It’s been five years since gymnastics instructor Vern Vargas opened the doors of his Scotts Valley studio and training facility. Since then, the Vargas Academy of Gymnastic Arts and Parkour has grown by — quite literally — leaps and bounds, steadily offering more and more programs, teams and classes to the students of Santa Cruz County.
“Word-of-mouth spread like wildfire,” says Vargas, a lifelong student of gymnastics. “It’s a great feeling.”
When his studio first opened in 2010 at its current location at 1300 Green Hills Road, he had already been teaching at six different studios for about two decades before deciding to open one of his own.
Initially, Vargas taught all the classes by himself as his studio gained traction. Those courses cater to age groups ranging from toddlers to those in their 40s.
“I did all the work from the bottom up,” Vargas said proudly. “I’ve always had a good coaching ethic and ability to connect with students.”
Now, Vargas’ studio boasts an enrollment of nearly 500 students, employs seven instructors, and has a roster of highly competitive tumbling, trampoline, and parkour teams.
The facility, he said, is also used for agility training by athletes including David Campbell and Kevin Bull, known for their participation in the American Ninja Warrior competition.
The academy, Vargas said, offers instruction for students of all ages and skill sets. As the students advance, they have the option of continuing as a member of one of the competitive teams.
“(The lessons) are kind of a feeder for the parkour, tumbling and trampoline teams,” he said.
Last year alone, Vargas’ academy sent a dozen young Scotts Valley gymnasts to the USA Gymnastics National Championships — the second time since the facility’s opening that its students qualified for the nationals.
This year, Vargas said, the academy will host two competitions, the Northern California and Nevada State Championships at West Valley College, and the Vargas Invitational.
“This year, we are really blessed,” he said.
For the future, Vargas said he is in the process of searching for a larger facility to expand his operations in Scotts Valley, but has yet to find a suitable building.
“It’s hard to find a building that’s big enough and with high enough ceilings,” he said. “The five-year plan is to have a bigger place, double the students, and double the staff — and I want to stay in Scotts Valley.”
To celebrate his studio’s five years of operation, the academy hosted an open house celebration last Saturday that featured music, a raffle, and demonstrations.
“We’ve been lucky to have the success that we’ve had,” Vargas said.
For more information about the Vargas Academy of Gymnastic Arts and Parkour, call 438-8242 or visit www.vargasacademy.com.
