US POLE SPORTS FEDERATION
Leading the Industry
The US Pole Sports Federation (USPSF) is the national federation and the US governing body for Pole Sports. It was founded in 2014 under the name US Pole Sports Federation and is a nonprofit 501c3 along with being a non-governmental national organization constituted under US law.
The Federation is a member of the Pole Sports & Art World Federation (POSA), one of the international governing bodies for pole and aerial sports and the host of the Pole Sport World Championships, World Pole Art Championships, and Aerial World Championships.
The USPSF has also received accreditation from the USA Sports Council and is an active member. The USPSF is a leader in the community and is working towards Pole Sports being recognized globally as a sport and the eventual inclusion into mainstream sports events and the Olympic Games.
The mission of USPSF is to promote, administer, and develop pole and aerial sports to benefit athletes of all ages, levels, and backgrounds across the United States.
Our Objectives:
- To advance, promote, and protect the character, status, and interests of Pole and Aerial Sports across the USA.
- To work alongside the International Federation to develop standardized rules governing regional and world competitions.
- To enforce the Code of Conduct and Standards of Ethics for both athletes and officials.
- To advise and assist the USPSF Regional Member Bodies and the Associate Members in the administration of Pole and Aerial Sports in their regions and organizations.
- To represent the USA and Pole Sports in the Olympic Movement.
- Assist, create, collaborate, and educate studio owners and coaches in the advancements of the pole community.
The USPSF amends its governing documents regularly, reviewing the Statutes and complementing the Competition Rules with pertinent codes and regulations in line with the International Federation.
Our Structure
USPSF Structure Democratic describes the style of governance and the structure of USPSF. The Managing Committee is made up of the President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary General, and Athlete Chair who tends to the day-to-day running of the federation. The committee is supported in its task by the standing commissions, advisers, and consultants, and by the administration.
Our Vision
We hope to educate and inspire the public and future athletes in the benefits of Pole Sports and competitive pole.
Our goal is to assist the POSA World Federation by working with the local sporting agency/councils and the US Olympic Committee to gain sporting recognition for Pole Sports.
MEET THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Katrina Wyckoff
President
Katrina is passionately involved with pole competition and has served on the USPSF since 2015, actively growing the sport and moving it toward its future in the Olympics. Katrina was the local organizer of the USPSF Southwest Regional Championships 2018 and 2019.
Katrina loves to compete in pole and is a world-renowned pole athlete/dancer in her own right. She is proud of her accomplishments as a coach and athlete for TEAM USA, including her title as FIRST PLACE DOUBLES CHAMPION for USPSF Championships 2017 and POSA World Championships Top Ten Doubles Competitor 2017.
Katrina loves helping women achieve their fitness goals and become strong - inside and out! Katrina's greatest joy and happiness still stem from seeing each student grow and blossom as they discover their potential from within.
In 2014, Katrina founded Center Stage Pole Fitness, an award-winning aerial studio that specializes in competition pole for kids and adults. In 2022, she rebranded her business as Vertica Fitness and is now opening multiple studios across the country.
Odette Tan
Vice President
Odette's pole dancing addiction began during a bachelorette weekend in 2010. Upon returning home, she quickly purchased a pole and began training almost every day, discovering it to be an exhilarating and liberating experience that also served as physical and mental therapy during difficult times. She credits pole dancing to her transformation into the strong, confident woman she is today.
Odette competed in her first competition as a Miss Texas Pole Star Fitness Category Finalist in 2012. She has also won numerous awards as a doubles partner in Duo Et Cetera, including 2014 Miss Texas Pole Star Doubles Winner, 2014 United Pole Artists Video Challenge Doubles Winner, 2013 Capital of Texas Pole Championship Partners Pole 1st Runner Up, and 2013 Miss Texas Pole Star Doubles 1st Runner Up. These days, she is happiest when she can assist others in achieving their own pole goals. She began instructing at Brass Ovaries in 2012 and has numerous certifications to help her be the best instructor she can be.
Odette first became involved with USPSF by becoming a POSA / USPSF Certified Pole Sports Judge in 2018. She has since judged the USPSF National Championships and POSA Pole Sport World Championships from 2018 to 2024.
She is excited to continue contributing to the pole and aerial community through USPSF.
Summer Vyne
Vice President
Summer Vyne, founder and past President of USPSF, established and built USPSF into what it is today.
Summer began her pole and aerial journey in 2010 and is the owner of Bittersweet Studios. She has competed in multiple pole competitions and enjoys performing with her aerial dance team. She loves teaching aerials and pole; and is an AFAA, elevatED, and Bokwa certified fitness instructor.
Michael Wyckoff
Vice President
Bio coming soon!
Sarah “Gogo” Samuelson
Pole Athlete Chair
As a former USPSF competitor and long time committee member, Gogo is well acquainted with the road to competition. She brings her love of pole and her even bigger love of pole athletes to her role as Pole Athlete Chair.
With 10 years of experience teaching pole, Gogo is now the Director of the Pole program at her local studio in Atlanta, GA. She is a pole momma to students and athletes locally and worldwide, helping them to navigate their journey with all its twists and turns. She has guided numerous athletes on their path to competition as a coach and mentor. Gogo is also a momma to 3 amazing kids, equipping her with a deep understanding of patient guidance. Additionally, Gogo is a Registered Nurse with nearly a decade of experience treating patients in the Emergency Room.
Susan Stevens
Aerial Athlete Chair
Susan has expressed herself within the realm of movement for the past 41 years, including dance,
competitive gymnastics, and now aerial. Her twenty years of experience as a national and
collegiate judge and coach in competitive gymnastics has given her insight into how to train an
athlete’s body and mind to achieve career-oriented goals.
Sixteen years ago, Susan shifted her focus to aerial, and three years later opened the first aerial
studio in northwest Louisiana, Aerial Expressions. What started as a small-town adventure has
become a labor of love and passion. Aerial Expressions, through dedication, practice, and
patience, has helped create strong, confident aerialists including several Team USA members.
As the newest member of the USPSF board, Susan's goal is to help the sport of aerial grow and
become an Olympic event. She is the proud mother of two children and enjoys giving back to her community. And of course, every student who has graced Aerial Expressions’ mats has a special place in her heart.
Michelle Jones
Judges Chair
Fitness has always been a part of Michelle's life. She is the mom of two awesome kids, the owner of MTC Fitness, and the Fitness and Wellness Director of an active adult community. As a personal trainer, Michelle enjoys helping athletes develop the tools they need to compete successfully at all levels.
When she first walked into an aerial studio it was love at first sight. After teaching and competing pole and aerial silks she knew right away she wanted to be a part of this community for life.
Michelle has had the honor of representing POSA and the USPSF as a certified International Judge since 2018. Traveling the world to judge the best of the best in Pole Sport has been a highlight of her life.
Ashley Robinson
Judge Trainer
Ashley is the owner and head coach of FlexyFit + Aerial Ashletes, out of Dallas, Texas. This dynamically melanated aerialist and coach helps people achieve their aerial ambitions with a focus on safety, skill mastery, and better movement mechanics. She specializes in body-inclusive teaching, and coaching competitors and plus-size aerialists.
Ashley started in the world of pole fitness over a decade ago, and her passion for aerials, circus, flexibility, and fitness has grown into an obsession. She's immersed herself physically and mentally through learning new apparatuses, performing, competing, and diversifying in multiple disciplines. She received her USPDF Pro Card in 2017 and was the 2017 PSO Level 4 1st place champ! She has gone on to train dozens of award-winning pole and aerial competitors.
Addicted to learning, Ashley is a master nerd and body sorceress and is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer, Corrective Exercise Specialist, Human Movement Specialist, and Women’s Fitness Specialist with ten years of experience in fitness, flexibility, dance conditioning, pole and aerial. She is also certified in just about everything, including Pole 1-4, Aerial Hoop, Trapeze, Aerial Pilates, Flexibility, Percussion Therapy, Self Myofascial Release (SMR), mobility & recovery training, and REBT Mindset Life Coaching.
Before becoming a circus geek, Ashley was a business creative and now enjoys hanging out at the creative intersection of those two passions. When she’s not dangling in the air or coaching, you can find her combining her MBA, design, and marketing expertise to help entrepreneurs and small business owners achieve their creative business needs.
She is thrilled to join the USPSF team and contribute to this amazing organization!
Valerie Fisher
Operations Manager
An Insurance Professional by trade, this wife and mother of two loves spoiling her family by cooking elaborate meals.
When she is not cooking or traveling, you can find her training to improve her craft as an Ashlete of FlexyFit. There she is also the Team Assistant supporting the team behind the scenes. She is also the Event manager for Slay the Stage. A community event for all dance, pole & aerial in DFW.
Valerie first found the love of pole/aerial in 2021 when she visited a studio looking for a fun and challenging workout. She fell in love with the sport and signed up for a competition with PSO Space City. She won 1st place in her division at her very first competition.
Valerie is excited to join the team as operations manager. She will bring her knowledge and attention to detail to the role.
Tamara Turnidge
Social Media Chair
Tamara discovered the joy that dance and pole bring to your life when she attended an open house event for the first pole studio location in Oro Valley, AZ in 2014.
She enjoys being a mom and the many adventures that are introduced to her life, learning gluten-free baking, and traveling especially when it involves historical sites, writing, and singing. Tamara has spent five years as a volunteer tutoring youth between the ages of 12-17 in the works of Shakespeare and theatre for an after-school/homeschool program, as part of this program she has directed and produced four full-length Shakespeare plays.
Tamara brings to the committee her skills for organizing and planning; as well as, a warm smile and bubbly positive attitude.