Balance 180 Story
Our Story
In 2012, a small group of people in Gainesville, FL including Carsten Schmalfuss and Krista Vandenborne had a vision to make a difference in the lives of the children and families in their community. With the vision of our founders, leadership of our Board of Directors, dedication of coaches and volunteers, and the support of our sponsors and donors, we have worked together to create recreational and competitive gymnastics opportunities for all children regardless of their ability or financial need.
True to our mission, we have created a fun and positive place for all children to build confidence and learn physical and social skills through the sport of gymnastics. We have humble roots and started with minimal pieces of equipment, limited access to the gym, and only 14 athletes. Today, we are fortunate to have access to over 11,400 square feet of practice space and serve over 650 athletes across our programs.
Our Vision
Our vision is to provide all children with a nurturing, healthy environment to participate in gymnastics and related sports, and encourage a positive learning and growing experience by recognizing each child's unique potential.
The Balance 180 Approach
The balanced approach to gymnastics that we provide includes expertise in multiple fields. Our team has specialists in physical therapy, medicine, occupational therapy, adaptive gymnastics, psychology, orthopedics and many more. We are constantly learning and researching in the quest of providing the best possible service. We all have very strong attachments to Balance 180. It’s not just a place where we work. For us, it’s the place that we’ve embraced with our souls. Personally, we live every day through humbling stories and are grateful for the privilege to serve so many families in our community and beyond.
We are kindly accepting donations from individuals and organizations.