Parkettes National Gymnastics Training Center, widely known as Parkettes, is a gymnastics club located in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It has produced several teams and individual gymnasts representing the United States, the Czech Republic, and Canada in international meets, including the Olympic Games. [1]
Parkettes was founded by Bill Strauss and his wife, Donna Strauss. [2] It started as a backyard after-school workout program at the Strauss home. [2] It was later in a barn, school, and church basement as they got the program established. [2] Former Mack Trucks CEO, Alfred Pelletier, helped the program move to a permanent home. [2] [3]
The first Olympian produced by the club was Jody Yocum, who was named as an alternate for the 1976 Summer Olympics. [2]
In 2003, CNN aired a documentary, Achieving the Perfect 10, which contained some criticisms of the demanding and competitive nature of Parkettes's training program. [7] In 2008, Jennifer Sey, the 1986 National Champion from Parkettes, published a book, Chalked Up, which was critical of Parkettes and elite gymnastics. [8]
Parkettes National Gymnastics Training Center, widely known as Parkettes, is a gymnastics club located in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It has produced several teams and individual gymnasts representing the United States, the Czech Republic, and Canada in international meets, including the Olympic Games. [1]
Parkettes was founded by Bill Strauss and his wife, Donna Strauss. [2] It started as a backyard after-school workout program at the Strauss home. [2] It was later in a barn, school, and church basement as they got the program established. [2] Former Mack Trucks CEO, Alfred Pelletier, helped the program move to a permanent home. [2] [3]
The first Olympian produced by the club was Jody Yocum, who was named as an alternate for the 1976 Summer Olympics. [2]
In 2003, CNN aired a documentary, Achieving the Perfect 10, which contained some criticisms of the demanding and competitive nature of Parkettes's training program. [7] In 2008, Jennifer Sey, the 1986 National Champion from Parkettes, published a book, Chalked Up, which was critical of Parkettes and elite gymnastics. [8]