CHANDLER — A Valley gymnastics coach is about to receive one of the most prestigious honors in the sport. Kiley Boynton will be inducted into the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame.
"I'm so excited to like achieve one of my lifetime goals," said Boynton.
Boynton started competing when she was only 4 years old. She moved up the levels in acrobatic gymnastics and eventually reached the world stage.
"There's choreography, there's tumbling, there's skills, there's balance motions," she said. "I've always wanted to win one medal from worlds and I ended up winning more than six levels internationally."
She and her partner Ryan Ward won a bronze medal at the 2014 World Championship. The next year, they were the first and only mixed pair to win the World Cup Series, which is the Olympics for acrobatic gymnastics.
"They were both just flawless in their technique, their artistry on the floor, their connection to one another while they were working, it was second to none. They were a powerhouse and force to be reckoned with," said Kyla Knights, the acrobatic gymnastics program director for USA Gymnastics.
"I really miss competing. But I look at my old videos, I'm like, 'I don't know how I did that?'" said Boynton.
Now, Boynton gets to compete as a coach. She trains young acrobatic gymnasts at Aspire Kids Sports Center in Chandler.
"My biggest goal now is to take them to worlds and win a medal," she said.
Boynton is studying to be a nurse at ASU. Eventually, she hopes to open her own gym.
