Gymnastics Facility Celebrates 5th Year in Business

Do you remember gymnastics teams in high school? Or are you too young for that? 

How about watching it during the Olympic Games? Do you recall being at the edge of your seat in 1984 as Mary Lou Retton scored a perfect 10 on the vault? Or in the Montreal Olympics of 1976 when Nadia Comaneci perfected the balance beam? 

For a period of time, gymnastics seemed to disappear and you only saw it on television.

For the past five years, however, it has been going strong in Channahon.

Since 2006 when it opened, I & M Gymnastics has brought home numerous first-place trophies and medals in gymnastics and trampoline. It also has a large recreational program for children ages 2 and up. Classes are also offered to adults.

Classes

Starting Aug. 15, the new sessions will begin, said Julie Tkaczuk, owner of I & M Gymnastics. 

Classes take place in a 10,000-square foot warehouse, located in the industrial area of town. It houses several mats, a spring mat to perform floor exercises, trampolines, uneven bars, vaults and balance beams.

According to Tkaczuk, classes will be paid monthly rather than by sessions.

“This helps make classes affordable to more families,” Tkaczuk said. “If the child doesn’t like the program or they are involved in another activity, they can un-enroll and join back when they can.”

A discount of 10 percent will be offered to siblings and 20 percent will be given to those who enroll in more than one class a session, Tkaczuk said.

Unique to I & M is that there are boys-only classes and, additionally, several boys compete on the club’s team.

“Most clubs don’t have this,” Tkaczuk said. “Another unique feature of our club is we offer the double mini-trampoline.”

A double mini-trampoline is smaller than a regulation competition trampoline. It has a sloped end and a flat bed. The gymnasts run up and jump on to the sloping end and then jump on to the flat part before dismounting on to a mat. Skills are performed during the jumps or as they dismount.

A cartwheel and backspring camp also are being offered.

“There are 26 skills in a cartwheel,” Tkaczuk said. “The kids have to know each skill before getting it together.”

Classes are taught mainly by college-age students who have done gymnastics all their life, Tkaczuk said. Tkaczuk, who coaches the Elite Gymnastics Team, was an active gymnast in her high school and college career, participating on the school team and in a private club.

The Elite Team 

The tumbling team competed in nationals last month in West Virginia and brought home several awards. The gymnastics team currently is training for the Judge’s Cup competition at University of Illinois Chicago, Nov. 11-13.

Children can begin competing at the age of 5.

Karate Classes/Open Gym

In addition to gymnastics, karate classes are offered at I & M and are  instructed by Brian Bucciarelli. The karate style taught at I & M is an Okinawan karate style called Shorei Gojuru.

Bucciarelli teaches a series of kicks and punches as well as training his students in weapons and sparring. Weapons used include swords and nunchuks.

The students participated in a tournament Saturday at the Calvary Christian Martial Arts in Naperville.

Open gym is available to the public on Friday nights from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Cost is $10 for non-members and $6 for members.

Birthday parties and Scout trips are available also. For more information, go to imgymnastics.com or call 815-521-0100

Future plans?

Tkaczuk wants to work with the surrounding high schools and, hopefully, co-op a gymnastics program to encourage older children to continue the sport. The program would allow the high schools to rent the gym and practice for competition.

“I think this would bring back more interest in gymnastics,” Tkaczuk said. “Lots of kids give up the sport too soon.”