Woodlands Gymnastics Academy closing doors this weekend
Woodlands Gymnastics Academy closing its doors this weekend
Woodlands Gymnastics Academy has announced it will close its doors for good after one final competition this weekend.
THE WOODLANDS, Texas - It is a double blow to the local gymnastics community this week as another major training facility prepares to shut down permanently, leaving families scrambling and athletes in limbo.
Just days after FOX 26 News broke that Stars Gymnastics Training Center in Houston is abruptly shutting down after losing its lease over past-due rent, Woodlands Gymnastics Academy has announced it will close its doors for good after one final competition this weekend.
While both facilities are ending multi-decade runs within days of each other, the circumstances surrounding their closures differ.
Ending a 30-year legacy
Woodlands Gymnastics Academy is a family-owned business, which has trained thousands of recreational and competitive gymnasts over the past 30 years. Owner Jason Waldon says his business reached the end of its lease agreement.
Waldon says the property’s owners chose to bring in new tenants who will take over the building, along with the adjacent trampoline park.
He says he initially was looking for an alternate location to move his business, but finding a replacement building with the ceiling height, square footage, and structural requirements for competitive gymnastics proved to be a challenge on short notice.
"It's a very unicorn type building that this business requires," Waldon said. "The one building we did find was still under construction and we wouldn't be able to move in until February. That would mean months without classes while still paying rent. Financially, it was just too huge of a commitment for my family to move forward."
Families scramble mid-season
For hundreds of gymnasts, the timing of the back-to-back closures creates an urgent crisis.
"Everybody's just kind of scrambling, and it's been a lot of emotions," said Vanessa Byrd, whose daughter trains at Woodlands Gymnastics Academy. "And our other emotion is just our coaches, you know, worried about them, what they're going to do, because this is their careers."
While some athletes are in the middle of their fall competitive slate, others were actively preparing for their season openers in January. Now, families from both Stars and Woodlands Gymnastics find themselves competing for the same dwindling openings at surrounding facilities.
What they're saying:
"It's huge for the girls in the upper levels who are trying to be recruited for college," Byrd said. "This is a huge time for them and to be uprooted from your coach that was trying to help you get recruited, searching out colleges… for those older girls is a big deal."
Beyond space constraints, parents may face financial pressure. Many neighboring facilities carry significantly higher monthly dues or lack open team spots for athletes mid-season.
"Other gyms around, their fees are a lot higher," Byrd said. "I have one child, but for parents that have two or three children that are in the sport, it's going to be a huge financial strain."
'Everything must go': Equipment liquidation underway
As Woodlands Gymnastics Academy hosts its final home meet this weekend, the facility is already beginning to dismantle three decades of memories.
What's next:
From balance beams and uneven bars to landing mats and chalk stands, community members and coaches from other regional programs have been stopping by the gym all week to purchase equipment off the floor before the building is handed over to the new tenants.
When the last medal is awarded this weekend, Woodlands Gymnastics Academy will officially close its doors, marking the end of a 30-year legacy in the Houston gymnastics community.
The Source: Information from this article is from interviews with Woodlands Gymnastics Academy Owner Jason Waldon and Woodlands Gymnastics Academy Parent Vanessa Byrd. Additional information from Jillian Hartmann’s reporting of Stars Gymnastics Training Center closure.