Darion took over as the new owner of Prairie Gymnastics Club in January of 2018. Prior to that, he owned and operated Leaps & Bounds Mobile Gymnastics and Tumbling, LLC. Darion began participating in gymnastics at the age of three. During his gymnastics career, Darion won state and regional championships and was the IHSA floor champion in 1993. Darion was also a member of the regional team and the Junior National Developmental Team which allowed him to train at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Unfortunately, a serious injury to his shoulder ended his competitive gymnastics career. For over 25 years, he has coached all levels of gymnastics and has coached several gymnasts to state and national level competitions. Darion is a professional member of USA Gymnastics, the national governing body of gymnastics in the United States. He is also a certified USA Gymnastics National Judge as well as USAG safety certified. Darion is a member of the Illinois state coaching staff and is also a published author. CLICK HERE to order Coach D’s book today!
“Did I Make You Proud” by Darion Knight offers readers a candid and captivating look into his life journey. As a black gymnast raised in the streets of Chicago, Knight’s memoir unfolds with raw honesty and authenticity. Through the release of his first book, readers are invited to delve into his narrative, tracing his evolution from inner-city struggles to entrepreneurial triumphs. Knight’s inspiring memoir serves as a testament to resilience and self-determination, showcasing how he forged his own path to success against all odds. As you stay tuned for this compelling and empowering memoir, know that this read will encourage us all to cultivate a sense of inner pride and self-worth!
Jillian took over as the new owner of Prairie Gymnastics Club in January of 2018. Prior to that, she owned and operated Leaps & Bounds Mobile Gymnastics and Tumbling, LLC. In 2009, Jillian received her Master’s Degree in Social Work from Aurora University. While obtaining her degree, Jillian counseled at risk children with the goal of teaching them important life skills and helping them develop positive self-esteem. She is also the director of operations for her non-profit organization, Flippin’ for Fitness. Outside of the gym, Jillian enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter, Olivia.
Genevieve joined Prairie in 2021, bringing with her over a decade of coaching experience. She began by coaching recreational classes and now works with competitive athletes – Level 4, Level 6, Xcel Gold, Xcel Platinum, and Xcel Diamond. A former competitive gymnast from age 2 through 18, Genevieve’s own gymnastics career ended due to injury after high school—but coaching has kept her closely connected to the sport she loves.
As both a Team Coach and Assistant Manager, Genevieve is passionate about fostering a positive training environment and helping gymnasts build confidence, both inside and outside the gym. Her favorite event to coach is Bars.
Outside of gymnastics, she enjoys spending time with her husband, their daughter Mackenzie, and their two dogs. You’ll often see Mackenzie around the gym, already soaking up the energy and excitement of the gymnastics world!
With over 20 years of coaching experience, we are excited to have Coach Julius at Prairie! Julius started in the sport of gymnastics in Ohio at the age of 3 years old. He started coaching at age 16, primarily coaching cheer tumbling. While coaching tumbling, Julius assisted several Ohio High School Athletic Association Cheer State Championship teams as well as National Championship teams.
Julius has also had high levels of success while coaching Men’s Artistic Gymnastics. He is currently a member of our Region 5 Men’s Coaching Staff. Through the years, Julius has coached dozens of State Champions, several Regional Champions, and many National Championship qualifiers. He has also consistently placed athletes on our Region 5 Regional Team and Region 5 Future Stars Development Team.
At Prairie, Julius is the lead Tumbling coach and he is also the Boys Team Coach. In his spare time, he loves spending time with his children and giving them new experiences.
Coach Lily began cheerleading at just five years old and continued for 12 years. One of her proudest accomplishments was earning a spot on a Worlds team. She joined Prairie in April 2022 and, despite not coming from a gymnastics background, has quickly learned and embraced the sport. Lily currently coaches the Xcel Bronze team, our Gym Kids 3 girls, as well as preschool and recreational classes. She has a passion for working with children and loves watching them gain confidence as they learn new skills.
Payton’s gymnastics journey began right here at Prairie when she was just six years old in her very first tumbling class. She went on to compete for most of her gymnastics career, reaching Excel Diamond before transferring to high school gymnastics. Along the way, she earned several accomplishments, including winning All-Around at State in 2017 for Excel Platinum (with her team also taking first place) and placing third at State on Floor and Vault in 2019 during high school.
Payton has coached gymnastics on and off throughout high school and college, with experience at both the YMCA and Prairie. She recently graduated from Syracuse University with a Pre-Law degree, majoring in Sociology with a minor in Forensic Science.
Her love for teaching and coaching started at 16, and she’s excited to be back at Prairie, combining her passion for working with kids and her lifelong connection to gymnastics.
When she’s not in the gym, Payton enjoys reading, spending time outdoors, and preparing for the LSAT as she looks ahead to the next chapter of her academic journey.
Emmalise brings over 20 years of gymnastics experience to Prairie as both a high-level athlete and coach. She began gymnastics at just two years old and went on to compete through Level 10 before becoming a Division I collegiate gymnast. Emmalise competed for both Northern Illinois University and the University of Illinois, completing four years of Division I competition.
Throughout her athletic career, Emmalise achieved numerous accomplishments. She qualified to JO Nationals three times and served as a club team captain for two years. In college, she was named a WCGA Scholastic All-American, earned MAC Specialist of the Week honors on vault, tied for third place on vault at the MAC Championships, and qualified to NCAA Regionals as a floor specialist. She also competed at NCAA Regionals with the University of Illinois during her senior year.
As a coach, Emmalise has worked with recreational & Xcel/JD team gymnasts. She is known for her strong technical coaching, well-rounded event knowledge, and her ability to build athlete confidence while maintaining discipline and safety. She is passionate about creating structured training environments that support long-term athlete development both physically and mentally.
Emmalise currently studies Biology at Northern Illinois University and continues to bring a thoughtful, detail-oriented approach to coaching. Outside of the gym, she enjoys staying active, mentoring younger athletes, practicing archery, spending time with friends, watching detective series, and creating floor choreography and music.
She is passionate about giving back to the sport that has shaped her life and takes pride in being a positive role model for athletes both inside and outside the gym.
Coach Mia began gymnastics at the age of five and trained for 10 years. During her competitive career, she was a two-time AAU National All-Around silver medalist. Her favorite events as a gymnast were bars and floor. At Prairie, Mia coaches preschool, recreational, and Gym Kids 3 classes, with floor remaining her favorite event to coach. She loves watching her athletes grow each week and finds joy in their progress and energy. Outside the gym, Mia enjoys shopping, babysitting, and catching up on naps in her free time.
Addie has been taking gymnastics classes since she was 3 and has been competing in gymnastics since she was 10. She competed as an Xcel Silver for her first 3 years of competitive gymnastics, followed by 1 year in Xcel Gold. Currently, she competes for the Batavia High School gymnastics team. Addie is a Junior at Batavia High School, and after graduation, she plans to attend college to pursue a degree in Interior Design.
Addie is passionate about gymnastics and wanted this job because she has been training at Prairie for about 6 years. During her time here, she has achieved so much with the guidance of the coaches and hopes to help other gymnasts achieve similar success. In her free time, Addie enjoys hanging out with her friends and watching movies.
Coach Joy has been involved in gymnastics since the age of four and currently competes as a Platinum-level gymnast at Prairie. While new to coaching, she brings valuable experience working with children through school and church programs. A dedicated student entering 10th grade, she is excited to begin her coaching journey and give back to the gym she’s always dreamed of coaching at. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her friends and her sister. Coach Joy is passionate about helping young gymnasts grow in confidence and skill.
Coach Gia began her athletic journey at just three years old, starting with gymnastics, which she pursued for several years. Her passion eventually led her to the ice, where she has since built an impressive figure skating career.
With over 3.5 years of coaching experience, Gia has worked with skaters ranging from ages 3 to 18, helping them grow in both skill and confidence. She is a proud double Gold Medalist with U.S. Figure Skating and is currently training as a competitive figure skater herself.
A recent graduate of Geneva Community High School, Gia is taking a gap year before pursuing a degree in Political Communications. Outside of coaching and training, she enjoys reading and drawing in her free time.
Coach Kaelyn fell in love with gymnastics at the age of 7 after trying many different sports and quickly discovered that gymnastics was where she truly belonged. She went on to compete as an Xcel Gold, earning a personal best score of 9.8 on beam, one of her favorite events.
She is thrilled to be starting her coaching journey here at Prairie Gymnastics Club and is excited to see where this new chapter leads. Coach Kaelyn has always loved gymnastics and adores working with kids, making coaching a perfect fit for her passions.
Outside of the gym, Coach Kaelyn loves to dance, sing, and perform. She has a strong interest in theater and the performing arts and enjoys any opportunity to be part of a production. She’s often still upside down and loves sharing the knowledge and skills she gained as a gymnast with her athletes.
Coach Kaelyn brings enthusiasm, energy, and a genuine love for kids and the sport to every class, and she’s excited to help gymnasts grow both in confidence and skill.
Jay discovered gymnastics at age six, taking occasional classes during childhood. While she didn’t pursue competitive athletics, she has always enjoyed staying active through school fitness and recreational training.
Jay is currently attending Elgin Community College, where she is studying biology and art—a combination that reflects both her curiosity about the natural world and her creative spirit. She holds a high school diploma and is excited to bring her enthusiasm and patience to the gym.
Motivated by a desire to help kids build confidence, strength, and a positive social experience, Jay joined Prairie Gymnastics Club to support young athletes as they learn new skills.
Outside of the gym, Jay enjoys making art and caring for animals of all kinds, from household pets to local wildlife.
Jay is excited to begin working with our athletes and to be part of the Prairie community!
Madyson began her journey in gymnastics as a young child and danced for 15 years! As a dancer, she competed at a studio and later joined her high school dance team, which made it to state during her sophomore year. While on the team, Madyson had the wonderful opportunity to coach children at dance camps. She loves seeing the moment of realization in a child’s eyes when they finally master a skill they’ve been working on.
At Prairie, Madyson assists with front office operations and occasionally coaches preschool and recreational classes. She is currently attending NIU, studying elementary education. In her free time, she enjoys reading and spending time with friends.