MEET TEAM BALANCE
Brandy Knabb
Owner/Coach
Brandy has been competitive in gymnastics for over 30 years as an athlete, coach and judge. She also was a NCAA Pole-vault All-American. She holds a Bachelors degree in Fitness & Exercise Science as well as a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing. She is a RN with a passion for cardiology.
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Matthew Knabb
Owner/Manager
Matt has been a fitness enthusiast his entire life through weight training,
running, powerlifting, Cross-fit and more. Matt also runs a wood shop where he handcrafts custom made cabinetry and furniture.
Aryelle Daugherty
Gymnastics Program Manager/ Team Coach
Elle grew up in Kansas where she competed in gymnastics through level 8. Her favorite events were floor and vault. She began coaching recreational gymnastics in college and progressed to coaching competitive team the last 5 years. When she is not coaching, she is riding her horse, Argo. She also enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband Nate and their 3 dogs: Dede, Mya, and Milo.
Vickie Foy
Gymnastics Team Coach/Special
Event Coordinator
Vickie was a competitive gymnast for 10 years, and achieved a VA state championship title on bars. She earned a BS in Psychology from VA Tech in 2017, and previously worked with at risk youth as a mental health case manager. Vickie has been a competitive gymnastics coach for 8 years. She thrives on making a positive impact on children while helping them reach their full potential.
Jessie Lowe
Gymnastics Team Coach
Jessie has been in gymnastics for 19 years, and competed through the collegiate level at Liberty University. She has been a gymnastics coach for 6 years, including 3 years as a coach for Liberty University's club team. Jessie has a Bachelors Degree in Sport Management. She also has a passion for fitness, art, and graphic design.
Christa Roberts
Gymnastics Team Coach
Christa has been into gymnastics and fitness most of her life. A former gymnast herself, Christa began coaching gymnastics 12 years ago. She has also taught group fitness classes and weightlifting for 6 years. She owns Align Athletics with her husband Josh, which specializes in Functional Fitness, as well as nutrition coaching. Christa is a certified Level 1 Cross-Fit trainer, and a certified NCI Nutrition Coach.
Liz Marny
Gymnastics Team Coach
Liz has a background in competitive gymnastics and college cheerleading. She has a passion for working with children and is currently a P.E. teacher as well as gymnastics coach. She completed her Master's Degree in Educational Leadership at Lynchburg College. She really enjoys working with children in the XCEL gymnastics program.
Victoria Schlawiedt
Rec Gymnastics Coordinator/ Gymnastics Team Coach
Victoria grew up in Florida and has been involved in gymnastics since she was three years old. She's been coaching for eight years. She also coaches Intermediate 2 lessons and the team. She is a Rhode Island College gymnast who has lately opted to return to school to get a nursing degree. Her favorite event is going to bars. Her favorite aspect of coaching is teaching skills and watching them click. She enjoys watching the children grow and learn via this sport. It's a thrilling experience to be a part of the process of encouraging exceptional athletes.
Mackenzie Taylor
Pre-Team, Xcel Bronze, Level 3
Mackenzie was a competitive gymnast at Balance before deciding to move on and share her love of gymnastics as a coach. She is detail oriented and has a passion for helping set our littlest team kids up for success!
Tracy Olivas
Front Desk
She grew up in Concord, about 2 miles from Balance. She attended Longwood College and she is in her 28th year of teaching Physical Education. Her favorite things about her job are building relationships with her students and having fun with them in class. Her favorite hobbies are reading, working out and cooking. She also love working at Balance. She get to meet new people and watch our awesome coaches and athletes as they work together to be their best.
Emily Wilson
Preschool Instructor/ Balance Beginnings
Emily is a native of Central Virginia and has been involved in our community her whole life. She has been involved in athletics and education for over 20 years. She has coached from the high school level down to our preschool age children. Emily has a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction of Education from the University of Lynchburg and has a passion for working with children and seeing them grow on and off the mat.
Sarah Isaacs
Marketing and PR Manager/
Gymnastics Coach
Sarah grew up in Roanoke, Virginia, and spent four years competing in gymnastics. She teaches classes for beginners! She graduated from Liberty University with a degree in integrated communication, which she is now putting to good use here at Balance! When she's not coaching, you could spot her around the gym snapping photos or films. She enjoys reading, going on walks with friends, and shopping in her spare time! She is overjoyed to be back in the gymnastics scene!
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Gabby Borst
Gymnastics Coach
Gabby coaches Beginner and Intermediate classes and helps with Hotshots, Pre-Team, and Xcel Team. She did competitive gymnastics for nine years. She is currently in college for zoo and wildlife biology. Her favorite event is bars, and her favorite thing about coaching is seeing the kids light up when they finally get a new skill or reach a goal.
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Kailyn Rowland
Gymnastics Coach
Kailyn teaches beginner and intermediate classes here at Balance. This is her first-year coaching, and she is a gymnast on Liberty University's gymnastics team! Her favorite thing about coaching is building relationships with the kids in her classes, and her favorite event is floor exercise. She grew up in a military family, so she has lived in eight different states. Her favorite place to live was New York. She likes to hang out with friends in her spare time.
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Emma Ekstrom
Gymnastics Coach
Emma teaches beginner and intermediate classes. She was a gymnast for 10 years, and she competed in her final meet season as an Xcel Diamond athlete. She grew up in Denver, Colorado, before moving here to pursue a degree in nursing at Liberty University. She enjoys hiking, camping, and anything outdoors! She absolutely adores coaching and passing on the love for the sport that holds such a special place in her heart!
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Camryn Speights
Tumbling Coach
Camryn coaches the tumbling classes! She is relatively new to Balance, but she has been coaching for about 7 years. She did gymnastics when she was young but then moved on to focus solely on tumbling. She grew up in Picayune, Mississippi. She cheered at Liberty University for the last two years. She loves to coach because she loves watching athletes grow in their sport and outside of their sport. Watching athletes accomplish their dream skills brings her so much joy. Her favorite thing to do is spend time with my best friends and my family.
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Micah Olivias​
Ninja Coach
You may see Micah coaching Ninja Warriors classes or working special events! She loves being able to have fun with the kids in class and see them learn new things, especially on our Ninja obstacle course. She grew up in the Concord area, and her favorite hobbies are playing the piano and reading!
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Nate Rainear​
Ninja Coach
Nate coaches Ninja classes. He was born and raised in Zebulon, North Carolina. He is currently enrolled at Liberty University and pursuing a degree in child trauma therapy. Some of his hobbies include painting, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, and boxing.
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Chris Gilman​
Ninja Coordinator
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MG Morse
Special Event Staff
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Ashley Blair
Preschool Instructor
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Rianne Gilsbach
Special Event Staff
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Hailey Piercy
Special Event Staff
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Bella Takacs​
Special Event Staff
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