Staff

Bob Valley, Owner/President

After growing up in Minnesota (where he was the #1 ranked high school gymnast in the state his junior year) and graduating from Wheaton College, Illinois, (where he was the Division III National Champion in 1977) with a double major in Christian Education and Biblical Studies, Bob decided he wanted to combine his strong Christian background, his successful gymnastics background and his desire to minister to youth to open several gymnastics programs. The first, Gym for Him, began in a church in Nashville. From there he moved his program out to Hendersonville, and in 1986 opened Kingdom Sports Incorporated, DBA The Master’s School of Gymnastics. Over the years Bob has coached gymnastics and cheerleading champions as well as an untold number of recreational gymnasts, tumblers and cheerleaders. His goal remains to provide a quality gymnastics and cheerleading program in a Christian atmosphere for the youth of the Hendersonville, Gallatin and surrounding communities. Bob’s current duties include serving as President of the company, training many of the gym’s school cheerleading squads and All-Star squads, teaching competitive boys and girls gymnastics, teaching tumbling classes, organizing the gymnastics and cheerleading competitions held by the gym, and doing anything else that needs to be done! Bob is married to Barb and has 5 children - Jonathan, Sarah, Matthew, Joshua and Nathan.

Erin Herndon, Program Director - Hendersonville

Erin first met Bob in 1988 when she began gymnastics at The Master’s. She began competitive gymnastics in 1989 and continued for 6 years. Later, Erin decided to try soccer, playing for Beech High School Varsity for 3 years. Erin began to teach for Bob during her junior year in high school and continued to teach while attending college at Volunteer State Community College until 2000, when she transferred to MTSU to complete her degree in Marketing. After graduating in 2001, Erin returned to Hendersonville and began to work for The Master's full-time as the Program Director, Internal Marketing Director and an Instructor. Erin's current duties include serving as the company's program director and internal marketer, coaching the Girls Competitive Team, directing and coaching the Junior Team, and organizing the gymnastics competitions held by the gym.

Heather Allen Crouch, Finance Director

Heather first met Bob in 1988 when she began competing for him on his gymnastics team. After a total of 9 years in competitive gymnastics, Heather changed over to competitive cheerleading, competing for both Father Ryan High School and Bob’s competitive MCA All-Star squad. Heather began to teach for Bob during her sophomore year in high school and continued to teach in the summers while attending college at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Heather graduated from Miami in 1998 with a major in Accounting and a minor in Management Information Systems. She continued her education at the University of Tennessee graduating in 1998 with a Masters degree in Accounting. After graduation, Heather then took to the world of public accounting, working with Deloitte & Touche, LLP as a CPA for 2 years. In August 2001, she opted for a change of pace and began to work full-time for The Master’s as the Office Manager and an Instructor. Heather’s current duties include service as the company’s finance director, coaching the Girls Competitive Team, teaching educational gymnastics, and organizing the gymnastics competitions held by the gym. Heather is married and has one daughter.

Lisa Matteson, Program Director - Gallatin

Lisa grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she competed in gymnastics for Walnut Hills High School and Queen City Gymnastics. Lisa attended Miami University of Ohio before finding her way to Tennessee. She began working for The Master's in 1994 and since then has instructed gymnastics, tumbling, preschool, and cross training. Lisa currently directs and coaches at The Master’s satellite location in Gallatin. Lisa has three children: Kelleigh (who also works for The Master's), Holly and Nick.

Carol Hughes, Front Office Director

Carol's history with The Master’s begins in the kitchen. As a friend of Heather Crouch’s, Carol would make cookies for the coaches that attended The Master’s gymnastics competitions. In June 2003 Carol was asked to take over the front office duties at the gym. Currently she is probably the one you will talk to when you call the gym. She does anything and everything that is necessary to make sure each child and parent at the gym has a positive experience - and she is still making us cookies! Carol’s hometown is Delaware, Ohio, and she and her husband Jim have been in Hendersonville since 1998. Carol has three children: Stephanie, Julie and Stephen.

Arin Dahlhauser, Pre-School Program Director

Arin has been a fixture here at The Master's for years! Arin was a member of The Master’s Girls’ Competitive Team for several years in middle and high school. Once her competitive career was over, Arin began coaching. Arin is a graduate of Beech High School and Volunteer State Community College. Arin is currently attending TSU with a major in Health and Physical Education. Arin is currently The Master's Head Compulsory Team coach and is active with most of our competitive team gymnasts and our Junior Team gymnasts.

Jeff Yawn, Boys Team Director

Jeff is originally from Tupelo, Mississippi, and has been in the Hendersonville area for almost 20 years. Jeff was a gymnast at The Master’s for 5 years and was competitive for 3 of those years. After graduating from Beech High School, Jeff attended the University of Tennessee, where he was on the cheerleading squad in 1998 and completed a degree in Political Science. Jeff has 15 years of coaching experience in Middle and East Tennessee, and he has been The Master’s Boys' Team Head Coach since 2003. Jeff also has a teaching certificate from MTSU and teaches at Beech High School.

Amy Burdick

Amy has a long history with The Master's beginning classes with Coach Bob in the late 1980’s! Amy is originally from Hendersonville and cheered for Knox Doss Middle School and Beech High School. Upon graduating from Beech, Amy was a Universal Cheerleaders Association staff member from 1991-1996. Amy was also a member of the Western Kentucky University dance company for 4 years while earning her degree in Dance & Interior Design. She was also a member of the Asheville Ballet for 2 years. Amy served as The Master’s Cheerleading Director from 1996-1999 before moving out of the area and now is back again! Amy currently works with The Master’s middle and high school cheerleading squads and teaches preschool classes. In addition to her Master’s duties, Amy teaches dance and has two children – Adah and Simon.

Kim Barnes

Kim is a student at White House Heritage High School. Kim spent 8 years in gymnastics and competed on our Girls Competition Team for 4 years but has since retired from competitive gymnastics and opted for coaching. Kim’s teaching duties include all levels of pre-school and educational classes and some time with our Junior Team classes.

Matt Valley

Well if you can say that anyone has been groomed for coaching, we can say that about Matt. The second son of owner Bob Valley, Matt was a gymnast in his younger years and has been coaching for almost a decade. Matt can often be found with our tumbling classes perfecting and teaching all aspects of tumbling. But that’s not all – if you have a Preschool child, check out his Preschool classes for a great time for your little one!

Holly Gibson

Holly Gibson is a student at Beech High School and a member of the Varsity Beech Dance Team. Holly is putting her 13 years of dance background and 4 years of gymnastics background to good use here at The Master's. Holly can be found teaching our preschool classes, educational girls' classes and tumbling classes. Holly also teaches dance at a local studio.