Local teen hopes to fill gymnastics coaching void

The burgeoning rhythmic gymnastics club at the Fort Frances Gymnastics Academy is facing a coaching crisis.
With current coach Mirela Bica on her way out and no one in line, 17-year-old Katie Pearce is working towards filling the void.
“I like the sport,” said Pearce. “I want to teach people how to do it.
“I’d be good at demonstrating because I’ve just recently been a gymnast,” she reasoned.
The way Bica talks about Pearce, the young girl is just being modest. She’s emphatic in her belief that the teen has the stuff to coach rhythmic gymnastics.
“Oh yes, she’s very patient. In fact, she’s patient more than I am,” Bica laughed.
She also agreed that Pearce’s recent experience in the sport would set “a good example . . . they’ll say ‘If the coach can do that, I can do that.’”
Bica stressed, however, that Pearce landing the coaching job isn’t a foregone conclusion yet. She’ll need to get certified for the rhythmic program (she already has a certification for artistic) and get some serious hours of training in before taking over the club.
“But my hopes are [for] Katie to take over since I’ve known her since I came to Fort Frances.”
Also hoping Pearce makes it is 12-year-old Chanelle Matthews, who would like very much to continue rhythmic gymnastics in the fall.
“If we can find a coach for it. If she can take some courses,” Matthews laughed, motioning towards Pearce.
The possible coaching move is more than just one of necessity, though. Pearce is hoping to parlay coaching here into a job to help pay the bills when she graduates high school.
She hopes to attend the University of Western Ontario in London. Despite her bent towards the sciences, Pearce hasn’t decided on a future profession.
“I want to do a lot of things,” she admitted.
While Pearce is afraid becoming a coach may mean the end of her competitive gymnastics days, Bica is hopeful she still can go to meets while mentoring the club.
“I’ve seen young coaches do that,” she said.
Once Bica leaves for Saskatchewan for work (leaving the Gymnastics Academy “definitely will be hard,” she lamented), Matthews and Pearce will be all that remains of the club until fall registration.
Being in a small club is just fine for Matthews, though.
“Only two people, so you can show off a lot. Score!” she enthused.