A Compelling Vision with Focus on Community, “In the Spotlight” with Discover Gymnastics of Houston, TX

Opened in 1999, Discover Gymnastics currently serves over 2,000 students each week in their 22,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility located in Houston, TX. With classes for children 6 weeks to 18 years of age, Discover offers programs for the beginner gymnast through level 10 competitive, as well as a homeschool program for their competitive athletes. Carly Markesich, the owner of Discover emphasizes that their main focus is to offer a quality experience to all those they serve. Built on a foundation of quality driven organization, each program is designed to enhance the lives of their employees, students, customers, and the community.

The most notable of Discover’s community endeavors is their “Discover Fitness Foundation” or DFF, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that awards athletic scholarships to children with special needs, children fighting obesity, and families with financial struggles. The scholarships awarded allow children to experience both recreational and competitive gymnastics, and currently provides over 200 athletes in 7 locations a fulfilling, character building activity they wouldn’t otherwise have access to. In addition to DFF, Discover takes pride in hosting the Texas Classic and the Svetlana Boginskaya Invitational each year.

When asked what sets them apart, Carly emphasized that Discover has the most incredible staff, and by investing in their professional development they are able to provide them with meaningful, engaging work. Discover offers a compelling vision for the future, and everyone involved works towards the common goal of providing quality in everything they do. Space is currently their largest challenge, but they are designing a brand new dream facility, and are looking forward to its opening in 2018!

To learn more about Discover Gymnastics, visit their website at http://www.discovergymnastics.com/.



Photo courtesy of Discover Gymnastics

Merchandising at Your Events: Revenue Without the Risk!

The 2015 competition season is in full swing, and if you’re like many gyms across the country you’re hosting at least one event this year. Don’t overlook the opportunity to offer gymnasts and their families the convenience and value of quality, affordable leotards and apparel, as well as bring in some additional revenue for your gym! Meets are an excellent time to have products available for guests to purchase, and during the down times they’ll appreciate having interesting and innovative items to browse through. Not to mention, smaller gift items can provide an excellent opportunity for friends and family to quickly select a gift as a way to say “great job!” to the gymnast they came to support.

The key to having a successful sale is to not only provide a wide range of attractive items for customers to choose from, but to also display them effectively. It doesn’t take a lot of time, effort or expense to showcase the items you have for sale in an attractive and easy-to-access manner. Consider some of the following “dos and don’ts” we’ve learned over the years:

• Do use inexpensive clothing racks and hangers to make it easy for visitors to see and browse through the items you have for sale. 
• Don’t leave sale or clearance items in a box for visitors to browse through. This requires too much effort for shoppers and it doesn’t showcase items to their full potential.
• Do consider special pricing to encourage purchases: “Buy one item, get the second for ½ off,” or “Buy a leotard and get a free hair twist” are great ways to increase sales.
• Don’t try and cram too much into a space that’s too small! It shouldn’t be difficult for multiple browsers to access the items at the same time. Think about creating a logical traffic flow with ample room for your customers to move and interact with the items you have for sale.
• Do pair items together to maximize your profits. If a leotard has a matching pair of colorful shorts, or a sweatshirt has a matching pair of yoga pants, make sure to showcase both items together for your customers to see.
• Don’t hide the prices! “How much does it cost?” is often a shopper’s first question.
• Do let them try before they buy. Locker rooms and bathrooms can serve as fitting rooms; make sure visitors know where they are and that they’re welcome to use them to check out fit and function.
• Don’t worry that your products won’t sell! Alpha Factor’s “Buy With Confidence” event package program takes the risk out of offering a wide array of merchandise to entice your visitors. If the products you offer don’t sell, simply return them to us at no additional cost, there’s no risk to you! It’s a great way to find out what most appeals to your customers—and to add some additional revenue to your bottom line.

As you gear up and prepare for the 2015 season, make sure to think about the kinds of merchandise you might want to offer at the events you’ll be hosting, and consider our Aerials by Alpha Factor and adidas Gymnastics lines. Both offer stylish, trendy designs, a superior quality and fit, our exclusive 4-way stretch fabrics, and are sure to be a hit at your next event! 

Aspire, Achieve, Repeat… “In the Spotlight” with Legacy Gymnastics Center of Maitland, FL

Legacy Gymnastics, Maitland, Florida

Author: Adrienne Putrow

The words “Aspire, Achieve, Repeat…” greet you as you turn into the parking lot of Legacy Gymnastics Center in Maitland, FL, and eight years ago Lisa Winstead set out to do just that. Aimed at providing a positive, competitive environment for Central Florida gymnasts, she wanted to prove that you don’t have to use fear, intimidation, and belittling to succeed. “My first love was basketball” says Lisa, who coached a junior high girls’ team before transitioning in to the world of gymnastics. Bringing her children to basketball practice she realized that despite her best efforts, they would rather do cartwheels on the sidelines than dribble a ball. Over the years she saw them excel as athletes, but was dissatisfied with the environment in which they did so. It was then that she set out to provide a nurturing, compassionate place for children to succeed not only as gymnasts but also in life.

It hasn’t always been easy, and according to Lisa she couldn’t have picked a worse time to open a business.  “I signed my lease October of 2007 during one of the worst economic downturns in our nation’s history”, but she stuck it out, and luckily things turned around. By implementing a positive coaching style and uplifting environment for gymnasts and their families, Legacy has been successful since its opening in 2007. Evidence to the fact that they boast a large recreation program, a competitive team ranging from Xcel Bronze through level 9, and now offer a newly founded aerial arts program, Legacy’s motto to “Aspire, Achieve, Repeat…” is clear throughout all of its programs.

While they have earned various team and individual awards, the accomplishments that the staff are most proud of don’t involve medals or scores. “The kids who wouldn’t necessarily have an opportunity to succeed competitively at other gyms, the kids who struggle but are given a chance, when these kids rise above and surprise you, that’s what drives us to keep doing what we’re doing” says Lisa.

In addition to the positive coaching, family atmosphere, and competitive environment, Lisa says that providing her staff with full time opportunities is a major part of their success. “I have a huge payroll. I overpay my staff, and a lot of them are full time who don’t necessarily need to be but I want to keep them here and I want to keep them happy.” This is apparent when you consider that many of Legacy’s staff members have been there for years. “Finding good coaches and staying on the same page is always a struggle. We all try and stay focused on knowing each other’s heart. We try and work on communicating well with one another as well as with the gymnasts” she says.

Her biggest piece of advice to new gym owners? “This is a tough business to get into. Have deep pockets, and make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons.” Coaching an all-around champion or truly phenomenal gymnast is few and far between, but you can succeed if you realize that it’s about more than that; gymnastics is an opportunity to aspire to be great, work hard to achieve your goals, and repeat it all over again with each new challenge you face, both in and out of the gym. 

Traditional Meets New Age: Relationship Managers Rely on the Personal Touches

Author: Adrienne Putrow

In a world that’s increasingly high-tech, with so many impersonal interactions taking place via email, text messages and social media, it’s nice to take a step back and connect with people on a personal level. Alpha Factor’s relationship managers do just that.

One of the things that really differentiates us from other organizations—not only in our industry, but in many others—is our focus on offering that personal touch. We really get to know our customers, we pride ourselves in serving as their advocates and we absolutely love being there to brainstorm new ideas with them. Each customer is unique and we take pride in helping each of them to achieve their objectives.

Competitive gymnasts need that perfect combination of style and performance when it comes to the apparel they choose. We get that and we’ll work with you to understand your needs, your team and your objectives. That understanding, combined with our thorough knowledge of the products we offer—and the insights we’ve gained from working with a wide range of clients—helps you and your team achieve perfection.

There are a myriad of choices that coaches are faced with as they prepare for a competition. We know that sometimes you just want someone to bounce some ideas around with and to confirm that the choices you’re considering will meet your needs and the needs of your gymnasts. Our goal is to remove at least a portion of the anxiety you feel as we help you select the best products for the moment. It’s about both performance and perception and with our background as gymnasts ourselves, we are in a unique position to understand your needs.

While you’ll benefit from a single point of contact, we work as a team to ensure the best experiences for our clients from selecting the right apparel to ensuring that every event or competition is a success. And because we’ve worked with clients all around the country for 45 years, we’re able to bring you best practice ideas and emerging examples of what we’ve seen work for others.

Our relationship managers are all about the personal touch so once you’ve browsed through our leotard options—in one of our exquisite hard copy catalogs, or online—we love to brainstorm with you about how we can help make your next competition memorable. We’ll work with you to make sure that no details are left to chance, that your deadlines are met and that your order is exactly as you expected. From warm-ups, to performance attire, to garment bags to help protect and transport your attire, we have what you need to succeed in the field, gym or studio.

After your event, we want to hear from you. We want to hear about your performance and how we can improve ours! These follow-up calls are where we often learn the most about your needs and how we can deliver even more value the next time around.

We’re passionate about the sport of gymnastics and we hope that passion shows through as we work with you to make every competition a success.

If you’re one of our customers, and are comfortable sharing a story, please do. Even if you’re not a customer yet, we’d love to hear from you! Share your comments below, or give us a call. We’re here to help. It’s what we love to do!

Feel free to take some time to learn more about our Relationship Managers.

About Me: Adrienne Putrow - Region 8 Relationship Manager

Adrienne Putrow
Alpha Factor Relationship Manager
Region 8

I was a mediocre gymnast. Headstrong and opinionated, I did things my own way. I lacked that certain “coachability” and single-minded drive that most, if not all accomplished gymnasts possess. But from the moment I first stepped into the gym at 4 years old I fell in love. Since then, I have always in some way or another been involved with the sport of gymnastics.

Growing up I was proud to call myself a gymnast. I loved being able to back handspring on the playground and impress the kids in gym class with the amount of pull-ups I could do. I loved deciding what leo I would wear to practice each day, standing in front of the mirror, my arms extended in “high V” pretending I was saluting the judges. I loved walking into the gym each night, buzzing with energy. Being in such a lively, positive environment makes you, well, alive with positivity. But mostly, I loved the physical challenge that learning a new skill provided. I can still remember the feeling of accomplishment that getting my kip for the first time gave me. I craved that feeling, there’s nothing else in the world like it.

Eventually however, I got burnt out. I broke my tailbone and I wanted to try new things. After a decade in the gym, I quit. I was able to play volleyball year round and went on to play club in college. I graduated from Loyola University of Chicago with a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies, and have been fortunate enough to travel to Africa and throughout Europe on several occasions, developing a love for travel and adventure. It is my goal to travel to all 50 states, each of the 7 continents, all of our National Parks, and possibly space. I’ve got some work to do on the parks, continents, and space department, but I’m down to 14 remaining states!

As a gymnast I didn’t win any national titles. I didn’t go to college on an athletic scholarship, or compete any further than level 6. But the sport of gymnastics gave me so much more than titles or scholarships; I developed a love and passion for something as a child that I still carry with me today, and it is my goal as your Relationship Manager to bring that same love and passion for the sport of gymnastics to my interactions and dealings with you and your team. 

I look forward to developing a great working relationship with you!

-Adrienne Putrow

You can contact Adrienne via email at aputrow@alphafactor.com.

About Me: Danielle Blasser - Region 7 Relationship Manager

Danielle Blasser
Alpha Factor Relationship Manager
Region 7

I can remember everything about the night I fell in love with gymnastics. I was sitting on the floor in my parents’ TV room with my eyes glued to the television. The Magnificent Seven were marching in. Dominique Moceanu became my idol in a matter of seconds. Watching her was like watching a version of myself I didn’t know existed yet. I immediately screamed to my mother “I WANT TO DO THAT.” My parents hesitated to put me in yet another sport as I hated soccer and swimming after the first few practices. They finally got sick of me flipping over the arms of the couches and using them as my own personal vault, and they signed me up at Gymnastics of York. I quickly blazed through the classes and made it onto team level. After competing for a few years I knew that if I wanted to excel at gymnastics, I needed to switch gyms. I transferred to Prestige Gymnastics in Lancaster, PA, and immediately knew it was home. I loved the coaches and my teammates; they really pushed me to be the best version of myself that I could be. Unfortunately, while I was in high school, I broke my tailbone after falling off beam (or, should I say, directly onto the beam). It took me almost nine months to fully heal and recover, and by that time, I had lost a lot of my strength and skills. I bawled my eyes out the day I knew that was the end of the road for me. I always had hopes of following in my older teammates’ footsteps and becoming a college gymnast. I played other sports in high school, but my heart never forgot its first love. I decided to join Penn State’s Club College team while I attended school there, so I did eventually fulfill my dream somewhat.

I always loved gymnastics because I felt like I could get away from the world and just do what made me happy. No matter what kind of day I was having, my floor music would start and I could get lost in the dance and tumbling and forget about all my problems. Gymnastics gave me the confidence and tough skin I needed later in life. I loved all of the relationships that the world of gymnastics brought me. I still hold tightly to those relationships today.

Working for Alpha Factor has allowed me to bring my childhood love of gymnastics into my adult career path. My goal as a Relationship Manager is to partner with gyms and help them feel and look their best. Growing up in the same town as the corporate office and manufacturing plant, I always wore Alpha Factor. I knew that part of my confidence out on the floor was due to the amazing look that I had from our warm ups and our leotards. I hope to give gyms the same type of confidence that I had when I was young.

I am excited for this season and look forward to working with you!
-Danielle Blasser

You can contact Danielle via email at dblasser@performgroupllc.com.

About Me: Shelby Prunty - Region 5 Relationship Manager

Shelby Prunty
Alpha Factor Relationship Manager
Region 5

Gymnastics has been a major part of my life for as long as I can remember.  I am excited to be able to continue using my gymnastics expertise while working for such a great company. Joining the Alpha Factor family in January 2014 has been a true blessing and I am very thankful to be a part of a company that matches my love and passion for the sport.

When I stepped foot into my very first gymnastics class in 1995, I had no idea that my life path was beginning to take shape at such a young age. Gymnastics immediately became a part of me, and a few years later, it defined me. After many years of training, friendships, and memories, I was blessed to be able to earn a gymnastics scholarship to Louisiana State University. My years at LSU are a time in my life that I will remember forever.  Unfortunately, I was forced to retire following my junior year due to several unfortunate injuries and surgeries. For many gymnasts, early retirement causes a lot of emotional pain, resulting in complete removal from the sport.  However, that was not the case for me, I took on the role of team manager my senior year and remained a part of my team.  To this day, I still cherish gymnastics as much as I did the day that I fell in love with the sport. It will forever hold a home in my heart.

I graduated from LSU in May of 2013 and for the first time in my life I felt a sense of freedom that I had never felt before.  I didn’t have to wake up for morning weights at 5am.  I didn’t have a class to race to right after practice when I was sweaty and exhausted.  For the first time in my life I was free to do what I wanted.  My sister had just moved to Nashville, TN and needed a roommate.  I thought to myself, there will never be a better time than now.  So I packed up my car, floor to ceiling, and drove 9 hours to a foreign city to start a new chapter of my life.  Although my days no longer revolved around the sport of gymnastics, I was able to appreciate the determination, self-confidence and relentless need to succeed that gymnastics provided me with and apply them to my future.  

   

Gymnastics has made me the person I am today and I can’t picture my life without it.  It has taught me many lessons; including commitment, responsibility, and teamwork.  I have gratefully been able to take those lessons and transition into my role at Alpha Factor.  As your Relationship Manager, my goal is to use my love and passion for gymnastics to connect with you and your team.  I want to help make your team’s vision come to life so they can feel confident while they compete.  

I can't wait for the opportunity to work with you!

-Shelby Prunty

You can contact Shelby via email at sprunty@alphafactor.com.