Our classes are led by well-trained, passionate coaches
who have a heart to serve & mentor our students into the
fullness of their ability.
Matt Swafford
General Manager
Matt was born in Denver, Colorado and moved to New Orleans, Louisiana when he was two years old. He first fell in love with gymnastics while living in Louisiana. He moved to Tennessee in 2000 and continued training until 2004. Matt has been coaching gymnastics since 2006. His favorite part of coaching is watching the students learn and grow in the sport that has shaped many aspects of his own life. Matt has obtained many certifications including CPR, First Aid, USAG, and Concussion Awareness.
He got married and started working for Shining Light Gymnastics in 2015. He began to go through several leadership training courses and was awarded the General Manager position at Shining Light in 2018.
Bethany Wilson
Office Manager
Bethany worked at Academy Sports and Outdoors as an Operations Manager from 1999 to 2017 and then joined Shining Light as an Office Manager in 2018. Bethany and her husband have 3 children that actively participate in a variety of sports and love Shining Light so much that it has become their second home. They spend a lot of time at Shining Light, as a family. They are very invested in making it a success for the families of Spring Hill and surrounding areas.
Christy Myers
Marketing & PR Director, Hiring & Training Director, and Team Coach
Christy grew up in Kentucky where she did tumbling and cheer from age 5 until age 18. She began coaching at age 15 and has been coaching ever since! Nothing brings her greater joy than inspiring athletes and watching them succeed! Christy attended school at Western Kentucky University where she received a degree in marketing. She moved to Tennessee in 2007 and began working at Shining Light Gymnastics in 2009. The God-centered, family environment made her realize it was exactly where she was meant to be! Christy and her husband have 3 daughters that keep them busy. Christy is certified in CPR, First Aid, USAG, and Concussion Awareness.
Serenity Neely
Girls Recreational Director
Serenity was raised in Tennessee. She graduated from Summit High School in 2018 and then went off to college for a year. After a year, she decided to serve a mission for her church for 18 months in Montana where she got to teach about Christ and how valuable He is to her. After her mission, her mom told her about Shining Light Gymnastics and the rest is history. She loves coaching gymnastics and loves getting to work with the littles. Serenity has obtained many certifications including CPR, First Aid, USAG, and Concussion Awareness.
Stacie Jensen
Team Director
Stacie competed in gymnastics growing up, then switched to cheer and tumbling through middle and high school. She has coached gymnastics for 23 years and loves the sport, the athletes, the learning and is passionate to ensure each athlete gets to shine! She has coached competitive teams of all levels in three different states and joined Shining Light after moving here 4 years ago. She’s thrilled to be at Shining Light to not only to teach gymnastics, but teach faith and character as well! Outside of the gym, she’s a full time homeschool mom, chauffeur, cook, and wife to an amazing husband.
Jaiden Taddeo
Boys Recreational Gymnastics and Ninja Warrior Director
Jaiden was born in Las Vegas, Nevada and moved to Spring Hill, TN in 2015. He graduated from Summit High School in 2020. Jaiden played many sports growing up, including football, basketball, cross country, and baseball. He took Ninja Warrior classes at Shining Light Gymnastics when he was 14. He started coaching here at 16, and loves being able to watch his students grow and reach their goals. Jaiden is excellent at keeping class fun, motivating students, and being a positive role model. He is First Aid and CPR certified.
Kari Goosby
Homeschool Program Director
Kari was born in Pennsylvania, but spent her first five years in West Africa with her missionary parents. On returning to the States, her family settled in South Jersey. She graduated from Cairn University, majoring in both Bible and Elementary Education. She moved to Tennessee in 2002, and she currently homeschools all five of her children.
As Homeschool Program Director, she is able to combine her love of gymnastics with her passion for homeschooling and the homeschool community.
Christi Proctor
Cheer & Tumble Director
Christi grew up in Naperville, IL where she taught herself basic tumbling. When she was a freshman in high school, she tried out for the gymnastics team and actually made it. She took everything she learned from that season (learned a backhand spring)and tried out her sophomore year for the cheer team at her high school. Her team made it to state multiple times. She and her partner were number 1 partner stunters in IL in 1997-1998. She joined the Super All-Stars in IL her senior year of high school and competed in Nashville and Myrtle Beach. When she moved to Spring Hill in 2020, she wanted her daughters to try cheer, so she enrolled them for cheer classes. She loved the atmosphere so much at Shining Light that she decided to work in the cheer and tumbling classes. She is married to her elementary school boyfriend and has 4 children. Christi is certified in CPR, First Aid, USAG, and Concussion Awareness.
Kelsey Dirksen
Parent-Child Director
Kelsey grew up in Akron, Ohio where she was a competitive Irish step dancer until 19 and played every sport she could possibly do as a child. She then went on to study Functional Nutrition & play D1 college rugby in Marietta, GA where she met her now husband. Over the years she has always taught dance or fitness classes to children and adults, but especially enjoys coaching littles because of the joy they bring to the simplest of things. She loves being able to share her love for athletics and faith with each student.
She and her husband have three children which is how she came to be at Shining Light, by taking her kids to open play. She loved the atmosphere so much that she knew she wanted to be part of it!
Jenny Groom
Retail Manager
Jenny was born in Wisconsin, but spent her school age years in Florida and then moved to Tennessee in 1989. Her absolute favorite thing to do is coach gymnastics and she has been doing that since she was 14 years old. Jenny was a competitive gymnast from the time she was 6 until she was 13 years old. Jenny also did ballet and dance from the time she was 3 to 18 years old. Jenny is overwhelmed by the joy that she receives through watching her students succeed in gymnastics and every day life. Jenny has obtained many certifications including CPR, First Aid, USAG, and Concussion Awareness.
Danielle White
Open Play & Open Gym Director
Originally from Detroit, she and her husband moved to Spring Hill during the summer of 2021 with their two children. A week after moving, their kids started Ninja Warrior classes at Shining Light and fell in love with the gym! With a degree in advertising from Michigan State University, Danielle’s career focus has been in the sport marketing and sponsorship field. The former high school cheerleader and dancer is excited to combine her passion of athletics, physical fitness and love for children’s ministry to the families at Shining Light Gymnastics in a way that glorifies God. Her life verse is John 13:35 “By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” She hopes to bring this love and energy to her work with your children and family at Shining Light Gymnastics.
Michelle Di Marco
Camp Director, Parents’ Night Out Director, and Office
Michelle was born and raised in Tennessee. She moved to Thompson’s Station in 2001 where her and her husband, Bruce raise their six children. Bruce and Michelle have always encouraged their children to find their passion. They’ve explored most activities and came to Shining Light for their daughters’ trials in 2018 and still call it home. She worked for Wal-Mart for 20 years before deciding to be a stay-at-home mom. After three years, she joined the Shining Light Gymnastics family in 2022. Michelle has an incredible talent for keeping camp and parents’ night out creative, active and fun!
