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Schools

PHS Alum Says She Wouldn't Miss Opportunity to Coach at Alma Mater

Kaye Nguyen, class of '01, returns to Poway High's gymnastics program, this time as junior varsity coach.

It’s taken 11 years, but Kaye Nguyen has finally come full circle. A former Titan who spent four years performing gymnastics before graduating in 2001, she now finds herself back at school—this time as the team’s junior varsity coach.

Athletics have remained very much a part of Nguyen’s life. Equipped with a certification in personal training, she also is an aerial acrobatics performer, which she describes as being “kind of like Cirque du Soleil, but a few notches below them.”

She says the benefits from gymnastics are all encompassing.

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“Not only does it help with athleticism, it helps with self-esteem, self-motivation, determination,” Nguyen said. “It’s not only the physical, but the emotional … It’s basically everything.”

As JV coach for the past year, Nguyen is charged with the care of 36 team members. They practice six days a week for two hours each day—down from four hours when Nguyen used to train at .

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“It’s hard work. They’re a lot of fun, but it’s hard work,” Nguyen said. “… Every day they’re slowly improving.”

And every day she continues to learn more about each athlete.

“Every girl is different as far as ability,” said Nguyen, who can easily name the “most improved, goofiest or determined” girl on the team.

“So I try to personalize every goal for every girl―based on skills, talent, fear,” she said.

When given the opportunity to coach at her alma mater, Nguyen says she “wouldn’t pass it up,” though she one day hopes to open her own business in the fitness industry.

“I plan on running my own gym,” she said. “... I know I want to work with kids, whether it’s training them through sports or being their mentor.”

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