By Hannah Curran, Editor
TRUSSVILLE — A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Wednesday, July 13, for the Trussville Academy of Gymnastics and Cheer.
Trussville Academy of Gymnastics and Cheer (Photo by Hannah Curran)
Mayor Buddy Choat said in a previous interview that this design could hold up to 1000 people during the course of the day with potential events going on.
“The gymnastic and cheer programs create the largest program we have in the city on a year-round basis,” Choat said. “As many associations and leagues that we have, this one, by far tops them as far as the number of participants on a year-round basis.”
Choat explained that in 2019, the city decided to take its gymnastics program to the next level.
“To say that we are at the next level now would probably not be accurate, but are a lot further than we were,” Choat said. “Back in August 2019, we had 83 participants in our gymnastic program. A year later, in August 2020, we had 276, including a little over 100 that had already signed up in cheer. Fast forward to August 2021, that number grew to 408, that included gymnastics and cheer again.”
Members of the competitive gymnastics program. (Photo by Hannah Curran)
According to Choat, as of May 2022, the program had 504 participants; there are over 50 more participants on a waiting list to enter the beginner side of the gymnastics program.
“It’s continuing to grow thanks to the leadership of Lauren Stanton, [Trussville Academy of Gymnastics director], and Todd Bragan, [Trussville Acadamey of Cheer director], and all of them that are putting this thing together; the parents that are supporting this,” Choat said. “We felt like this was something that warranted this type of facility. Our job is to try to find a way to provide facilities and opportunities for all our kids and parents.”
Choat said that the project coincides with the 2040 Plan.
“The committee put this vision together. One of the things they identified is to provide a venue that will allow competitive sporting events or facilities for our citizens to encourage visitors to come to Trussville, to create an economic impact, and to support our local merchants,” Choat said.
Related Story: Plans announced for a new Trussville Academy of Gymnastics
Trussville City officials, Turner Batson Architects, Stone Building, and TAC/TAG Directors during the groundbreaking ceremony. (Photo by Hannah Curran)
Stanton explained that all of this would not have been possible without the kids in the program, and their hard work and dedication are the driving force for everything. Several of the competitive program were in attendance at the groundbreaking ceremony.
“The building is going to provide so many more opportunities for our girls,” Stanton said. “The facility we have now has been great for what we have, but to grow and for our girls to get better, we’ll need the next step up facility-wise, and this is exactly that. So for these girls to be able to be a part of that and have them experience the excitement of a groundbreaking ceremony in a new facility and then also for them to be able to get to use it is huge for our competitive program.”
Trussville Academy of Gymnastics has six optional level gymnasts who are level six and up. They also have two level nine gymnasts, which is the second-highest level beyond elite. With the gymnastics academy, they will have a foam pit to train and perfect their skills.
Bragan said that he, along with all the cheerleading participants, is blessed to be able to grow their facility and potentially their program.
Trussville Academy of Gymnastics and Cheer coaches. (Photo by Hannah Curran)
“To have the backing of the city and this program means so much to me, and it’s going to mean so much to this community,” Bragan said. “We have a very large cheerleading community in Trussville, and to have the backing of the city with this program, just means a lot; it’s going to mean a lot to the kids.”
The building exterior would be designed to flow with the original design of the civic center. It will also incorporate the stone inspired by the gazebo into the building. In addition, the interior of the building is inspired by other gymnastics programs, such as the University of Alabama gymnastics facility and the University of Florida gymnastics facility.
The new facility will have a balcony that can be used for events and for parents or staff to use to enjoy their time while the gymnasts are training.
