I LOVE true inspiration and the story behind Downriver Gymnastics is just that!
There are so many of us want to be entrepreneurs. Whether it's to create our own income. more time with family or just to how control over our own destinies, but is it REALLY that easy? It takes hard work, sleepness nights, humble beginnings and most of all, a real hunger for success!
Meet Kelli Huntington Cook, the Owner of Downriver Gymnastics.
Throughout her life, she had been hit with many obstacles. She did NOT let that stop her! Putting determination behind a long time passion of hers and staying consistent landed her with longevity in a business that isn't the easiest. She's done amazing things with DG and gave the community another place to call home. The 25th Anniversary of Downriver Gymnastics is coming up so I had the pleasure of learning more about how it all got started.
This is what Kelli had to say:
"In 1983 as a 13 yr old competitive gymnast I said that some day I was going to open a gym of my own. Fast forward 10 yrs and the business name Downriver Gymnastics was legally registered. A year after that the gym itself opened its doors.
I was a 24 yr old, college drop out, divorced mother of 2 young boys with nothing more than a big dream and a whole lot of ambition. With a bunch of used gymnastics equipment and mats I opened the gym in a small 5000 sq ft leased building in Wyandotte. It was a rough looking building, Tucked into a location that bordered 2 junk yards and the railroad tracks. (Not much good to for parents to find us.) That 1st month back in September of 1994 we had approximately 115 students.
Fast forwarded 25 years and DG has grown to nearly 2000 students in a 56,000 sq ft building (that we own) in the heart of the Downriver area. The Southgate Shopping Center at Eureka and Trenton rd is an ideal location.
The years in the middle were filled with hard work, continual improvements in our facility and equipment and growing with our business concepts. We definitely evolved over time. In the beginning it was all about teaching cartwheels. Now, it’s about teaching children. We know that eventually the cartwheels and back flips will stop, the medals and trophies will get dusty but the lessons learned during classes at DG will last a lifetime. We teach life skills but through the sport of gymnastics. Changing kids lives one cartwheel at a time.
Although gymnastics is our main business we also offer other children fitness activities. We have certainly grown into a multi sport facility. We currently have gymnastics, tumbling, cheer leading, Ninja, Parkour, free running, volleyball, baseball, softball, and the best birthday parties!
25 yrs ago I could have never imagined all of this. If I had set out to achieve this I’m certain I would have been too overwhelmed to even know where to start. Slow progress was the key to success. I have a lot of saying that I use with my athletes. One of my favorites is “baby steps work, as long as you take them.” I suppose that’s true in DG’s success.
Although we have several high level competitive gymnasts that compete all over the US we are equally as proud of all of the beginner students. We know that not all kids will end of as competitive athletes but we also know that each child is going to be healthier by the activity and exercise that get during their class.
The key to our success is absolutely the amazing staff at DG. I’m so proud of them. They are talented and professional. They are dedicated to upholding the values we hold dear at DG. We aim for happy healthy athletes. Medals and awards are a bi product of that. We teach kids to love to learn and then things snowball from there. My biggest affirmation that Downriver Gymnastics is doing good things is when our former athletes bring their children in for classes. I’m so proud of the 2nd generation of DG students. To watch my students grow up and become productive, responsible adults and then have families of their own makes my heart smile. My goal has always been to have a positive effect on my community. I truly feel like I’ve succeeded.
I often think back to that 1st month and it’s hard to believe where and how we started. I’m sure glad I did. We often talk about our DG family. It refers to the staff, students, families, and friends. It takes a everyone to make Downriver Gymnastics a success. One more saying “it takes a village”. I have the BEST village!!!
THANK YOU KELLI! Thank you for being you, for turning your passion into purpose, being steady and being such an inspiration to everyone around you including myself! You are the definition of a hard worker and Macaroni Kid-Downriver Detroit appreciates you!! Keep doing what you've been doing! YOU ROCK!!!
Downriver Gymnastics
13777 Eureka Rd, Southgate, MI
(734) 282-1947
downrivergymnastics@yahoo.com
Facebook: Downriver Gymnastics
"We help children learn and grow in a safe and healthy atmosphere. We teach not only gymnastics, but life-long skills" -DG
