts others before her self. She is such a strong woman, I look up to her in every way.