Ray Lyons, a nationally recognized gymnastics official, returned to his boyhood home of New England in 2000 and to the ranks of gymnastics coaching a year later, when he joined the URI staff in September 2001.

The Massachusetts native, who spent every summer in Rhode Island while growing up, had lived in Louisiana for 16 years, first as an LSU student and assistant gymnastics coach, then as the highly successful owner-coach of a gymnastics school.

In two seasons on the LSU staff, Lyons helped the Tigers finish sixth at NCAA nationals in 1987 and fourth in '88, still their highest finish ever. He spent the next nine years as owner and head coach of the Twin City Sports Complex in Monroe, La., a gymnastics/cheerleading center, where he developed the nation's largest cheerleading program, with more than 400 members and two all-star squads.

Two high school cheerleading squads won Universal Cheerleading Association national championships, four others finished in the top 15 in their divisions, and two of his all-star squads placed in the top 10 at the National Cheerleading Association nationals.

In 1996 Lyons bought The Sportscenter, a similar program in Ruston, La., and turned it into a complete family entertainment complex that included day camps, a heated swimming pool, a miniature golf course, five batting cages and a three-story indoor playground. Meanwhile he was an assistant coach for the Louisiana Tech cheerleading squad for two years (1996-98).

In 2000 Lyons moved back to Rhode Island and began a new business called Tumblebus, Inc., a mobile gymnastics and party facility for preschoolers.

An AACCA and USAG safety certified coach, Lyons has written a cheerleading manual for gymnastics school owners and produced three instructional videos. He's also attained elite status as a gymnastics official, serving at eight NCAA Division I regionals (1992-99), eight Southeastern Conference championships (1992-96 and '98-2000) and two Division II nationals (1996 and 2000).

Lyons lives in West Kingston, R.I., with his wife Amanda, a Louisiana native. The couple married in 1996.