The Heart of Acro Stars

When Tanya and Jason Hill talk about Acro Stars, they don't talk first about medals or how many athletes walk through the doors.

They talk about kids.

They talk about confidence. Work ethic. Perseverance. Learning how to do hard things. They talk about the friendships formed in the gym, the teammates who cheer when someone masters a new skill, and the life lessons that stay with athletes long after they leave gymnastics.

The Heart of Acro Stars

What began in April 2017 has grown into a program that has served hundreds of children, expanded into Powers Lake and Stanley, and most recently, Williston. Along the way, Tanya and Jason have built more than a gymnastics program. They have built a community.

And they've built it largely through hard work—much of it their own.

Tanya and Jason both maintain full-time jobs outside of Acro Stars. Tanya puts in more than 40 hours a week at the gym, while Jason contributes more than 20 hours, all while raising their three daughters, who are gymnasts themselves. 

For Tanya, the passion for gymnastics began long before Acro Stars. Growing up in Crosby, she competed through Level 8 with the Prairie Tumbleweeds before participating in competitive cheer and dance. Eventually, she returned to the Tumbleweeds to help coach—and realized she wanted to create something of her own. That opportunity came in Ray.

The Ray Fire Department offered the use of the Ray Auditorium, and after just one session, the program had already outgrown the space. The group moved into the Grain Palace building, thanks to a generous arrangement with the fire department that required the program to pay only utilities.

The response was immediate.

The program eventually expanded into Powers Lake to help accommodate the overflow, and what started in a 60-by-60-foot space continued to grow into its current 180-by-60 foot space.

But growth was never really the goal. The kids were.

"We wanted a progressive, good place to raise kids in competitive sports," Jason said.

For Tanya and Jason, gymnastics is a vehicle for teaching something much bigger than gymnastics.

They want athletes to learn how to show up when things are hard. How to lose and keep going. How to work toward a goal that may take years. How to pick themselves up when they fall—literally and figuratively.

And that philosophy extends beyond what happens on the gym floor.

Built by the Community

Acro Stars primarily operates with a volunteer model that is central to its ability to grow while continuing to provide opportunities for athletes.

That model isn't simply about filling shifts or checking off volunteer hours. For Tanya and Jason, it's part of the lesson they are trying to teach their athletes.

Jason believes children notice when their parents are willing to work for something they believe in. "If Dad works that hard, so can I," is the message he hopes they take away.

The need is also practical. Tanya explained that payroll accounts for roughly 80 percent of the gym's profit. If Acro Stars is going to continue investing in its athletes, equipment, programs and future, there has to be a community effort behind it. 

See a Need. Fill a Need.

For some parents, volunteering begins simply because they see a need.

That's how it happened for Megan Johnsrud. All three of her daughters were involved in gymnastics, and she was already spending time at the gym when she saw that coaching help was needed. She stepped in. Over time, that simple decision became a much larger role in the Acro Stars community. “What started out as a thing of convenience has become something I truly love,” says Megan. “I enjoy helping the kids and seeing them progress. It’s a rewarding experience.”

Today, there are approximately 15 coaches in Ray alone. But even with that team, Acro Stars continues to rely on the time and commitment of its families. For Tanya, that commitment is about much more than keeping the doors open.

"This gym was built off kids' dreams," she said—and those dreams have continued to grow to include competitive opportunities, state titles, high school gymnastics and, for some athletes, college gymnastics.

And perhaps that's why one of the most meaningful parts of Acro Stars happens when an athlete accomplishes something new. When a gymnast reaches a new skill, she gets to ring the bell and show her teammates. The gym erupts in cheers. 

That same spirit extends beyond gymnastics.

Tanya says she is proud not of the medals or accolades, but of the way Acro Stars athletes carry themselves. Other parents and gymnastics programs frequently comment on their enthusiasm, behavior, and work ethic. For Tanya and Jason, those characteristics are the real measure of success. Afterall, the goal isn't to create the world's best gymnasts. It's to help create good people. “People who know how to work hard. People who can pick themselves up after they fall. People who understand that success doesn't happen overnight. People who learn to commit to something, even when it gets difficult,” said Jason.

Tanya says those lessons follow athletes long after they leave the gym. “Gymnasts go on to become leaders, captains of other sports’ teams, business owners, and successful adults—not simply because they learned how to perform a routine, but because they learned how to push themselves and persevere.” 

The Future of Acro Stars

As Acro Stars continues to grow, the volunteer model remains essential to its future. Every hour a parent gives helps the organization continue creating opportunities for athletes and investing in the program.

And perhaps more importantly, every time a parent shows up, a child is watching.

They're watching what commitment looks like.

They're watching what hard work looks like.

They're watching what it means to be part of something bigger than yourself.

And if Acro Stars is going to keep building bigger dreams, it will take a community willing to keep showing up for them.

Because the future of Acro Stars isn't just being built on the gym floor. It's being built by every person who chooses to be part of it.