Northwest Gymnastics Training Center

My daughter has been apart of NGTC for over 5 years and my other daughter has gone there for over 2 years. All the coaches are great. Coach EJ is awesome! My daughter listens very well to his advice and looks to him like a big brother. NGTC prides themselves on being safe and fun. My daughter has learned so much from Coach EJ. He is very talented at what he does, in all aspects. I feel safe and comfortable with my daughters being apart of NGTC.

We have been at NGTC for not quite a year now, and firmly believe this is one of the best places for our daughter to be. We were at another gym, and we left because — at the other place — gymnastics was purely a business. Yes, they win… but that is all it is about.
At NGTC, the kids learn how to be better people. Yes, they learn the skills to compete and to «do gymnastics». But they also learn how to be good teammates, how to win AND lose gracefully, and how to work hard. They are constantly encouraged to do their best, and when they do — the whoops and hollers echo around the gym.
I don’t know about the previous reviewer who gave NGTC a 1-​star review, but I do know about Coach EJ. «Rachel M.» appears to have an axe to grind, and little in her review is truth. And when you start calling names, as far as I’m concerned, you’ve crossed a line. So I am going to address those things from my personal experience:
1. It’s a gym. Kids fall. In fact, quite frankly, it is expected that they WILL fall. Kids do not learn gymnastics without falling off a beam, or a bar, or learning how to cartwheel. Are there safeguards in place? Yes. Do they spot the kids? Yes. Will falling happen at every single gym? Definitely.
2. I have paid cash, and have never had any issues. Period.
3. The Xcel team has never had 22 kids. They wouldn’t have a team with 22 kids, as it would compromise the coaching and the space would be difficult to find.
4. Let me preface my observations of Coach EJ by saying that I am at the gym for 10 ½ hours a week, watching my daughter practice. I have been for months. So I think I can speak fairly confidently on his interactions with the kids he coaches. Coach EJ always has a smile for his kids, and a ready sense of humor. He is one of the most patient coaches at the gym, and is always there with a helping hand. He is not the only Xcel coach, and he works hand-​in-​hand with the other coach (who does have experience). While EJ may not have competed, he grew up in that gym with sisters who did, parents who coach, and knows the basics extremely well. And quite frankly, the idea of Coach EJ being «abusive» is laughable. It truly couldn’t be any further from the truth.
Overall, I could not be any happier with this gym and the fantastic coaches. They have gotten a few new coaches to add to their staff, all of whom have excellent resumes. My daughter (who is 7-​going-​on-​16), has absolutely flourished. She made the final decision when we chose to move to this gym, and it has never once been regretted. Oh, and I drive about an hour, one way, to get here. There are gyms closer to me, but none that I feel offer the same life skills that she gets here.
If you’ve read through this, and find yourself interested, make a visit. Drop in unexpectedly and watch. Talk to the parents. I can guarantee that you will hear the same thing I have written here — that NGTC puts their money where their mouths are and is truly a family-​oriented gym.

Love this place! I have been going to NGTC for a long time and I can’t say enough about the facility and staff. What sets NGTC apart from any other gym is they appeal to ALL levels of interest and skill. If you want your child to take a tumbling class it’s a great place with a lot of enthusiasm and love, but if your child has a serious interest and wants to be competitive this is the only gym to go to. Could your child be an Olympic gymnast? Only if they get the right training at the right age and if you stay at a tumbling gym too long they will miss their opportunity at greatness. While my kids will never stand on a medal podium I know that I gave them the best and they were taught lessons about facing fear and doing your best that will last them a lifetime.
I don’t know what the other reviewer’s problem was. The injuries and team defection she mentions simply didn’t happen. I think she is one of those parents who blame the teacher if her kids get bad grades. EJ is a teen but he’s been around gymnastics his entire life and because he’s younger he can talk to my girls in a way that makes them understand what they can do to improve.
See for yourself. Go there, check out the facility, watch a class, talk to the other parents. The quality of instruction really can’t be matched.