About Dusty Ritter

We would like to thank Dusty Ritter for founding and hosting the BlackJack Men's Gymnastics Meet for 22 years. Dusty has recently retired and has passed the torch to Nat Hammond, one of his former gymnasts and judges. Nat will run the BlackJack from now on.

Dusty Ritter, a former U.S. men's national team member, has more than 55 years experience in gymnastics, including as an athlete, coach, gym owner, judge, and competition director. Dusty started his gymnastics career as a 7th grader in Long Beach, California in 1960. He went on to become Captain of the UCLA Varsity Team in 1970 and competed for the USA National Team before retiring from competition at age 27.

Dusty owned and operated Las Vegas Flyers gymnastics club for many years. He has developed several nationally prominent athletes, including Scott Keswick. Ritter also was a member of the Junior National Coaching Staff for more than ten years.

In 1995 Dusty Ritter conceived and created the BlackJack Men's Gymnastics Championship which has since grown into one of the largest gymnastics meets in the country. The BlackJack's mission is to provide an Olympic-style experience for young gymnasts of all ages.

On June 4, 2009, USA Gymnastics named Dusty Ritter of Las Vegas, Nevada, as the Junior Olympic program manager for the men's program. Ritter oversees the technical aspects of developing and implementing the Men's Age Group Competition Program, and serves as the primary resource for all aspects of the Junior Olympic Program. He reports to Dennis McIntyre, the director for the men's program.

Dusty Ritter lives in Las Vegas with his wife, famous artist Terry Ritter, whose fifty foot mural of the Folies Bergere graces the wall of the new International Terminal at Las Vegas McCarran Airport. Terry Ritter performed for many years as a dancer and singer in various productions on the Las Vegas stage, while Dusty performed as Principal Acrobat in the Las Vegas production of the "Folies Bergere" in the 1970's. This is one talented couple!