Gymnastics gym hiring more coaches to handle demand

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.- Saga Gymnastics is ready to welcome back gymnasts.

The gym has been closed for the past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They were able to stay afloat because of community support and government funds.

"It’s been really amazing to see the support of the parents who are willing to keep their membership during the closures," said Saga Gymnastics owner Eric Rice.

Rice said she remembers being at a low point during the closure– when she struggled to keep staff employed and pay a new mortgage.

"We’ve had to be really creative and, you know, think about things really differently and control what we can control," she said "And let go of the things we can’t control."

Rice said she was able to keep everyone who wanted to stay. Adding a virtual class also helped matters.

Now that they are allowed to reopen, the gym is looking to hire more coaches. Rice said it will help keep class size small and safe.

"It’s moving in the right direction, and I think that, as a parent myself, like, I know that I’m just looking for a place for my kids to, get off the couch and get away from the screens and be active and be social, but still be safe and be conscious about what, you know, what’s going on because it’s not over," she said.

The gym currently has a waitlist with more than 150 people on it.

"We have three different ways to participate in gymnastics, so we have online classes, we have in person, small group classes, and then we have our gym buddies or family fun hour, where you can schedule just your family to come in and have some playtime and activity in the gym," she said.