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Last updated: July 19, 2009

Shayla Garcia was born on March 9, 1988. She is the daughter of Kim E. Yeates and Richard Yeates. She graduated from Mesa's Westwood High School. She trained at Jo's Olympic Action in 1996. She made the National TOPs Team. Shayla trained at Desert Lights Gymnastics in Chandler, Arizona, under Lisa Spini from 1999 to the end of her club career.

In 1999, Shayla competed as a level nine. She qualified to the Western Championships, the highest competition a level nine can attend. In 2000, Shayla tested as a child national elite. Shayla was named Arizona's Elite Gymnast of the Year. She moved up to junior national elite in 2001. She finished high enough at the American Challenge to qualify for the National Gymnastics Festival. Shayla returned to level ten in 2003. She won the beam, floor and all-around titles at States. At Regionals, she placed sixth all-around. Her final meet of the season was JO Nationals. She finished in the top twenty.

Shayla competed as a level ten in 2004 and 2005. She won the Arizona State Level 10 All-Around, Beam and Floor titles. She then finished sixth all-around at Regionals for the second year in a row. At the JO National Championships, Shayla placed just outside the top twenty. Her final year as a level ten was in 2005. She swept the Arizona State Level Ten Championships. At Regionals, Shayla placed sixth all-around for the third time in a row. At JO Nationals, she placed in the top ten on beam. She competed for one year at Southern Utah University.