Dan Alch, Program Director/Head Coach

Dan grew up in Philadelphia, two blocks from where the original "Rocky" movie was filmed.  He started in Boy Scouts of America and age 11, completing his Eagle Scout at 16 before he began his coaching career in 1983, at age 17, at Duffy's Gymnastics Center in Phoenixville, PA under his uncle, the late William H. Duffield (Duffy).

From there, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force for four years.  During his enlistment, Dan worked at Omega School of Gymnastics in Papillion, Nebraska. 

After being honorably discharged from the Air Force, Dan was offered the opportunity to go to the NAAG (National Academy of Artistic Gymnastics) to be mentored by Master Clinicians/ Owners Dick & Linda (Metheney) Mulvihill.  Linda was a three time Olympian, coached Olympians, and judged both 1996 and 2000 Olympics.  Dick has coached over 15 Olympians, and has had World Championship and National Team members.  He placed an Olympian on every team from 1964 to 1984.  Dan lived with the Mulvihills over 7 years, learning not only in the gym working on the floor over 13 hours a day, but at home watching videos and asking questions of these legendary coaches.  Dan and Nichole purchased Arctic Gymnastics in November of 1993.

Some of Dan's career highlights are as follows:

2005 - Appointed TOPS State Representative.  Appointed Regional Junior Olympic Chairman.  Appointed to Alaska State Gymnastics Board.  Coached Level 9 & Level 10 athletes to Western and Level 10 Nationals, where they  earned 5 medals, one of which was Arctic Gymnastics' second National Event Champion, Jamie Totland.  Organized Alaska State Clinic
2004 - Arctic won levels 4-6 and 8-10 team titles, had 3 Regional and one All Around Champion.  Organized Alaska State Clinic.
2003 - Coached 6 Regional Champions, 2 of which were All Around Champions.
2002 - One Regional Champion, and Arctic's first Western National Champion, Rachel Anderson.
2000-2001 -  Coached in Fairbanks, winning level 4, 5, 6, and 8 team titles
1999 - Attended High Tech Sports Clinic
1998 - Elected to Idaho State Board
1997-2000 -  Coached in Seattle, Idaho, and Utah
1996 to Present - Ran Summer Camp of Champions
1995  - Had a new skill, "The Phillips", a  layout full between bars, named after one of his gymnasts.  Named Oregon Coach of the Year
1994 to Present  - Region II Master Staff
1994- 1997  - Redesigned and implemented New Emerald Team Challenge
1993- 1997  - Representative on Oregon State Board of Directors
1987-1990  - Worked with Special Olympics

Our Staff continued