
The Heart of OCG
Our staff is more than a team—they’re mentors and role models who light the way for our athletes. With care, encouragement, and expertise, they help every child build confidence, develop skills, and foster a lifelong love of gymnastics.
Recreational Class Coaches

Destiny Louey
Recreational Coach
Coach Destiny has been coaching for most of her life, with over 15 years of experience in both gymnastics and competitive girls’ soccer. Along with coaching at OCG, she teaches PE at a private Christian school and loves helping young athletes push through challenges to find their “aha” moments. Her goal is to help each child grow in confidence, perseverance, and joy for movement.
Outside the gym, Destiny enjoys kickboxing, painting, crocheting, and spending time with her dog. She’s also a proud mom to a daughter attending Appalachian State University.
Caitlin McMillan
Recreational Coach
Caitlin is the oldest sibling in her family and grew up competing in both dance and gymnastics before exploring cheer and softball in 7th grade. She is currently in her final year of the Neurodiagnostic program at Wake Tech. Caitlin returned to gymnastics as a coach because her own experiences in the sport are some of her fondest childhood memories, and she loves bringing fun, laughter, and energy to every class.
Outside the gym, Caitlin enjoys snowboarding in the winter, spending time on the lake in the summer, and hanging out with her three dogs. She also has a soft spot for Dr. Pepper and the color pink!
Lani Casey
Recreational Coach
Lani is from Cameron, NC, and is currently in her second year at UNC, where she’s majoring in Human Development and Family Science with a minor in Speech and Hearing Sciences. She plans to become a pediatric speech pathologist and has always had a passion for working with and teaching kids. At OCG, Lani loves helping young gymnasts build confidence, coordination, and a love for movement.
Outside the gym, Lani enjoys reading, exploring new places, and spending time with her family and friends.

Dezyree Strudwick
Recreational Coach
Dezyree is a native of the Bull City area and is starting her final year of high school this year. With a background in dance and visual arts, she brings energy, creativity, and play into every class. At Oak City Gymnastics, Dezyree loves helping children build confidence by understanding each child’s strengths and meeting them exactly where they are. She is passionate about working with kids and plans to pursue a degree in Child and Family Development with hopes of becoming a Child Life Specialist. When she’s not at the gym, you can find her enjoying all things dance, traveling, crafting, and shopping!

Damien Slade
Recreational Coach
Damien Slade also known as “Teacher Damien”, “Mr. Damien”, or “Coach Damien” is a native of Durham NC, but born in Washington DC. He has taught Hip-hop dance for over 20 years. His professional background includes: opening and background dancing for National recording artist Wu-Tang, Missy Elliot, and Rakim just to name a few. He has also danced on the infamous Apollo stage in New York City and has won several dance competitions. His energy, enthusiasm, and love for teaching is like no other.
He is passionate about dance and gymnastics and enjoys nurturing children and bringing out their full potential. “Being a teacher has been the biggest joy in my life and what I feel is God’s plan for me.” “My goal is to continue
on this journey and continue to share my gift with others.”

Larriya Cummings
Recreational Coach
Larriya is originally from Jacksonville, NC and is currently studying psychology at North Carolina Central University. She plans to pursue a career as a marriage and family therapist after completing her education. Larriya has been coaching gymnastics for about three years and loves being part of a child’s early journey in the sport. Outside of the gym, she enjoys doing hair, cooking, and spending time reading her Bible.

Ansleigh Geeslin
Recreational Coach
Ansleigh is originally from Atlanta, GA. She participated in gymnastics for nine years and has been coaching for nearly two years.
Ansleigh is currently attending Durham Tech and plans to transfer to UNC Chapel Hill, where she will study business administration with a minor in sport and exercise science. Her favorite part of coaching is watching a child’s passion turn into confidence and hard work.
Outside of the gym, Ansleigh enjoys reading, traveling, spending time outdoors, and trying new coffee shops.

Charissa Moore
Recreational Coach
Originally from Tampa, Florida: Charissa has found ways to include athletics throughout all walks of life. With 9 years of athletic experience between cheerleading & gymnastics—and 2 years of combined experience coaching recreational gymnastics both in Florida and North Carolina—she is always seeking a way to use her experiences to make an impact on the next generation of athletes.
While currently in the second year of her Master’s program in City & Regional Planning at UNC Chapel Hill, she practices twice a week on the Carolina club gymnastics team. Outside of the classroom she loves hiking, yoga, and cuddling her Siamese cat Timone!

Summer Storey
Recreational Coach
Coach Summer is a UNC Wilmington alumna who participated in both dance and gymnastics recreationally for many years. After moving to the Triangle in late 2024, she rediscovered her love for the sport through coaching. Summer is continuing to develop her coaching skills and enjoys working with athletes across a variety of ages and levels. She also hopes to continue her own gymnastics education as an adult to further connect with the athletes she coaches and to enjoy the sport herself.
Outside of the gym, Summer enjoys caring for animals—especially her cats, Lilo and Stitch. She also loves being involved in the local arts community, along with spending time drawing, reading, staying active, and playing video games.
Competitive Team Coaches

Lauren Williams
Head Coach/Team Director
Born and raised in Holly Springs, North Carolina, Lauren's passion for gymnastics ignited early in life. From dedicated athlete to visionary coach, she brings a unique perspective to Oak City Gymnastics. Lauren's journey is marked by relentless determination and a commitment to excellence, both as an athlete and now as a coach. Her innovative coaching approach and ability to connect with athletes have earned her widespread recognition within the gymnastics community.
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Roxanne (Roxie) Smith
Team Coach
With 16 years of experience as a competitive Level 10 gymnast and over 8 years of coaching, Roxanne brings a wealth of knowledge and dedication to our athletes. She believes in developing the whole gymnast—fostering confidence, discipline, and a lasting love for the sport.
Roxanne has guided athletes to success at the state and regional level, but what sets her apart is her ability to help gymnasts grow both on and off the mat. Her supportive approach encourages athletes to face challenges with resilience while celebrating progress at every step.

Alyssa Patterson
Team Coach
Alyssa competed as a Level 8 gymnast before attending Auburn University, where she earned her Bachelor’s in Exercise Science. She went on to complete a Master’s in Global Health at Georgetown University following a Fulbright Program in Taiwan. With experience coaching athletes from Silver through Diamond, Alyssa is passionate about helping gymnasts build both skill and confidence. Her coaching philosophy centers on creating genuine connections, fostering trust between coach and athlete, and empowering athletes to believe in themselves, inside and outside of the gym.

Liz Troy
Team Coach
Originally from Virginia, Liz graduated from the University of Virginia in 2021 with a double major in Biology and Spanish and is currently finishing her Ph.D. in Environmental Microbiology at UNC. With 15 years in the sport and 7 years of coaching experience, she has worked with athletes from Pre-Team through Gold and TOPs levels. Liz is passionate about developing strong technical skills and confidence while guiding gymnasts to strive for their best and support their teammates with positivity and respect.

Stephanie Preve
Team Coach
Stephanie entered the sport of gymnastics at a young age and never looked back! She competed for about 10 years, reaching Level 8 before transitioning to coaching when she moved to North Carolina for college. With over 15 years of recreational and competitive coaching experience and several years as a gymnastics judge, Stephanie brings both technical expertise and a deep love for the sport.
Her personal experiences with gymnastics-related injuries led her to pursue a career as a Physical Therapist Assistant, where she combines her exercise science background with her coaching to help gymnasts train safely and effectively. Stephanie understands the lifelong skills gymnastics can teach and loves watching children grow, both in the gym and beyond.
