Olympic medals have been collected and the closing ceremonies will be held in London today, but the power of 2012 Olympic performances will energize mats, vaults and parallel bars in Pocatello for months to come.

    “It’s a boost for gymnastics clubs worldwide,” EP Athletics owner Mark Lee, of Pocatello, said about the Olympic Summer Games. “Anytime someone medals in a country, it piques interest.”

    Young people all over Southeast Idaho and the world watched in awe as 16-year-old Gabby Douglas made her body fly on her way to two Olympic gold medals for the U.S. — including the individual all-around title. Douglas was part of the “Fab Five” U.S. women’s gymnastics team that also claimed a gold medal.

    Douglas is from Virginia. Her teammates were: Jordyn Wieber, Michigan; Aly Raisman, Mass.; Kayla Ross, Calif.; and McKayla Maroney, Calif. Thousands of hopeful young gymnasts will take to the mats all over the country with visions of gold in their heads this fall and Pocatello is no exception.

    “The phones are really ringing now,” Lee said.

    Registration for gymnastic hopefuls will take place in September and the former Olympic coach said he expects to see a lot of new faces. Lee, a former All-American gymnast at Ohio State University, helped coach the 1988 U.S. women’s gymnastics team at the Olympic Summer Games held in Seoul, S. Korea. He was the coach for Melissa Marlowe.

    The 1988 women’s team barely missed taking home a bronze medal in team competition in gymnastics competitions dominated by Russia and Romania.

    Lee has dedicated his life to giving the sport the focus and dedication it needs to create world championship performers like the women who participated in London the past two weeks.

    “It was the best I’ve ever seen,” Lee said about level of competition in this year’s Olympics.

    Another gymnastics coach in Pocatello, owner of Team Revolution Justen Millerbernd agrees. He watched the U.S. Olympians compete in person. Millerbernd and fellow coach, Kalon Lundvizon, were in London from July 24 to Aug. 3.

    “It was one of the most exciting experiences I’ve ever had in my life,” Millerbernd said.

    Millerbernd is in his 19th year of coaching and competed in the World Cup in Australia in 1998. Like Lee, he wants to share his expertise with young gymnasts.

    “It’s great to see,” Millerbernd said about the energy the Olympics brings to young people interested in the sport. “It boosts our national awareness of physical fitness and gymnastics is great exercise.”

    Lee agrees and says that a background in gymnastics can be used as a foundation for participation in any sports. It opens up scholarship opportunities for those who excel, like Lee’s son who just finished his All-American gymnastics career at the University of Minnesota.

    “Kids who start have a tremendous cross-training tool,” Lee said. “If you’re strong enough and fearless enough, there’s nothing you can’t accomplish.”

    Lee said although many youngsters may begin gymnastics with hopes of one day participating at the international level, he said it is important to remember that five men and five women out of the entire nation represented the U.S. in the 2012 Olympics.

    “The U.S. team was just stunning to watch,” Lee said. He said the sport continually attracts new interest and new faces and this is the secret to building a strong national showing.

    “It creates interest and kids will try it,” Lee said.

    Both coaches begin training young children. Lee even offers classes for children as young as 18 months if they are accompanied by their mothers. He also opens up EP Gymnastics for use by daycare centers in Pocatello so youngsters can get exercise and acquire a taste for expending energy on the mats.

    “Kids who stick with it become exponentially stronger than anyone else,” Lee said.

    The former Olympic coach also said that gymnastics develops a symmetry of motion inside those who stick with the sport.

    “It is total body cooperation from feet to hands,” Lee said.

    Millerbernd also works with children of all ages at his gym and he expects to see a wide range of ages begin to sign up as the Olympics come to a close. He too knows that the rigors of 20 hours of training each week is something few will continue to pursue if they want to obtain competitive levels.

    “It’s also good for kids who just want to have fun,” Millerbernd said.

    Anyone who watched Gabby “the flying squirrel” smile after her gold-winning performances in London knows that must be important.