Kelly Parker is the former National Champion, who trains at Denver Elite. She is the former national champion who was beaten by Kaylie Cruz during the season one mid-season finale. Prior to this she was Payson Keeler's chief rival with the two finishing one-two at the nationals prior to the commencement of the show. She is portrayed by Nicole Gale Anderson.
Background[]
Kelly is the former National Champion, who has since become a big celebrity. She and Payson had a big rivalry, but after Payson beats Kelly at The Rock Invitational, Kelly loses some of her attitude. Kelly makes fun of all of The Rock girls, especially Emily. At Nationals, Kaylie beats Kelly, who eventually places second in the competition. She is the first to notice how dangerously thin Kaylie is becoming.
Personality[]
Kelly is manipulative, determined and often cruel. While to the media she is charming, sweet, and committed to her "clean" image, she is not above bringing down the gymnasts around her to win. Though, as shown through her relationship with Payson Keeler, this does not mean she never respects them.
She often presents her relationship with coach Marty Walsh as being close, though he offers her no visible favoritism and it is left open as to why she does this (to get at the Rock girls, because they are close or because she would like them to be close). Above all she is committed to her gymnastics though shows concern as to how far Kaylie is going with her "Madonna arms."
Though at the end of the season Kelly made a quick turn around her Mother wanted the notebook from Kaylie Cruz Kelly however got the notebook at a party. Kelly Parker gave it back knowing that she wanted to do the right thing Kaylie was mad but soon got over it and they reconciled.Then they won Gold in Worlds.
History[]
Kelly was first introduced when she transferred to the Denver Club headed by former Rock coach Marty Walsh. Marty hid this until Sasha and he had arranged a pre-nationals meet, and then released it. While Denver won the meet, Payson beat Kelly for the first time and established herself as the top contender for nationals.
At Nationals, Kelly successfully psyched out the Rock Rebels until they played a prank on her by sabotaging her gym bag and filling it with humiliating items to be displayed on the big screen. It was revealed that she has her own make-up line and while publicly mocking the use of recuperative drugs, she takes them for her ankle injury. She and Payson were neck and neck for national champion until Payson fell and injured her back on uneven bars. After that Kaylie and Kelly went head to head on floor with Kaylie the surprising victor.
Following Nationals, the National Committee preferred Kelly's reliability to the Rock Rebels and took her on international meets instead of them. She competed in China and won a silver and a bronze (the same Emily would win against them at the Rock) but failed to beat Genji Cho.
She was present at the Rock when Kaylie beat Genji on beam and protested that Kaylie (in comparison to her) had home gym advantage. Prior to the competition in France, Kelly injured her wrist preventing her from competing. Her last appearance was at a National team training session where she noticed Kaylie's anorexia.
Throughout the Series[]
Before Payson's injury, Kelly and Payson were serious rivals. Kelly makes fun of all of The Rock girls, especially Emily.
At Nationals, Kelly places second behind Kaylie Cruz. She is the first to notice how dangerously thin Kaylie is becoming and decides to befriend her to learn more about her weight while at the time hoping to expose her eating disorder, but eventually develops a less hostile relationship with her.
Kelly bonds with the girls at the Olympic training center, but loses her place for the Olympic team.
When her mother, Sheila makes noise about this being a case of discrimination (since Jordan was kept and is black which is the same skin color of the coach), Kelly snaps that she's quitting gymnastics to find a new path in life and "fires" her as her mother. She shows up at the Olympic tryouts to support the girls.
Quotes[]
- (to Kaylie on her shrinking frame)-“Since when did you get creepy Madonna arms?”
- (mocking Kaylie)-"But I'm the national champ. Don't you get it Kaylie? No one cares. Your reign is over."
- (to Kaylie because she was afraid of trials) Were in this together. Do this for me for the both of us.
Trivia[]
- It was not mentioned why she was not present at the Worlds' trials though presumably because she was injured (and the actress was not available).
Gallery[]
