Azarian Staff
Eduard Azarian
Originally from the Soviet Union, Eduard comes from a tradition of excellence in the sport of gymnastics. Following in the footsteps of his father, the famous Albert Azarian, Eduard is a second generation World Champion & Olympic Gold Medal Winner.
Eduard's credits include:
- 1975 All Around Junior National Champion of the USSR
- 1976 Member of the USSR Senior National Team
- 1976-1979 Winner of several international competitions
- 1978 Silver medalist of the World Championship in France
- 1979 P Bars Gold medalist at World Cup Championship in Japan1979 All-Around Champion Spartakaide
- 9-Time Champion of the USSR
- 1980 All Around 2nd place at World Cup Championship in Ontario, Canada
- 1980 Olympic Gold Medalist
- 13 years coaching experience in the USSR with the boys and girls National Team
- Coaching in the USA since 1992. Trained many State Champions, Regional Champions, Junior National Champions, and USA Junior National Team Members
- 35 years of coaching experience. 16 years of personal training and competing experience
- 2004 Coach of the Year Award
- 2009 Coach of the Year Award
- 2010 Coach of the Year Award
- 2014 National Coach of the Year Award
Marina Azarian
General Manager
Marina has over 20 years experience in gymnastics business management. From 1997-2005, Marina was the business office manager at a top Northern Orange County Gymnastics Academy. Prior to that, she served as the office assistant at a Los Angeles County Gymnastics Center. Marina has extensive experience in human resources, marketing material development, web site management, scheduling, as well as member communication and community relations. Marina is a graduate of Armenian State University, where she studied English, Armenian, Russian and German languages. Her credentials include teaching and translating.
Albina Azarian-Myers
Office Manager & Special Events Coordinator
Albina has over 20 years of working in the gymnastics office environment as an office manager, special events coordinator and an academy supervisor. Albina has grown up in the world of gymnastics and dance. She did gymnastics for five years and has danced for over nine years in Hip Hop and Jazz. Albina has coached gymnastics for Levels 1-5 including Pre Team and Competitive Team. She has also helped choreograph a routine for a North Orange County dance company that she was training and performing with. Currently, Albina is the office manager & special events coordinator at Azarian Gymnastics and the Owner of WhistleStop Shop OC - Custom handmade wood home decor available online www.whistlestopshopoc.com
Edmund O'Connor
Girls Team Head Coach
Gymnastics has always been part of my life. Aside from learning the different gymnastic apparatuses this sport has taught me so many important life lessons. Hard work, determination, and discipline to name a few. Coaching gives me the opportunity to share my knowledge and help my students achieve success. My goal as a coach is to have my students understand that “Practice makes permanent”.
- 14 years of competitive gymnastics experience
- Competed in New Jersey and represented Region 7 as a team member for Class 3 and 2
- National Qualifier for Class 3, 2, and 1
- Regional Training camps combined of Regions 5, 6, and 7
- Coaches: Compulsory Coach Gerardo Sura, and Optional Coach Yei Yida (Former Chinese National Team Coach)
- Coaching Experience – USAG Boys competitive program levels 4-10
- Numerous student achievements on the NJ state level, Region 7, and National Level
- Level 9 and Level 10 Regional Team Members
- National Event Semi-Finalists and Finalists
- Coaching Experience – 6 Years involvement with the Future Stars Program
- Numerous student achievements at the Regional Level – Regional Team Members for the past four years
- Attended Future Stars National Testing for the past four years
- Future Stars Developmental National Team Members
- Attended 2 National Developmental Team Camps at USOTC
Vanessa Gonzalez
Girls Team Coach and Coordinator
Vanessa has been coaching gymnastics since 2002. Following in her sisters foot steps she joined the sport at the age of 2 and has lived in it ever since. She has coached preschool through girls competitive level 9 but focuses on the compulsory levels and excel. She believes that instilling the right foundation in gymnastics is critical for future progress. She has also spent the last few years assisting in the management of another major Orange County gym. Her coaching philosophy is “You can only get out of this sport what you put into it. That includes coaches! You can’t expect your child to go out there and dominate unless you have embedded in her every single day the tools needed to achieve her goals! Work your girls hard but work yourself harder, give them confidence and pride and demand perfection because if you don’t they wont strive for it! They will surprise you with what they can achieve!”
Sarah Elbalalesy
Preschool Coach
Joy Lybarger
Preschool Coach
Daniela Rodriguez
Office Assistant
Jessie Lybarger
Recreational Coach
Josh Johnson
Recreational Coach
Frankie Gonzalez
Boys Recreational Coach
Hayley Biss
Preschool & Recreational Coach
Naomi Fung
Recreational Coach
Paniz Abbasi
Recreational Coach
Alyssa Kolbeck
Xcel Coach
Mia Ford
Girls Team Coach
Jenny Sheehan
Girls Team Coach
Daniel Goglanian
Recreational Coach
Jessica Evans
Preschool Coach
Amanda Hensley
Girls Team Coach
Cody Thompson
Recreational Coach
Mikey Valdez
Preschool Assistant Director & Coach
Alexa Hassler
Girls PreTeam Coach
Oscar Luna
Boys Team Coach & Facilities Manager
Tara Treacy
Preschool & Recreational Director & Xcel Coach
Juliana Devito
Recreational Coach
Natalie Simpson
Recreational Coach
Katie Kordes
Recreational Coach
Sarah Esquival
Preschool & Recreational Coach
Selma Elbalalesy
Preschool & Recreational Coach
John Stephens
Girls Team Coach & Xcel Head Coach
Lilly LaFleur
Girls Recreational and Preschool Coach