• By the year 2000, over 100,000 people will have participated in a Parkettes gymnastics program at sometime in their life.
• There are over 1,000 Lehigh Valley youths who participate in a gymnastics program at the Parkette National Training Center each week.
• The Parkettes aim to provide programs for everyone, as evidenced by current participants ranging in age from 1 - 70.
• For thirty years, the Parkettes have been offering class scholarships to families who are in need of financial assistance, thus enabling more children to participate in and benefit from the Parkette program. Through community assistance, the scholarship fund has increased approximately 5% a year.
• The Parkettes boast a coaching staff of dedicated professionals with exceptional technical knowledge of the most current gymnastics skills and techniques. They are all USA safety-certified as well as CPR certified.
• In addition to gymnastics classes for ages 1 and up, the Parkettes provide additional recreational programs for children such as: Easter Egg Hunt, Sleepovers, Bring a Friend Day, Fitness For Fun, Cheerleading Clinics, Winter Wonderland, Class Competitions and many more. In addition they host customized birthday parties for children ages 3 - 13.
• The Parkettes were the first to establish a class program for children with special needs (emotional, physical or mental handicaps) in the Lehigh Valley.
• The Parkettes have established a program in conjunction with the Bethlehem Special Olympics, whereby the Olympians train with the Parkette coaches. The Parkettes were named the "Pennsylvania Special Olympics Organization of the Year" in 1998. The program has progressed to the point where our Special Olympic gymnasts have qualified to compete in the last 4 International Special Olympic World Games - 2 Parkette athletes in 1987; 3 in 1991; 2 in 1995; and 3 in 1999. Over the course of the last 12 years, the Parkettes/Bethlehem Special Olympians have won in excess of 350 medals (gold, silver and bronze) at the State and International level.
• The Parkettes have been involved in numerous community service exhibitions and events. These include: the "Say No to Drugs" campaign, Kids Peace, Allentown "Adopt a Block," Muscular Dystrophy Association, Hogar Crea, and appearances at Mayfair, May Daze, Super Sunday, P.A.L., 4th of July Celebration and the Allentown Fair.
• The Parkettes All Star Cheerleading Team was formed in the Fall of 2002.
• The Parkettes host field trips at the Training Center. They also visit many local nursery, elementary and middle schools, including the Good Shepherd Home and Hill School. When visiting these schools, the gymnasts perform and then speak to Lehigh Valley children. They are positive role models to these children through their dedication, goal-setting and commitment to task.
• The Parkettes are Lehigh Valley Ambassadors, traveling to over twenty-five countries including most of Europe, the former USSR, Africa, Australia, and many Asian countries. Gymnasts are selected for such trips by USA Gymnastics, the governing body of gymnastics.
• The Parkettes have appeared on numerous national television programs, including the Today Show, Good Morning America, Wide World of Sports, CBS Sports, NBC Sports, ESPN, HBO Sports and AM Philadelphia. They have appeared in magazines, such as Sports Illustrated, Sports Illustrated for Kids, and Teen Magazine.
• There have been over 80 Parkette gymnasts who have received full college scholarships to such universities as Stanford, Penn State, UCLA, University of North Carolina, and Arizona State University.
• Parkettes have had over 100 members on the United States National Team, 6 Pan American Team Members, and 9 World Championship Team Members. Olympians Jodi Yocum (1976), Hope Spivey (1988), and Kim Kelly (1992) attained their ultimate gymnastics goals. In 1998 & 1999 Kristen Maloney was crowned the USA Senior National Gymnastics Champion. She is the 2nd Parkette to win the all-around at the USA National Championships. Kristal Uzelac won the 1999 & 2000 USA Junior National Championships.
• 1999 was the first time in history that competitors from the same club won national championships in the Women's Junior & Senior level and Men's Junior level.
• Donna and Bill Strauss were 1988 Olympic Coaches, members of the United States Gymnastics Hall of Fame, and 3-time United States Gymnastic Coaches of the Year.
• In 1992 the Parkettes won the title of National Team Champions at the Buckeye Classic held in Columbus, Ohio.
• In 1992 the Parkettes placed 5 gymnasts on the National Team out of 20 team members.
• In 1992 the Parkettes sent 3 female gymnasts to Olympic Trials in Baltimore, Maryland. Resulting from those trials, Kim Kelly officially became a part of the 1992 Olympic Team.
• In 1993 the Parkettes launched our Satellite Nursery School program in conjunction with Dick Milham Chrysler Plymouth. The van travels to Nursery/Day Care Centers in the area to teach the children the fundamentals of gymnastics.
• 1994 - NCAA Nationals former Parkette's Hope Spivey and Kim Kelly placed 1st and 2nd respectively in the floor exercise event.
• 1994 Gold Medal Team at the United States Olympic Sports Festival, 6 compete in USA Championships, 4 Sr. National & 1 Jr. National Team Members, 1 qualifies as alternate on World Championship Team, 4 compete at Level 10 Jr. Nationals, 1 competed at Level 10 Sr. Nationals, 1 Level 10 Sr. Regional Champion, 2 National Tops Training Team Members, 1st Place Finisher Level 6 States & 1st Place Level 6 Team, 3 qualify for 1995 International Special Olympic Games (New Haven, CT), Boy's Team - 1 Member Jr. Pan American Team who competed in Mexico City, Mexico, 2 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze, 1 Jr. & 1 Sr. National Team Member, 1 Class VI Regional Champion, 2 State Champions Class V
• 1995 Compete for USA in Sicily & France, Parkette team wins International meet in Marseille, France, 3 Parkettes members of the Jr. National Elite Team: 1 wins AA & Beam title, 1 wins Bar title, 3 Parkettes in USA International Championships, 4 compete in Level 10 Jr. Nationals, 2 Parkettes win Level 10 Regional AA title, Parkettes win Level 10 PA State Team Championships, 1 Parkette wins AA title, 1 Level 8 in Regionals; wins Floor title; 1 Parkette wins Level 8 AA, Vault, Bars, Beam & Floor title, Boys Team; Parkette competes in France - medallist on Floor
• 1996 Compete in International Meet in Sicily & Moscow, Level 10 2nd place team champions, 4 Jr. National and 3 Sr. National compete at Level 10 Regionals held in Atlanta, Georgia, 10 Elite competitors at US Classics and Coca Cola National Championships, Parkette wins US Classic all around champion, 5 compete USA Championships, Parkette competes in 1996 U.S. Olympic Trials, Boys Team, Parkettes wins Class 4 Regional Championship, 2 compete at Nationals.
• 1997 - Level 8 - State All Around Champion, 3 State Event Champions, 9 Silver Place Awards, 4 Bronze Place Awards, Level 9 - Regional All Around Champion, 2 Regional Event Champions, 1 Silver Place All Around Award, 2 Silver Place Event Award, 1 Bronze Place Event Award, Level 10 - 1 National All Around Champion, 2 National Event Champions, 2 Regional All Around Champions, 5 Regional Event Champions, 1 Bronze Medalist at Regionals, Pennsylvania State Championship Level 10Team, 2 State All Around Champions, 9 State Event Champions, in every age group 1st place Vault champions at states, 5 State Silver Medalists, 5 State Bronze Medalists, Elites 1st Place Winner American, Classic, 1st Place Winner US Challenge, 2 gymnasts featured in Sports Illustrated Faces In the Crowd, 1 gymnast named by the Women's Sports Foundation as the Sportsgirl of the Year Award, 4 College Scholarships, Boys - Class 6 - 5 Qualifiers to State Championships, 1 qualifier to Regional Championships, Optional Boys Team - 2nd Place Optional Team State Championship, 6 State Event Champions, 5 Silver Medalists, 6 Bronze Medalists, 4 All Around Awards, Regional Championship - 8 Gold Medalists, 1 All Around Champion, 3 Silver Medalists, 6 Qualifed to Nationals, National Championship - 2 National All American.
• 1998 - Level 5 one AA champion, Level 6 one Event State Champion, Level 8 one State Event Champion, 1 Regional Event Champion, Level 9 one Event State Champion, 1 Silver Event Medalist, 1 Regional Event Champion, 2 East Championship Qualifiers, 1 Bronze Medalist at East Championships, Level 10 - 3 State Event Champions, 1 Silver Event Medalist, 1 Regional Event Champion, 1 Silver Event Medalist, 2 Brozne Event Medalists, 5 Girls Qualify to Level 10 Nationals, 1 National Vault Champion, Boys - 2 Pennsylvania State Championship Teams Class 3 and Class 6, 3 Pennsylvania State Champions, 2 Regional AA Champions, 1 Boy's National Team Member.
• 1999 - 2000 - USA Gymnastics Coaches of the Year, World Championship Team Coaches, USECA Coach of the Year, 6 National Team Members, 4 TOPS National Team Members, 3 College Scholarships, USA Female Athlete of the Year, Elites - World Championship Team Member, USA Senior National Champion - 1 Silver, USA Jr. National Champion - 3 Gold, 1 Bronze, American Classic Champion - 1 Gold, International Team Competition - 1 Gold, 4 qualified to US Challenge - 1 Gold, 7 qualified to US Classics. Level 10's - Nationals - 6 qualifiers, National Vault Champion, Regionals - 1 Gold, 5 Silver, 4 Bronze, States - 2nd Place Team, 6 Gold, 3 Silver, 5 Bronze. Level 9's - East/Championship - 2 qualifiers, Regionals - 1 Gold, 1 Bronze, States - 3rd Place Team, 2 Gold, 3 Silver, 1 Bronze. Level 8's - Regionals - 1 qualifier, States - 7 qualifiers. Level 7's - States - 1 qualifier. Level 6's - State Champions (Fall & Spring) 4 Gold, 3 Silver, 5 Bronze. Level 5's - States - 1 Gold, 1 Silver. Boys - National Championship Facts - 2 National All Americans, 1 USA Championship Qualifier, State Championships - won overall Team Champions 2000, lst place class 7 Team, lst Place Class 6 Team, 3rd Place Class 5 Team, 2nd Place Optional Team. 15 Boys qualified for Regional Championships, 88 Medals won by Class 7 - Class 1 Teams, 19 Gold Medals, Regional Championship Facts - 38 Medals won at Regional Championships, 10 Gold Medals Won, 3 Boys Selected to Future Star Camp, 2 Regional All Stars, 6 National Qualifiers.