Team HappyFeet
Owner: Gary Lynch
Gary is originally from Blackburn, England. Gary signed a professional contract with Doncaster Rovers in England before moving to the United States in 2001 to play soccer at the University of South Carolina Upstate. During his time at USC Upstate, Gary earned All-Conference, All-Region, and All-America honors. In 2004, Gary was named the USC Upstate Male Student-Athlete of the year and led the NCAA in scoring. Gary went on to coach at the NCAA Division 1 level for both the University of North Florida and the University of South Carolina Upstate. In 2018, Gary was inducted into the USC Upstate Athletics Hall of Fame.
Gary has a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education, a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, and a Doctorate in Education through the University of Glasgow, Scotland. Gary currently teaches Early Childhood, Coaching, and Physical Education classes at USC Upstate and is also a state-certified trainer in Early Childhood Education. Gary previously owned a HappyFeet franchise in the Upstate region of South Carolina, which offered HappyFeet classes at over thirty daycares, preschools, and elementary schools. He is also currently the owner of the HappyFeet franchises in Fayetteville, NC, and Raleigh/Durham, NC.
Director of Coaching: Dana Tonelli
Dana is originally from Fairfield County, Connecticut. She moved to Myrtle Beach with her husband and two young children a few years ago. Dana played competitive soccer as a child and up through high school, and continued to play in adult leagues. She played high school and college lacrosse at Southern CT State University. Dana holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology/Sociology. Dana was an elementary educator for 12 years in Connecticut and also has a Master's degree in Special Education. Prior to teaching, she worked as a counselor in nonprofit crisis care for children birth-18 years old.
Lead HappyFeet Coach: Brittany Houlis
Brittany is originally from Toms River, NJ. She is currently a student at Coastal Carolina University, majoring in Early Childhood Education. In her free time, she enjoys reading, listening to music, and playing soccer! Brittany has been playing soccer since she was in kindergarten (5 years old). Brittany has a passion for learning, teaching, and working with young children, and she hopes to have an everlasting impact on the lives of the children she has the pleasure of teaching and coaching throughout her career!
Lead HappyFeet & FUTURE Legends Coach: Ally Pick
Ally is from Middletown, MD. Ally attended Frederick Community College and graduated with an associate degree in Psychology. She has played soccer since she was five and played through college. In her free time, Ally enjoys reading, listening to music, and taking pictures. Ally has a passion for soccer and working with others, especially children. She hopes to be both a friend and a coach to the children enrolled in HappyFeet.
Lead HappyFeet Coach: Riana Hucks
Riana is from Conway, SC. She graduated with her associates from Horry Georgetown Technical School in Applied Science Teacher Education Degree and is continuing her education as a physical education major at Coastal Carolina University. Riana was a multi-sport athlete throughout her school years including soccer, basketball, and softball. She enjoys spending free time with loved ones, out on the boat, and playing any sports/games. She truly enjoys and is passionate about teaching and working with children. Riana's hope is to create a safe, fun, and friendly environment for children to thrive and learn about life-long fitness and health!
Operations Manager: Beverley Lynch
Beverley was born and raised in England, where she worked with both children and families as a Senior Family Support Worker in childcare and educational settings for over 14 years. In 1999, Beverley gained a Diploma in Early Childcare and Education. She then became accredited as an independent coaching practitioner in PCG (Parent-Child Game), a therapeutic intervention for children with challenging behavior. During this period, Beverley lead and facilitated a number of rolling parenting programs that included Webster-Stratton (a group-led behavior management intervention) and Positive Parenting (a group-led parenting skills intervention). Beverley also worked intensively with young mothers and their children, supporting them with a wide variety of challenging issues.
In 2014, Beverley and her husband moved to Baltimore from the UK to be near to their children, (and now four grandchildren!) who live in SC. Whilst living in Baltimore, due to her love and passion for all animals, she volunteered at the Maryland SPCA every day for two years! In 2016, Beverley and her husband moved to Durham, NC, where she continued her work with children as a full-time teacher. Currently, Beverley works part-time as a teacher and as the Operations Manager of HappyFeet!