MEET THE TEAM
Eranda Gunasekara
Owner/ Head Coach/ Program director
"My name is Eranda Gunasekara and my passion and dedication to Gymnastics started since I was a child. I was a Part of Sri Lanka national team from 1997-2007 and Competed in many World championships including Artistic Gymnastics World Championship in Ghent Belgium (2001), in Anaheim -USA (2003), World youth Olympics in Moscow-Russia (1998), Common wealth games in Melbourne-Australia (2006) & got selected to individual all round finals.​ I was the Gymnastics coach of multiple junior national champions in Sri Lanka.
American Flips has been a dream come true, as this is a place where I can integrate both my passion for Gymnastics and fulfill my dream to take our kids to higher levels in Gymnastics.
I am very grateful and honored to be a part of every Gymnast who walks through the door of American Flips."
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Samindi Rodrigo
Owner/ Administrator
"My name is Samindi Rodrigo and I am the Co-owner/ President of American Flips Kids Gymnastics. Im a nurse by profession. In 2019, having the opportunity to be by Coach Eranda’s side and support him in opening our first family business, American Flips was a dream come true. 4 years later, we opened our second gym in 2023 with bigger space and more equipment. Each day, in partnership with my husband and our 4 kids, I have the gift of nurturing little gymnasts, their life style and personalities through Gymnastics and I could not ask for much more than that. I am filled with gratitude for how American Flips impacts my life and our family daily."
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Sierra Lambrose
Team Coach
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“I am Sierra Lambrose. I have been teaching at American Flips since last 3 years. I did gymnastics for ten years growing up and competed up to level 8, then I cheered in high school. I’ve always loved working with kids so I’m excited that I get to use my gymnastics experience to coach and help these kids become great gymnasts.”
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Amanda Almond
Coach
"Hi! My name is Amanda! I participated in cheerleading since I was 8 years old and have been coaching for gymnastics for 3 years! I moved from northern California for school last year and started working here this year. I’m extremely excited to help children advance in their gymnastics skills! "
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Alexa Bradus
Team Coach
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My name is Alexa Bradus and I have been coaching girl’s gymnastics for a little over two years. Prior to coaching I did competitive gymnastics and dance for 14 years, reaching level 6 and dancing on an elite competition team in my hometown of Sacramento, California. I’m passionate about all things gymnastics and I can’t wait to share the love of the sport while mentoring and training confident, young athletes!
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Madilyn Sawyer
Coach
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"Hello, my name is Madilyn Sawyer. I did gymnastics for about 9 years. I’ve missed it ever since I stopped training. Having good coaches who believe and encourage you to be your best self was crucial for me. Becoming a gymnastics coach has been an amazing opportunity, I hope to motivate these kids and lead them to reach their full potential. I love getting to work with the kids and teaching them all the necessary skills needed to level up. I look forward to seeing them improve with my help and guidance."
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Connor Shearin
Coach
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“My name is Connor Shearin and I competed and performed on my high school’s color guard team for 3 years. At 17 I competed with Emerald Independent Open and became a WGI World Championships Independent Open Class Finalist. I also received a gold medal in the 2024 WGASC Finals in the Independent Open Class division. I have always enjoyed helping and teaching others and being able to do it as a job is truly a dream come true.”
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Maya Vargas
Coach
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" My name is Maya Vargas I did gymnastics for around 5 years and made it to Level 7, after quitting because of injuries I still somehow wanted to be involved with this sport that I love. I’ve now taken up coaching and it brings me great joy seeing kids learn what I once loved so much. I look forward to coaching them and guiding them to be the best gymnast (and person) they can be."
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Julia Piper
Coach
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"Hi my name is Julia Piper! As a child I got to experience lots of tumbling and gymnastics classes which trained me to be the cheerleader I am today. I cheered on an Allstar team for many years getting to travel across the U.S and successfully winning many of my own titles. I now switched over to Highschool cheerleading getting to see a new perspective. I have had the opportunity to be trained by so many different coaching styles and I am now so excited to have my own. I can’t wait to grow with these kids and help train and guide them as athletes and individuals.​​​​
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Miriam Assad
Coach
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“Hi, I’m Miriam! I have been a gymnast for over 9 years. Great coaches made my experience as a gymnast enjoyable and memorable, and now I want to give the same to young gymnasts. My goal is to motivate and guide kids to improve and reach their goals throughout their gymnastics and tumbling experience. I am excited to share my passion for gymnastics with others!"​
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Nailea Gonzales
Coach
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"Hello!! My name is Nailea Gonzalez (Coach Lea). Growing up I did gymnastic with amazing coaches that taught me so much and played such a huge part in the person I am today. I’ve cheered all four years of highschool and currently hold two back to back state championship titles as I go into my fourth year. I hope to leave a positive effect on the students here just as my coaches did for me."​​​​
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Audrey Hartmeister
Coach
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"My name is Audrey! I did gymnastics for 4 years. After that I started cheering I have been cheering for 7 years and now i am currently in high school cheer with two championship national wins. I love teaching kids and watching there try new thing and succeed at them! I hope to leave a good effect on every gymnast I coach!"
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Jianna Jacinto
Coach
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“Hi! My name is Jianna Jacinto. I did gymnastics for 8 years and have missed it ever since I left. My coaches played such a big part in why I enjoyed gymnastics so much and I hope to be that coach for your kids.”
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Sierra Carter
Front desk operator
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"Hi my name is Sierra Carter! I work at the front desk! I’m a collegiate athlete. I love being apart of a team that pushes people to become their best self. I want the parents and athletes to always feel welcomed and taken care of. I’m looking forward to meeting new faces and watching the young athletes develop their skills. "
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Samantha Pryor
Coach
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"Hi my name is Samantha Pryor, Growing up i did gymnastics for a few years and i really enjoyed it. Now i enjoy coaching the kids and i'm excited to be teaching them new skills. I cannot wait to be apart of this team and to watch them grow their skills and to make it a fun experience." ​​
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Makalya Dizon
Front desk operator
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“Hi my name is Makayla! I am one of the front desk operators! I love the team and their dedication and hard work I wanted to be a part of it! I’ve been in the customer service industry for about 6 years. I am very excited about meeting new people and love seeing the kids learning new skills and seeing how much they can achieve.”
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Livi Marks
Coach
"Hi, i'm Livi Marks! I did Gymnastics from when I was 7 up until I was 13. Coaches played a huge role in my love for gymnastics and why I wanted to come to practice. I love working with kids and getting to know each and every one of them is what makes my job fun! My goal as a coach is to be the coach that makes ur kid want to come to practice, and grow their love for gymnastics! I want to motivate them and make them stronger as their skill levels increase. I look forward to teaching all of these kids and I cant wait to see their growth." ​​
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