Mt. Airy resident Kiah "K.J." Johnson, who placed second in vault and bars at Level 9 Regionals held in Hampton, Virginia, celebrates with Andre Agard (left), head coach of the Water Tower Recreation Center's competitive gymnastics team Thunder Cats, and coach Fred Brannon, who has been coaching gymnastics since 1976. (Photo courtesy of Nikki Johnson)[/caption]

by Sue Ann Rybak

If you ask Mt. Airy resident Kiah “K.J.” Johnson, 14, what she loves about gymnastics, she will reply, “flying through the air.” Andre Agard, head coach and owner of Thunder Cats Gymnastics at the Water Tower Recreation Center, 200 E. Hartwell Lane in Chestnut Hill, believes she will continue to soar and achieve her goals.

“I've known Kiah Johnson for eight years, and I have to say this is the hardest I've ever seen her hone her skills as a gymnast and develop as a mentor,” said Agard, who lives in Warrington but grew up in Mt. Airy. “This season she was the level nine state beam (9.5) and vault (9.625) champion. This is the third consecutive year that she has been the state vaulting champion, which is an incredibly difficult feat and is to be commended.”

This season Kiah placed second at the Level 9 Regional Championship meet on vault (9.425) and bars (9.425). “She is not only the first Thunder Cat to make it to regionals, she's also the first to make it to Eastern Nationals,” Agard added. “Unfortunately, K.J. rolled her ankle during her floor warm up at Nationals and was unable to finish the meet.

“However, the meet director, who is from Virginia, petitioned K.J. through so that she can attend the Woodward High Performance Gymnastics Camp [in Woodward, Pa.], where she will be scouted by college coaches nationwide.” (Level 9 meets were held in Chambersburg, PA in March and both Hampton, Va., and Virginia Beach, VA, in April.)

Agard said that in order to attend the camp, gymnasts must obtain an all around score of 36 or higher at Nationals. “The meet director said that she knew who K.J. was and had seen her compete incredibly well at past meets and was therefore willing to make an exception for her.”

Delaware resident Fred Brannon, who has coached 29 gymnasts who went to college on gymnastic scholarships, said Kiah, a student at Science Leadership Academy in center city, where she will be a sophomore in the fall, has “both the talent and work ethic to be an excellent collegiate gymnast. I firmly believe had she not been injured this year, she would have finished in the top five at level 9 nationals.”

Besides being an exceptional gymnast, Johnson is also an excellent mentor to younger athletes. The Thunder Cats have a mentoring program that is modeled after the Temple University Gymnastics Program’s TU Clinic, a weekly program hosted by the men’s and women’s gymnastics teams that offer children and adults a chance to learn basic gymnastic skills, “help to build character and develop leadership and communication skills.”

“Although, we don't have the same amount of space or hours of training time that some of the private gyms in our area have,” said Agard, “we consistently show that we are capable of competing with and beating them.” Agard added without the gymnastics program at The Water Tower Recreation Center, many inner city kids would not have access to a serious U.S.A. Gymnastics program.

“Right now, the only other recreation center with a serious competitive program besides us is Vare Recreation Center. Hopefully, others will begin to follow suit. Gymnastics is a great avenue for exercise and conditioning, but it's also a great tool for training kids to focus and burn off excess energy.”

Kiah's mother Nikki Johnson signed her daughter up for gymnastics when she was 6 as a way to channel her active and vivacious child. “Kiah decided she was ready to walk at eight months, but she never really walked,” she said. “She just kind of got up and ran. At that moment, I knew we would have to keep her busy.”

Nikki initially signed Kiah up for dance classes, but shortly afterwards, a friend encouraged her to join gymnastics, too. When asked if her daughter ever felt afraid to learn a new acrobatic maneuver or gymnastic move, Nikki replied, “I don't think she ever really gave herself a chance to be afraid of anything. When a coach told her to try something, she did. As she got older, she would occasionally tell me, 'I am scared, but I am still going to do it.'”

Agard added that is what makes Kiah a great athlete. He said she is not afraid to face her fear and push through it. “K.J. had a brilliant season, but trust me when I say that the best is yet to come,” he said.

For more information about Thunder Cats Gymnastics, 209 E. Hartwell Lane, call 267-581-3798 or email watertowergymnastics@gmail.com. The Water Recreation Center's gymnastics program is just one of the many classes and programs offered at the center. You can see Kiah perform at www.youtube.com/channel/UCoslMyqHVKMunwg26BrV_5A