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Lauren Petrick, MS
Lauren Petrick founded LEAP South Florida to merge her three passions: gymnastics, business, and psychology. With over 20 years of experience as a gymnast and coach, Lauren has dedicated the last seven years to working with Special Needs athletics and gymnastics. She specializes in fundamental athletic development and gymnastics programs, catering to a diverse range of athletes from preschool to competitive levels, including individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Fragile X Syndrome, Down syndrome, ADD/ADHD, Cerebral Palsy, and other developmental and physical delays.
Lauren is a USA Gymnastics Professional Member and an active supporter of the Special Olympics Miami-Dade County (SOMDC) Gymnastics program. Her involvement includes organizing and coaching local training sessions and competitions, as well as taking athletes to state competitions. Lauren revived the previously inactive SOMDC gymnastics program over seven years ago, growing it to include more than 80 athletes across Miami-Dade County. The program has expanded to offer Rhythmic Gymnastics and now operates year-round due to high demand.
To further her expertise in athlete development and Special Needs athletics, Lauren completed a Master’s degree in Behavior Analysis from FIU. Her advanced psychology training enhances the coaching of every athlete at LEAP, complementing her Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from UF. As LEAP South Florida continues to grow, Lauren aims to expand the program to include various sports and provide opportunities for underprivileged individuals through fundraising and scholarships.
Lukas A. Villa
In 2021, Lukas was nominated as the men’s/boys' Special Olympics head coach for the state of Florida, a role he holds dear and has excelled in. Currently, he is attending a magnet high school, where he is studying broadcasting and journalism. Lukas is a senior, set to graduate in 2025.
He is a member of MAS Respect, an organization that advocates for equality for men and women with special needs. Lukas is eager to start a chapter of MAS Respect at whichever university he attends, with the hope of one day achieving equal treatment for everyone, regardless of their disability.
For the past two years, Lukas has cheered at Top Gun Miami. In his first year, he was on a level 5 team named YOSO, and in his second year, he made it to the world team level 6, named TGLC. He currently cheers for both teams and hopes to continue cheering in college.
Before cheering, Lukas had over a decade of gymnastics experience. He began in Mommy and Me classes and progressed to level ten gymnastics, finishing in second place at Nationals. Some of his notable achievements include being an All-American, winning a junior Orange Bowl photography contest, being a member of the Quillen Scroll Society, serving as the high school yearbook editor, and most recently, working as the set photographer for an Emmy-nominated television show, "The Caribbean Cook-Out Show."
Kaela Yee
Kaela is a gifted and talented former women's gymnast. who joined the team 4 years ago and has a passion and talent for working with young ladies on the women's gymnastics team under Coach Lauren.
She is currently attending high school and participating in the SAS program (School for Advanced Studies) a dual enrollment program.
Ryan Cannings,
Comes to us from across the pond, Ryan was born in England, he moved to the United States at a very young age. Ryan was a level 9 gymnast and a national qualifier. Currently, he is a high school senior with aspirations of attending college. He also coaches gymnastics, aiming to inspire the young athletes at Leva Gymnastics in Miami, FL.
Richard Perez, known as "Ricky,"
is an active member of USA Gymnastics and competes as a level 10 gymnast at Nova Gymnastics under the guidance of head coach Jorge Valdes. Ricky aspires to continue his gymnastics career at the collegiate level.