Tiny Tumblers Take Big Strides at Concordia Kindy
From trampoline dreams to international glory, Chloe Gilliland is now inspiring the next generation, starting with Concordia’s tiniest learners. When Chloe was just four years old, her parents gave her a trampoline for Christmas. Within weeks, she was flipping through the air with such fearless flair that they signed her up for gymnastics and a lifelong passion was born.
Now, as owner and coach of First Flips Gymnastics, Chloe brings her elite-level experience to Concordia Lutheran College Warwick Street Kindy, where her youngest students are discovering just how powerful and joyful movement can be.
“I’m really passionate about grassroots gymnastics and making it accessible for kids,” Chloe said. “Gymnastics has so many benefits, not only physically but also emotionally and socially. It’s so fulfilling as a coach to watch students grow and achieve things they didn’t think they could do.”
Twice a month Warwick Street Kindy students attend a mobile mini gymnastics hub, where students stretch, roll, balance, and bounce under Chloe’s expert guidance. But it’s not just about learning to cartwheel or balance on a beam.
“Kindy gym helps children build confidence, coordination, and resilience,” Chloe explained. “They learn to take turns, use their bodies in new ways, and overcome little challenges that can feel really big at that age. Then you see that sparkle in their eyes, that moment they realise, ‘I can do this.’ It’s beautiful.”
Chloe knows a thing or two about big moments. She represented Australia many times on the world gymnastics stage, including at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games when she was just 15 years old.
“We were very young and probably naive about how big the event was going to be,” she recalled. “Walking out in the Australian uniform was daunting and very noisy but it was an amazing feeling.”
These days, it’s the joy of teaching and connecting with young children that fuels her passion.
“Concordia Lutheran College is fantastic,” Chloe said. “It’s a beautiful part of Toowoomba, and the kindergarten students are beautiful human beings. They’re polite and well-behaved, and I think Concordia Warwick Street Kindy is doing a wonderful job with the kids.”
Families interested in seeing the Kindy in action are invited to Concordia’s upcoming Twilight Tours on 30 April from 4-630pm. The Kindy will be open for visits and staff will be available to answer questions.
Register online via our website https://www.concordia.qld.edu....
“It’s such a special place to start your child’s learning journey,” Chloe said. “And seeing these kids grow in confidence week after week, that’s what it’s all about.”
