Kids Level Up at Athletic Horizons

When you think of gymnastics, maybe Olympians like Simone Biles, or for those of us from another generation, Cathy Rigby, come to mind – extraordinary young athletes that take gymnastics to the highest level, out of reach of most of us. But young people don’t have to be Olympic stars to reap life-long benefits from participating in gymnastics.

From a small gym on 5th street in 1982 to the present extensive 15,000 square foot facility at 415 Otterson Drive, Athletic Horizon’s team of caring and qualified coaches have guided gymnastic students to not only successfully compete on state, regional and national levels, but to develop skills and confidence that will serve them for the rest of their lives. Parent Jackie M. shared, “the coaches at AH are phenomenal. They are dedicated, encouraging and truly care about the kids’ progress and well-being. They create a positive and structured environment where kids feel supported and motivated. We’re so grateful for the time and energy they put into helping each child succeed.”

Benefits of a challenging sport

Gymnastics enhances children’s physical skills such as strength, balance, coordination and flexibility. It has positive impacts on self-esteem and social and cognitive development. Children learn to have faith in themselves as they work through situations that may be hard or scary. The benefits of gymnastics accrue whether you train to compete or just enjoy learning gymnastic skills. Athletic Horizons coaching staff all come from gymnastics backgrounds and love sharing with their students the sport that is so important to them.

Developing confidence from a young age

At Athletic Horizons, children as young as 18 months are introduced to healthy movement through fun and simple exercises in a parent tot class. Scarves, lummi sticks or balls help with eye-hand coordination. Preschool classes are not just gymnastics training. The gymnastic environment is used to teach children skills like listening, waiting your turn, motor skills and social development.

Children level up through gymnastic classes and teams

Benefits abound for the over 600 boys and girls who visit the gym each week. Boys can learn balance, coordination, confidence, and social skills in gymnastic classes and learn self-control and increase their strength, agility, and flexibility in Ninja classes. Girls can take a variety of classes and choose to join the gymnastics team after completing the requisite levels.

Athletic Horizons participates in the USA Gymnastics Junior Olympic Program. To qualify for the gymnastics team, girls progress through levels at their own pace. There are about 80 skills a child needs to master at each level. Once they reach the level to qualify for the team, they are invited to join the team. Girls have the option to join the team or stay in pre-team level or tumbling/trampoline.

State, regional, and national level competitions provide opportunities for the team to travel throughout the U.S., hone their competitive skills, and develop supportive friendships. “I love the good team environment,” says Athletic Horizons gymnastics team member Martha. “All of us are friends, and since there are few of us in each level, competing together allows us to get to know one another. We celebrate one another’s victories and help one another through mental blocks.”

 Many Athletic Horizon gymnasts have received athletic scholarships to continue their careers in college. “Gymnastics is the basis of all sports,” says Athletic Horizons gymnastics coach, Cindy. “We’ve had gymnasts that go on to be pole vaulters, run track, compete in swimming, diving and arial skiing and even become dancers. Emily Azevedo became an Olympian in bobsledding after years on our competitive team and collegiate track.”

Fundraising and community service

To help cover travel expenses and simultaneously teach children about community service, Athletic Horizons holds a spring and a fall fundraiser. For the spring interclub girls meet, children in their recreation program learn and perform a routine on every event: vault, bars, beam and floor.

Every child in the gym in every age group can participate in the October Olympic Festival held at the gym. A ceremony, torch, flag and Olympic oath make this an exciting and very special event for budding gymnasts.

The public is cordially invited to these two extraordinary fundraising events and admission is a can of food. All food collected is donated to the Chico State Wildcat Food Pantry. A snack bar operated by the parent-run booster club, GRIP, is key to raising funds to ease the cost of traveling to competitions.

Gymnastics test drive

Are you wondering if your child would be interested in gymnastics? For children who just want to dip their toe in the gymnastics water, Athletic Horizons has just the ticket. Your child can participate in a free trial class. For a small fee, preschoolers and their parents can come to Fantastic Fridays, the first and third Friday of every month, 10am-12pm, to enjoy physical activities like playing with balls, skipping rope, bouncing on the trampoline and climbing. Kids 6 and over can come to Open Gym the second and fourth Saturdays of every month, 10-11am, to get a taste of gymnastics.

Another great perk – Athletic Horizons can take out the work and put in the fun for your child’s next birthday. They’ll set up an age-appropriate obstacle course, do all the prep, clean up and party management. Parents bring food and decorations; the Athletic Horizons staff will take care of the rest.

For more information on classes, teams and fundraising events, go to athletichorizons.com.