Chelsea Piers Girls Gymnastics Team

Soomi Kim /// Level 5 Coach and Dance Coach

Soomi Kim was born in Pusan, Korea and grew up in Oregon. At age 7 she began competitive gymnastics at the National Academy of Artistic Gymnastics in Eugene, Oregon. Soomi moved away from home to train with the Junior National training program at age 10 before calling it quits. However, after five subsequent years of competing for school gymnastics programs, she was stung by the competitive bug and stepped back into the ring at the ripe old age of 15. Soomi then trained under one of Oregon’s top coaches Tracy Morris (now Meador) and went on to compete for one year at the 6th ranked Oregon State University before transferring to the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where she majored in Theater Arts.

Working in the sport has been a way of life for Soomi, who started teaching classes at age 16 to help pay for her tuition and has continued throughout her adult life. Soomi has taught in programs, clubs, camps and academia in Oregon, Massachusetts and New York City. After college Soomi moved to NYC to pursue her studies and career in theater and performing arts. Finding she missed being in a competitive gymnastics environment, Soomi found her way to Chelsea Piers and has taught here since 2002. “The facilities at Chelsea Piers (plus excellent coaching!) make it possible to learn anything.”

Have you enjoyed a particular inspiration over the course of your career?
Yes, I had the great fortune of spending time with Valerie Kondos, an acclaimed choreographer and now the head coach at UCLA who had a strong impact on me artistically. My senior year in high school I choreographed my own floor routine and won the state title on floor , so I’ve always had a strong desire to tap this area of creativity. I really admired Kondos’s originality and quest to tailor music that expressed the gymnast’s individuality; she inspired me to choreograph floor routines, and has made a lasting impression on me.

What are your thoughts on gymnastics as a whole, and how do you go about your work?
Gymnastics was a strong part of my identity as a young person, but the latter part of my life has been about being creative as an actress/performer. So, I am trying to apply lessons that I have learned through my experience as a theater artist. Hence my philosophies as a teacher have come from my experience as both a gymnast and an artist. When I teach dance I enforce the strict regimen and discipline required for correct technique but also encourage the girls to create their own movement combinations. I get a lot of pleasure from watching the girls feel the pride and confidence from creating their own movement. I also feel it’s important to expose different types of music to the gymnasts and emphasize rhythm in their training. Aside from athletic ability, I believe that gymnastics has to do with timing and good rhythm.

What is the best part of working with your gymnasts?
When our athletes achieve a skill that they have been striving to attain, or if they overcome a mental impasse, that’s when I feel like celebrating. The gratification comes in packages of all sizes; it can be a small correction that can make a big difference, or a big skill that involves expert timing and precision. I am always very impressed whenever a gymnast is able to overcome difficulty (getting past an injury, for example) through perseverance, determination and love of the sport. Every time I watch a gymnast learn a new skill and get it—to see her excitement is infectious! It is a pleasure watching gymnasts who work really hard in practice receive accolades in competition.

Do you have any advice for your gymnasts?
Gymnastics is, in my opinion, the most difficult and beautiful of any sport. There is a tremendous amount of hard work and discipline involved but also artistry (it used to be referred to as “artistic gymnastics”). The reward of seeing physical excellence is what makes gymnastics so exciting to watch, and the most fun in doing it comes from being able to fly and do things that are almost unimaginable. In the gym the gymnast can take charge of her workout by always being the best she can be in every given moment. The coaches really care about the girls as people and gymnasts, however I try to instill in the gymnasts that they are ultimately their own coach and encourage them not to perform for anyone but themselves!