It’s obvious Vernon Vargas loves what he does — teaching kids the arts of acrobatics that seem to defy gravity.
The 36-year-old Santa Cruz resident started in gymnastics at the age of 6. After 11 years of competitive gymnastics, Vargas made the natural transition to coaching.
Now, the gymnast is set to open the largest gymnastics center in Scotts Valley, the Vargas Academy of Gymnastic Arts.
“I have my hands on everything, which is a good thing,” Vargas said. “I’ve taken what I’ve learned from the best and the worst and applied it.”
Before opening the Scotts Valley academy, Vargas trained students at Santa Cruz Sports Central for three years as the director of the facility’s tumbling and trampoline program.
His new 5,000-square-foot gym is for children as young as 18 months up through adults, and it can serve 700 students.
The academy offers classes in preschool gymnastics, tumbling and trampoline work, cheer, parkour and aerial arts, as well as teen and adult classes, competitive teams, birthday parties and open-gym time, Vargas said.
Monthly memberships range from $70 to $175.
Vargas opened classes at the academy a week ago, and he said 100 boys and girls from all over the county have registered.
“I have 24 classes running currently but can teach up to 35,” Vargas said. “Beginning tumbling and trampoline and beginning preschool cheer are the most popular classes so far.”
The parkour class is also a hit, Vargas said.
Parkour, which originated in France, is basically running, jumping and flipping off walls, buildings and poles. The art was featured in an MTV series in the fall.
“The kids are developing really quickly, which is great,” Vargas said.
Vargas said the academy has also already booked five birthday parties, which have been a hit.
“We’ve done two so far. The kids had a great time,” he said.
The academy will eventually sponsor an all-star cheer team and a tumbling and trampoline team children can try out for in April.
Vargas collaborates with the Elite Martial Arts Academy on Mount Hermon Road to offer a Saturday martial arts tumbling class.
Elliot Stone, owner of Elite Martial Arts, said gymnastics and martial arts complement each other to make a great team of skills.
“I’ve been itching to integrate some acrobatics into the program,” Stone said.
Students from Stone’s academy will be at Vargas’ grand opening to demonstrate cage fitness exercises (a 30-minute, no-contact full-body workout) and adult jiu-jitsu.
Vargas said the grand opening will have demonstrations of various disciplines every half hour throughout the day.
“I’m expecting a big turnout at the opening,” he said. “I can’t wait for everything to get started. It should be a really good time.”
At a glance
• WHAT: Vargas Academy of Gymnastic Arts grand opening
• WHEN: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 13
• WHERE: 1300 Green Hills Road, Ste. 6, in Scotts Valley
• INFO: 438-8242
