Tumble Smart Staff

 Tumble smart is owned and operated by Coach Levi and his wife Christina. Levi grew up tumbling under the coaching of his father, Leonard Nickson. At the early age of 12, Coach Levi began coaching alongside of his father. In 2010, Levi graduated and began coaching full time. He gained experience working in popular cheer gyms throughout Tulsa. After two years of working in gyms, he moved into freelance coaching. During this time, Coach Levi rented floor space, coached at schools, parks, yards and even people’s garages!  By November 2015, Coach Levi had built up his name and reputation within the tumbling industry and with a loyal group of students; he was able to open the doors to his own facility, Tumble Smart Athletics. 

Christina joined the Tumble Smart family in 2019. As the Operations Manger Christina hopes to integrate systems and procedures to help Tumble Smart run smoothly and efficiently. 

Growing up in Chicago Christina was on the dance team and participated in recreational  gymnastics and tumbling. She has a passion for tumbling and loves that she now gets to call it work. Christina has a Masters Degree in Counseling and Art Therapy, making her a perfect fit for our continually developing Mini's program. 

 Brad Turner has been coaching cheerleading and tumbling for over 27 years. Coach Brad was a college cheerleader at Oral Roberts University. He has coached at most of the area high schools in Tulsa in tumbling, stunting and competitive cheerleading. He has coached or assisted in coaching numerous all-star national championship teams of all levels. Coach Brad has also coached on the collegiate level. He assisted in  leading Coffeyville Junior College  to a UCA national championship. He then took the lead as the  head coach of Coffeyville for 2 years and later became the head coach at Oral Roberts University for 3 years. Coach Brad spots and teaches all levels of tumbling. Coach Brad's passion is to help athletes and to see them achieve their goals. 

  Miss Patti has over 25 years of experience working with young children. Over those years she has instructed and taught children as a preschool teacher, motor skills teacher, and gymnastic instructor. She has taught in large recreational and competitive gyms in the Tulsa area. For the last 12 years, prior to joining Tumble Smart, she  was the director for a children’s gym in Broken Arrow where she had the opportunity to create, develop and manage a successful tumbling program.

Coach Jaycie brings over 15 years of experience with cheerleading, tumbling, and coaching! Jaycie has experience with teaching and spotting tumbling and coaching school cheerleading. She is currently a coach for a competitive cheer team and a semi pro cheer team! Cheer and tumbling are her greatest passions and she loves sharing that passion with her athletes. Jaycie desires to push them to become the best they can be! 

Jaycie teaches classes, private lessons and conducts clinics.

Coach Chris has been in the cheer leading and tumbling world since he was in eight grade. At the age of 20, he has now cheered competitively for six years. This past cheer season he was a member of the semi-pro cheer team here in Tulsa. Previously he attended and cheered at Rogers State University in Claremore. He plans to attend the University of Oklahoma in the near future with the hopes of continuing his cheer life while studying in Norman

 Coach Abbi has been with tumble smart for 2 years now! She did competitive gymnastics growing up and transitioned into competitive and sideline cheer. Abbi cheered varsity all four years of high-school and was named a captain her senior year. She has cheered at the University of Tulsa and currently cheers at Northeastern State University. Abbi is working towards a degree as a pediatric occupational therapist, needless to say that the kiddos at Tumble Smart have her heart! She was coached by the very own Levi Nickson growing up, so she loves getting to pass on what he has taught her not only as a tumbler, but as a person. "Don’t just throw skills to gain them, throw skills with understanding of what they are so you can build upon them and continue learning and improving them each and every time you throw them!"

Coach Paige has been been tumbling with coach Levi for over 5 years. She cheered at Broken Arrow for two years on a varsity level and earned two state rings! After graduating she then began pursing her education at Tabor college before transferring to Roger State University to finish out her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education! Paige has cheered for both Tabor and RSU along with being apart of the first semi-pro cheer team in Tulsa. Adding to her list of accomplishments, Paige has been named co-caption of the Gators. She also coaches a 4th grade cheer team for Broken Arrow. Her future plans include becoming a 2nd grade teacher and a cheer coach where ever the wind takes her! 

Paige wants to remind you: prACTice like a champion

 Meet Coach Sydney White. Sydney has been cheering/tumbling since she could walk. She started by doing gymnastics before moving onto competitive cheer in Springfield MO. Her sophomore year of high school she moved to Oklahoma and was on Twist and Shout Diamonds for 2.5 years. Sydney has since started college at the University of Tulsa as an elementary education major and psych minor. "What can I say I just love working with kids!!!"  Sydney has also continued her cheer career at the University of Tulsa. 

Coach D Kelley cheered competitively at Tarleton State University for 4 years. Assisted in coaching All-girl team at Tarleton for 2 years and also coached at a local gymnastics and cheer gym.
He coached at Tyler Junior College bringing two top 3 finishes at NCA college nationals along with an Intermediate championship. Dee also coached at East Texas Twisters Gymnastics and Cheer, Rose Capital All-stars level 5 Small co-ed.All together Coach D brings 15 years combined coaching experience with cheer, gymnastics, and private lessons training in stunts and  tumbling. Coach D is also the owner and head strength coach of DZL Athletics & Fitness LLC.