Impact Gymnastics – A Team Without A Home

Story by Leslie Huffman | December 9, 2009 | Tags: cary, gymnastics, Impact Athletics, nc, News, Sports

Cary, NC – The sudden closing of Impact Athletics has not only left many without jobs, but also left its competitive teams without a home.  One such team is Girls Competitive Gymnastics.

NO PLACE TO TRAIN

The team is made up of 55 girls, ranging from level 4 to elite gymnasts. The goal for this hard-working group is to attend five gymnastics meets this season and compete in the State finals. The season began around the same time that Impact stopped paying many of its employees and began bouncing checks.

When the gym closed on November 13th, the team was locked out with no place to train. The coaches sought help from the local gymnastics community and have been practicing at Artistic Gymnastics in Garner and Wake Gymnastics in Brier Creek.

The girls and coaches now move from gym to gym on different days of the week.

COACHES WORKING FOR FREE

Director of Girls Competitive Gymnastics Cindy Cotten and coaches Monica Ward, Jason Parker, Kelly Drasher, Kristen Hudson and Scott Wilson have continued to train their team despite not having a gym home or a paycheck.

“What makes these coaches so amazing is that no matter how uncertain their situation and how much stress they are under, they continue to put the girls first,” says Maressa Mathura, Impact Gymnastics Parent Association President. “The coaches love this sport and have an incredibly strong bond with the girls.  As parents, we owe them so much for their perseverance and spirit.”

THIRTY THOUSAND MISSING DOLLARS

In early September, parents found out that their coaches were not being paid. Impact Athletics assured the parents that if they paid the tuition the coaches would receive their compensation.  The parents had all signed a one year contract which financially locked them in to the program.

According to Parent Association estimates, Impact Athletics collected $36,000 from parents to cover competition, coaching and training fees.

The gymnastic team was able to attend two meets without incident.  But at the team’s third meet in Charlotte, the entrance fee check sent to Everest Gymnastics bounced.

In November, Impact Athletics closed it’s doors and took the team’s remaining balance of $30,000 with it according to the IGPA. Parents are now scrambling to come up with more money to finish the season.

“WE’LL REIMBURSE YOU NEXT WEEK”

For months, the gymnastics coaches had been promised a training conference in Texas. But as the summer wore on, Coach Monica Ward became concerned. “I kept asking about the airline tickets but nothing happened.” Finally, Ward put the tickets for all the coaches on her own credit card with the promise from Impact that they would reimburse her promptly.

When the coaches arrived in Texas, it turned out that the hotel and rental cars had been guaranteed on a credit card that was no good. Another coach paid for the group’s expenses, again with a promise of reimbursement from the gym.

Needless to say, no one ever received a dime.

THE FUTURE

Impact Athletics 70,000 square foot facility now sits unoccupied and dark.  The state-of-the-art gymnastic equipment goes unused and the spring floor is quiet.

But if the future of the facility remains uncertain, the spirit to compete and achieve continues to live in the coaches, parents and gymnasts of the former Impact Girls Competitive Gymnastic Team.

If you have information for our continuing story on the closure of Impact Athletics, please contact Leslie Huffman.