The Minnesota Gymnastics Judges Association (MGJA) has over 40 members serving the state of Minnesota. We have a strong and diverse group of officials with experience from 1 to 40 years! We are proud of the wealth of knowledge our association encompasses and look forward to continue to grow and expand our team!
Kelsie Koppel - President
Kelsie has been judging since 2005. Kelsie grew up as a gymnast at Twin City Twisters, competed at Elk River High School from 2000-2004 and Gustavus Adolphus College from 2004-2008. She also coached throughout her high school and college career. She judged with SOGJA from ‘05 to ‘08 and the MJGA association for over 1 years. She has judged at several high school sectionals, large invites, MAGA state tournaments, and the MSHSL state tournament.
Kelsie has been judging since 2005. Kelsie grew up as a gymnast at Twin City Twisters, competed at Elk River High School from 2000-2004 and Gustavus Adolphus College from 2004-2008. She also coached throughout her high school and college career. She judged with SOGJA from ‘05 to ‘08 and the MJGA association for over 1 years. She has judged at several high school sectionals, large invites, MAGA state tournaments, and the MSHSL state tournament.
Laura Stolpe - Treasurer
Laura started gymnastics at the age of 4 when she walked into the gym with her Mom. While her Mom was talking to others, she broke away and started walking back and forth on a Balance Beam and there began her love for Beam! Laura started her competitive career in MAGA at New Prague, MN and moved on to the high school team. At the state level, across multiple years, she won individual awards for the balance beam, but her favorite awards were always the ones achieved as a team. At 18, Laura started judging. She's judged numerous conference, section, true team, high school state, and MAGA divisional/individual meets at all levels. Laura is truly honored to not only have been part of MAGA/High school gymnastics as an athlete, but to now have dedicated my years afterwards in giving back to the sport that gave her so much!
Laura started gymnastics at the age of 4 when she walked into the gym with her Mom. While her Mom was talking to others, she broke away and started walking back and forth on a Balance Beam and there began her love for Beam! Laura started her competitive career in MAGA at New Prague, MN and moved on to the high school team. At the state level, across multiple years, she won individual awards for the balance beam, but her favorite awards were always the ones achieved as a team. At 18, Laura started judging. She's judged numerous conference, section, true team, high school state, and MAGA divisional/individual meets at all levels. Laura is truly honored to not only have been part of MAGA/High school gymnastics as an athlete, but to now have dedicated my years afterwards in giving back to the sport that gave her so much!
Krysta DeLong - High School Meet Assignor
Krysta has been judging since 2012 and coaching since 2003, most recently at the High School level. She was named the 2019-2020 Class AA State Coach of the Year. Prior to coaching and judging, Krysta grew up as a gymnast at Jam Hops, competed at Blaine High School, and wrapped up her career at UW-Stout. Krysta has judged multiple High School Sectionals, top Invitationals in the state, and MAGA State Tournaments.
Krysta has been judging since 2012 and coaching since 2003, most recently at the High School level. She was named the 2019-2020 Class AA State Coach of the Year. Prior to coaching and judging, Krysta grew up as a gymnast at Jam Hops, competed at Blaine High School, and wrapped up her career at UW-Stout. Krysta has judged multiple High School Sectionals, top Invitationals in the state, and MAGA State Tournaments.
Laura Hegland - Onboarding Specialist
Laura started gymnastics at the age of six in 1994. She trained and competed at Turners through 2002. For the 2003-2005 seasons Laura was a gymnast at Perpetual Motion, competing at USAG Level 9. She qualified to Western Nationals as an alternate in 2004 and in her senior season was the Level 9 Western National Beam Champion and runner-up on Bars and in All-Around. Laura competed all four years of her college gymnastics career at Gustavus Adolphus College and qualified as an individual to DIII Nationals all four years, twice on Beam and twice on Bars. Her all time favorite gymnastics skill is a double back off bars! Laura began officiating girls high school gymnastics in 2007 and has looked forward to being back in the gym each winter season. She's officiated at the top High School and MAGA meets throughout Minnesota!
Laura started gymnastics at the age of six in 1994. She trained and competed at Turners through 2002. For the 2003-2005 seasons Laura was a gymnast at Perpetual Motion, competing at USAG Level 9. She qualified to Western Nationals as an alternate in 2004 and in her senior season was the Level 9 Western National Beam Champion and runner-up on Bars and in All-Around. Laura competed all four years of her college gymnastics career at Gustavus Adolphus College and qualified as an individual to DIII Nationals all four years, twice on Beam and twice on Bars. Her all time favorite gymnastics skill is a double back off bars! Laura began officiating girls high school gymnastics in 2007 and has looked forward to being back in the gym each winter season. She's officiated at the top High School and MAGA meets throughout Minnesota!
Betty White-Merchant - Secretary
Betty spent 12 years as a competitive gymnast starting at Mini-Hops in Minnetonka, 2 years for Wayzata High School and 2 years in college for UW-Eau Claire. She coached the Woodbury MAGA team for 3 years while overlapping coaching as an assistant coach at Woodbury and East Ridge high schools. Betty most recently spent 8 years coaching the JO team at Crowley’s Gymnastics, primarily coaching bars (her favorite event)!
Outside of gymnastics, Betty enjoys spending time with her family, friends and staying active. She’s also a proud dog mom of 2 two rescue pups, Bean and Finn, which have filled the space in her ‘empty nest’. Over the last 10 years she has taken up ice hockey and is now trying her hand at goalie. Her past gymnastics experience helps with getting up and down on the ice and springing into action when a puck is coming her way.
Betty spent 12 years as a competitive gymnast starting at Mini-Hops in Minnetonka, 2 years for Wayzata High School and 2 years in college for UW-Eau Claire. She coached the Woodbury MAGA team for 3 years while overlapping coaching as an assistant coach at Woodbury and East Ridge high schools. Betty most recently spent 8 years coaching the JO team at Crowley’s Gymnastics, primarily coaching bars (her favorite event)!
Outside of gymnastics, Betty enjoys spending time with her family, friends and staying active. She’s also a proud dog mom of 2 two rescue pups, Bean and Finn, which have filled the space in her ‘empty nest’. Over the last 10 years she has taken up ice hockey and is now trying her hand at goalie. Her past gymnastics experience helps with getting up and down on the ice and springing into action when a puck is coming her way.
Ellie Berg - MAGA Meet Assignor
Ellie has been judging since 1984. Ellie was high school athlete at Jackson, a college gymnast at Gustavus Adolphus, a certified USA judge, coaching stints in Mankato, St. Peter, Duluth, Stillwater, a meet referee we assign to the most highly competitive Sections and True Team, voted coach of the year four separate years in two separate association, inducted into the MGGCA coach’s hall of fame, was a member of the MSHSL Officials Advisory Committee. Since 2008, Ellie has dedicated her “gymnastics time” solely to judging for the MHSL, MAGA. She has judged the MSHSL State Tournament several times and is a perennial Div MAGA state tournament judge/meet referee.
Ellie has been judging since 1984. Ellie was high school athlete at Jackson, a college gymnast at Gustavus Adolphus, a certified USA judge, coaching stints in Mankato, St. Peter, Duluth, Stillwater, a meet referee we assign to the most highly competitive Sections and True Team, voted coach of the year four separate years in two separate association, inducted into the MGGCA coach’s hall of fame, was a member of the MSHSL Officials Advisory Committee. Since 2008, Ellie has dedicated her “gymnastics time” solely to judging for the MHSL, MAGA. She has judged the MSHSL State Tournament several times and is a perennial Div MAGA state tournament judge/meet referee.