Revelstoke gymnasts spring for the stars after success at nationals

Nate Acton and Kenadie Stefura scored silver at Canadian championships, sights set on worlds

Top talent from Revelstoke’s acrobatics program hopes to compete internationally in the wake of a successful season at provincials and nationals. Local gymnasts Nate Acton, 15, and Kenadie Stefura, 18, both grew up in Revelstoke and have been competing on the trampoline for nearly a decade and winning provincial events the last five years. Throughout it all, they’ve trained with the non-profit Revelstoke Acrobats Club, which runs a gymnastics facility at Begbie View Elementary School with in-ground and double mini trampolines, air floors, a harness system, and a foam pit.

In April, during a triumphant run at the GymBC Championships in Surrey, Acton earned Level 5 gold in double mini trampoline, Level 4 silver in trampoline with mobility to Level 5, and Level 4 gold in synchro trampoline. Alongside him, Stefura nabbed Level 6 gold in double mini trampoline and Level 5 gold in synchro trampoline, also placing fifth in Level 5 trampoline. READ: Revelstoke’s Special Olympics skier-coach duo shortlisted for B.C. awards The two advanced to compete at Gymnastics Canada’s 2026 championships in Oshawa, Ont., both scoring silver in their trampoline events.

According to Revelstoke Acrobats head coach Jill Drake, even just “the fact that they were at nationals meant that their whole season was quite successful.” “They have mental fortitude under pressure,” club treasurer Stephanie Melnyk remarked, noting they spend countless hours training and conditioning at Begbie View Elementary before having only a few moments on the trampoline at events to give it their best. “They can really settle.”

Acton and Stefura are eager to leap into the competition abroad at the Trampoline Junior and Age Group World Championships. If they can get there, it’ll be a feat for Revelstoke in recent memory. Ruby Ryga was the last local gymnast to attend worlds, competing in Bulgaria back in 2023, where she placed 13th, as well as in Portugal in 2024, where she landed fourth.

For now, from this December until June 2027, Acton and Stefura will compete monthly in provincial and national qualifier events in Kamloops and elsewhere with hopes of qualifying for the world championships. Heading into this next year of competitive events, Stefura aims to master bigger moves in the air and improve her double twisting. “I’m close to making Canada’s development team, so that’s also a short-term goal too,” she said.

Meanwhile, Acton endeavours to train harder and reach worlds before he graduates, in two years, from Revelstoke Secondary School. “I just want to be stronger,” he said. “Want to level up but not feel behind.”

READ: Revelstoke athletes strike high in bowling, skiing at Special Olympics qualifiers The two advanced to compete at Gymnastics Canada’s 2026 championships in Oshawa, Ont., both scoring silver in their trampoline events. According to Revelstoke Acrobats head coach Jill Drake, even just “the fact that they were at nationals meant that their whole season was quite successful.”

“They have mental fortitude under pressure,” club treasurer Stephanie Melnyk remarked, noting they spend countless hours training and conditioning at Begbie View Elementary before having only a few moments on the trampoline at events to give it their best. “They can really settle.” Acton and Stefura are eager to leap into the competition abroad at the Trampoline Junior and Age Group World Championships.

If they can get there, it’ll be a feat for Revelstoke in recent memory. Ruby Ryga was the last local gymnast to attend worlds, competing in Bulgaria back in 2023, where she placed 13th, as well as in Portugal in 2024, where she landed fourth. For now, from this December until June 2027, Acton and Stefura will compete monthly in provincial and national qualifier events in Kamloops and elsewhere with hopes of qualifying for the world championships.

Heading into this next year of competitive events, Stefura aims to master bigger moves in the air and improve her double twisting. “I’m close to making Canada’s development team, so that’s also a short-term goal too,” she said. Meanwhile, Acton endeavours to train harder and reach worlds before he graduates, in two years, from Revelstoke Secondary School.

“I just want to be stronger,” he said. “Want to level up but not feel behind.” READ:

Revelstoke athletes strike high in bowling, skiing at Special Olympics qualifiers Drake, who’s coached since 2012, was won over from artistic gymnastics by the cross-training and the supportive, tight-knit camaraderie she observed in trampoline acrobatics, particularly in Revelstoke. After Coquitlam and New Westminster, Revelstoke boasts the third-largest provincial gymnastics team in B.C., according to Drake, with an emphasis on trampoline training. Between 300 and 350 children are enrolled in Revelstoke Acrobats programming, and competing athletes are as young as 10 years old.

“This is a town full of talented children,” Melnyk said, and “the beautiful thing about this sport is you don’t age out like a lot of sports.” Non-competing gymnasts in the club are currently up to ages 26 and 34. “I just feel like it’s been a good safe space to grow up in,” Stefura said about Revelstoke Acrobats, adding that she’s never had to fear making mistakes.

For Acton, the sport has also forged close friendships with gymnasts from other communities. At this year’s team finals, he enjoyed painting his face and blasting horns with other competitors, and gave his friend Ryan a hug when he won his event. When Stefura achieved two passes at preliminaries last spring, the Kelowna team coach, who knew her, even teared up in excitement about her success.

“That also just shows how supportive other clubs are,” Melnyk said. Revelstoke Acrobats just hired a second full-time coach, Mario Bruno, and is in discussions about expanding into a new facility in the city’s future multipurpose arena to fit more gymnasts. The Begbie View Elementary facility is open seven days per week and accommodates up to 12 athletes and two coaches at once.

While the club could double its current practice schedule, the issue of a long waitlist for families will continue to persist no matter what. “I like to hide for a day or two after registration,” Drake joked, referring to how many families are left waiting each season. “There’s definitely a gap in places like this where kids could go.”

READ: Nakusp, Revelstoke locals supporting Nordic skiers behind the scenes at Paralympics Still, parents are encouraged to keep putting their children on the waitlist, which helps Revelstoke Acrobats gauge numbers and rising demand in the community. It also works with the Stoke Youth Network to offset costs for families, reducing another barrier to gymnastics.

“We don’t want the financial to be the reason that kids aren’t in here jumping,” Melnyk said. Reflecting on Acton and Stefura’s growth as they look toward worlds and also life beyond acrobatics, “these two people in particular have developed their ability to handle themselves at competition, and handle themselves leading into competition,” Drake said. She commended both athletes’ ability to manage the stress of competition and perform well under pressure, and said she’s proud of them for learning to “put their heads down and get the hard work done.”

“I hope that when they leave here, that carries through in their life,” Drake added. “I think that’s a really good skill for kids to take away from this sport.”