Shima Henderson
Owner/Coach
Hi there! I'm Coach Shima. I began my career competing power tumbling and trampoline, where I won a variety of awards and became a level 10 athlete. During that time, I also had the privilege to get my coaching career started. I coached kids of all ages and levels. I actually coached my youngest sister to a 7th place finish in the NATION on trampoline!
After graduating high school I went on to cheer at Independence Community College and the University of Kansas. After graduating college with a degree in Sports Management and a minor in Business Administration, I moved to Bartow Florida with my now husband Leo to coach at Bartow High School. While there, we won State, Nationals, and Worlds. During our time in Florida, Leo and I started The Driven Athletics. We provided private lessons, clinics, camps and tumbling classes for many middle and high schools in the Polk County area, many of which went on to win their own State and National titles!
I took a break from coaching while I had my 2 baby boys, but got back into it quickly at an all star gym in Georgia where I helped coach athletes to a Cheersport National Championship. I then went on to become the tumbling director at that gym.
I am so excited to be here in the city of Bluffton and help the new generation of kids achieve their goals. Aside from the physical benefits,I believe sports are a great way to teach children many important lessons such as hard work, perseverance, teamwork, time management, communication and so much more! Coaching is more than about the skills for me. It is about helping mold kids into their future selves, build their confidence, and teach them they CAN do hard things!
Favorite Quote "It's not whether you get knocked down. It's whether you get back up" - Vince Lombardi
Annette Lee
Novice/Prep All Star Director
I’m truly honored to be part of the Driven Family for Season 2! After 26 years in Beaufort County and 25 years dedicated to teaching and coaching, my passion for developing young athletes is stronger than ever. I am especially excited to be stepping into a new role as the Prep and Novice Director!
Throughout my career, coaching rec cheer, high school cheer, and track and field, I’ve learned an important truth: anyone can coach talent, but true coaching is about creating talent. I take pride in building the foundation athletes need to grow, succeed, and shine while preparing them for higher levels. I believe everyone has a place on the mat. My coaching style focuses on recognizing each athlete’s individual strengths and unique learning styles, ensuring everyone feels valued while building a strong, competitive team
Coaching the next generation isn’t just something I do, it’s what drives me.
Jakalie Burns
All Star/Tumbling Coach
With four years of competitive cheer experience, Coach Jakalie Burns brings passion, discipline, and firsthand knowledge of the sport to The Driven Athletics.
Throughout his cheer career, he trained and competed with Ruby Red at Cheer Savannah Allstars, The Electric Rays at The Stingray Allstars, and Dynasty at Top Gun Allstars.
Training under multiple respected programs helped him develop strong technical skills, elite performance quality, and a deep understanding of teamwork and commitment.
Jakalie naturally connects with athletes, leads with confidence, and sets high standards that push athletes to grow both on and off the mat.
As a first-year coach at The Driven Athletics, Coach Jakalie is focused on building confident, disciplined, and technically strong athletes.
He creates a positive and motivating training environment while holding athletes accountable to excellence.
His coaching style emphasizes fundamentals, performance sharpness, and team unity.
Driven, dependable, and committed to development, Coach Jakalie is ready to make an impact this season.
Carolyn Marquez
All Star Coach
Coach Carolyn has been an educator for 22 years and has coached cheerleading for 18 years here in the Lowcountry. Her cheerleading journey began at the age of ten, and her passion for the sport inspired her to pursue cheer at the collegiate level, where she cheered for four years at East Stroudsburg University.
Her first coaching position was at Richmond Hill High School in 2008, where she began building her foundation as a coach. In addition to coaching all-star cheer at The Driven Athletics, Coach Carolyn also coaches Game Day cheer at Cross Schools, where, over the past five years, she has led her JV and Varsity teams to two state runner-up finishes and three champion state titles.
After her collegiate cheer career, coaching athletes became a true passion of hers. One of her favorite aspects of cheer is cleaning and perfecting routines while emphasizing proper technique and precision. She strives to help every team perform at their highest potential.
Coach Carolyn is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work with young athletes and dedicated coaches who share her love for the sport. She believes in encouraging youth to build confidence, resilience, and character that will prepare them for life beyond their athletic journey. She is so proud to be part of the Driven family.
Marissa Garigen
All Star Coach
Leo Henderson
Owner/Coach
Hi. I'm Coach Leo. I began my career cheering in high school at Bartow High School where we won Nationals. I then moved to Kansas to cheer at Independence Community College on a full ride scholarship. While there, I started competing power tumbling and trampoline. During that time is where my love of coaching started. I coached kids of all ages and levels.
Once I graduated from Independence Community College, my now wife and I went on to cheer at the University of Kansas ROCK CHALK! After graduating college with a degree in Sports Management and a minor in Business Administration, I moved to Bartow Florida with Shima to coach at Bartow High School. While there, we won State, Nationals, and Worlds. We started The Driven Athletics in Florida and provided private lessons, clinics, camps and tumbling classes for several of the middle and high schools in the Polk County area, many of which went on to win their own State and National titles!
I am so excited to be here in the city of Bluffton and help the new generation of kids achieve their goals. Aside from the physical benefits,I believe sports are a great way to teach children many important lessons such as hard work, perseverance, teamwork, time management, communication and so much more! Coaching is more than about the skills for me. It is about helping mold kids into their future selves, build their confidence, and teach them they CAN do hard things!
Lizzy Bradford
All Star/Tumbling Coach
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Hi! I'm Coach Lizzy, I first began as a gymnast up in Michigan until I moved down here in 2011. After moving down here I began Allstar cheerleading when I was 11 and have been in the world ever since. Along with Allstar cheer I also cheered at May River High School for 4 years and was a part of some of the first teams that ever competed for the school. I have cheered on a variety of levels from 1-5 until I made my collegiate cheer team in 2022. I started coaching as a junior coach for a youth level 2 team and have been coaching mini-junior level all star teams since. I returned to the Savannah area after I graduated college in 2024 and began coaching tumbling. You can typically see me coaching tuck classes but I also have coached tiny tumblers, beginners, walkovers, and handsprings.
I was super excited to be a part of the first ever season at Driven coaching the Youth 1.1 prep team and am looking forward to all the seasons to come!
Yasna Hadipour
Tumbling Coach
Hey! I’m Coach Yasna. I began power tumbling and trampoline in Southeast Kansas at just 5 years old and grew up traveling on weekends for competitions alongside my sisters.
In 2017, my family relocated to the Bluffton area, where I attended University of South Carolina -- Beaufort and graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. I now live in Savannah, where I work as a Licensed Esthetician.
At The Driven Athletics, you’ll mostly find me coaching beginner, walkover, and handspring classes. I’m passionate about helping athletes build confidence and discipline—skills that extend far beyond tumbling and cheer and into every area of their lives.
Kamelia Hadipour
Tumbling Coach
Hi! I’m coach Kamelia. I grew up doing competitive power tumbling and trampoline (and a year of cheer) in Kansas with my sisters up until high school where we then moved to the Bluffton area my junior year. While competing in power tumbling and trampoline it was filled with long practices during the week, long weekends filled with traveling for our competitions, and summer conditioning. I even made it to nationals in trampoline and finished with a 7th place medal! I graduated high school from May River and then went on to get my license to become a Physical Therapist Assistant from TCL where I also received an award for outstanding achievement in the health science division. I now work in Beaufort as a PTA as well as at Driven as a tumbling coach. At Driven you can usually find me coaching tiny tumblers, beginners, walkovers, and handsprings. My goal as a coach is to not only teach new skills and correct technique but also discipline, hard work, listening skills, manners, and confidence while also performing those hard skills in a safe manner to minimize injuries as best as possible. I believe these lessons will help in not only this sport and all other sports but also in all other aspects of their lives.
Katie Stout
All Star/Tumbling Coach
Hello! My name is Katie Stout, and I am so excited to be part of the Driven Athletics team! I started cheering at six years old and instantly fell in love with the sport. From the very beginning, I knew cheerleading was something I wanted to continue pursuing because of the passion and joy it brought me.
One of the things I love most about cheer is the team aspect. It has helped me develop strong leadership skills, build lasting relationships with teammates, and create friendships that feel like family. I also love how the sport constantly challenges athletes to grow, improve, and push beyond their limits without settling for less than their best. As my love for the sport grew, I knew I wanted to coach as soon as I had the opportunity. I am truly passionate about coaching; I love sharing my knowledge and helping athletes grow, both in and out of the gym.
This past season, I was a member of Top Gun Dynasty, where I became a 2026 Spirit of Hope Champion, a Cheersport Champion, and a Worlds Silver Medalist. Throughout my recent coaching seasons, my teams have earned multiple first-place bids, top-three placements, choreography awards, and bids to both Summit and Youth Summit.