“My involvement in gymnastics taught me to never give up when the going gets tough, to go beyond what I thought I was capable of and to listen and take care of my body,” says Adrea Swanson, owner and head coach of Lake City Gymnastics. “I was not a naturally talented gymnast and most of the skills were difficult for me to acquire. I just loved being in the gym and working hard. 
Adrea Swanson
As a child, Adrea’s head coach noticed his dedication and love for the sport.
“She took me under her wing, even though I wasn’t the most gifted athlete,” says Adrea. “She changed my life and I wanted to follow in her footsteps. “
Adrea became a competitive gymnast and trained competitive gymnastics for over 25 years. Adrea was also a USAG Level 10 Judge for 13 years and one of six Indiana Judges on the Indiana Jury.
In August 2017, Adrea, her husband, David Swanson, and their children moved to Warsaw, Indiana, to be closer to family and friends. In February 2019, Adrea and David opened Lake City Gymnastics, located just off Highway 30.
Since the opening, the number of registrations has increased to more than 500 students. Classes include preschool gymnastics, gymnastics for girls, tumbling and Ninja Core for boys. the Lake City Gymnastics’ elite travel team participates in the Junior Olympic Program, which is operated by USA Gymnastics.
Fundamentals of life
Beyond the wheels and the flips, Lake City Gymnastics teaches the fundamentals of life through gymnastics in a positive environment. Students not only learn dedication, responsibility, leadership and courage (and have fun doing it), but also they and their families make friendships.
“In gymnastics, an individual sport, athletes are only limited by their effort and personal motivation, ”explains Adrea. “We’re just letting students know that they can go as far as their efforts take them. ”
Students at Lake City Gymnastics learn skills such as flexibility, determination, coordination, and self-confidence.
For example, young students who signed up a year ago with no previous athletic experience now confidently walk backwards on balance beams, climb the net from floor to ceiling, do handstand and forward rolls, and are promoted in advanced courses.
As a parent of two students, Christina Mitchell says, “My daughter was very concerned about stepping back, rolling forward, or turning upside down. I shared her fears with Coach Adrea, and she broke the beginner skills down into small goals, which my daughter was willing to try. She works hard and overcomes her fears, and we’ve seen her confidence grow. My daughters have learned the invaluable life skills of commitment, responsibility, courage, and goal setting. ”
Coach Chris Banks, who teaches multiple classes, explains that a key part of the Lake City Gymnastics philosophy is that “no two children are the same.”
“It gives me the opportunity to orient the class towards the needs of the children,” he says. “I can use my education in behavioral health and sports psychology and sociology to help every child truly achieve their goals on and off our mats. “
Coach Ashley Goodman, whose son and daughter are also enrolled in classes, said: “If we can equip our children at a young age with the tools to recognize challenges and work hard to overcome them, then they will be. all the better prepared for the real world. As a coach my favorite part is seeing the joy and confidence on a student’s face when they achieve a specific skill that they have been working on for weeks. It’s something you never forget!
Ninja Core
When the Swansons received requests from several families for boys’ classes, they set up a Ninja-style program. David says, “Our Ninja program combines gymnastics, parkour style movements, strength training, tumbling, obstacle training and a lot of fun. Our girls’ gymnastics classes love that we started the Ninja program because we also incorporate new obstacles, like our warped wall, into their classes.
The Ninja Core program was launched in January 2020 and has grown significantly in a short period of time, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Mentally, Ninja style programs can increase confidence, dedication and self-esteem,” says Adrea. “Physically, students develop strength and body awareness that can benefit them in any other sport they choose. Each week we see students realizing how strong and capable they are.
A Ninja Core class at Lake City Gymnastics.
The Ninja Core program has five levels. Beginner levels provide the basics and building blocks for more advanced Ninja movements. Chinges Sabol, a Ninja Core instructor, says, “The The two best things about teaching Ninja Core are seeing the smiles on kids’ faces after successfully learning a new move, and working with amazingly caring people who want to see kids succeed.
Always ensuring the safety of students, families and staff, Lake City Gymnastics has continued to observe necessary precautions in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We stay abreast of governor’s orders and take precautions by cleaning daily, performing temperature checks and employee health checks before they go to work, and separating classes,” said David. “Children and parents are encouraged to stay home if they are not feeling well. No known cases of COVID-19 have been traced to Lake City Gymnastics. ”
While COVID-19 has affected everyone and resulted in daily change and confusion, there have been significant emotional and physical benefits for the students of Lake City Gymnastic.
“Gymnastics has helped my daughter find joy in a time of unprecedented change,” says parent Tarah Ihrie. “It gave him a sense of normalcy and something to look forward to. I love seeing her create healthy relationships with her coaches and classmates. It’s something we both look forward to every week. ”
As Adrea realizes that not all students will fall in love with the sport of gymnastics and make a career out of it the way she did, she hopes the values instilled in them at her family gymnasium will have a positive impact. on their life. – no matter what their future holds.
“Just like my childhood coach did for me, our instructors work hard with every student, no matter how talented,” says Andrea. “There might be a little ‘Adrea’ out there whose life will be changed by someone investing in them.”
Learn more
In addition to classes, Lake City Gymnastics offers day camps and birthday parties. To learn more about their courses and the Ninja Core program, visit their website at www.lakecitygymnastics.com.
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