I want to tell you the story of Firestorm Freerunning & Acrobatics. The story of the little gym that could. The little gym who overcame the odds and obstacles thanks to the continued support of a passionate and growing community. A community of people like you.
The full story will have to wait until another day, as it is a long and interesting tale. I want to do it justice. Instead I’ll tell you of two small stretches of time. One, where Firestorm was 5 years ago. The other, where it is today.
May 2013
A small group of young men stand around together looking at a small, empty warehouse in a downtroughten part of Santa Ana. To be honest, it looks pretty crappy… and that is being generous.
Within two months, following sweaty 14 hour work days construction obstacles, a core team of Coaches and a community of highly passionate volunteer opened the doors of a humble little gym called Firestorm. It had four Coaches and one Office member. The training equipment consisted of a small spring floor, a decade old Olympic Trampoline, some vault boxes, bars, and a small half filled foam pit. It was tiny, it was under-equipped, and it was absolute freakin’ magic. The team had two months worth of rent in the bank and no idea how they were going to make this dream work. But they believed and a small flame was been lit...
Five Years Later…
The dream is now a thriving community. A team of five has grown to 30! A handful of students has grown to hundreds of talented athletes. Three class types have grown to nearly a dozen! Firestorm is equipped with a full foam pit, tons of new structures, a dance floor, Air Trick, and more!
What five years earlier had been an empty warehouse is now home to fire spinning Conclaves, Cirque performances, Tricking Gatherings, Parkour Competitions, Ninja Warrior Summer Camps, Aerial Recitals, and Jams. Ninja Warrior finalists, Olympians, Cirque Du Soleil performers, Disney Acrobats, professional Freerunners and Trickers flow in and out to train. Firestorm has become a home of magical possibilities.
Through a vast, encouraging community, the once small flame of Firestorm has begun to live up to its name. The lives that have been touched, friendships created, and dreams realized continues well beyond its meager beginnings… and it is owe all to you.
--- THANK YOU! Thank you, members of the Firestorm Community, the Firestorm Family! Without you this dream could never have made its way into reality. You are the reason Firestorm exists. You are the reason we continue to thrive and touch the lives of our current members and those yet to come.
Please join all of us at Firestorm in celebrating our FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY! Share your favorite Firestorm story! Tell us about your favorite skill or Coach! Tell us about the impact Firestorm has had on your life! Whatever you do, celebrate with us! Sunday July 1st, join us for a FREE celebratory Adult Open Gym Birthday Party from 6pm until we can’t take any more and pass out. Bring potluck food to share with your friends! If you decide you would like to do something nice for our big 5.0 Birthday to help Firestorm continue to improve and grow, take a peek at our Amazon Wish List. If nothing else, just tell your favorite Coach how much you appreciate them and how they have helped you improve yourself. The way we appreciate you. The way you have helped us improve ourselves.
AMAZON WISH LIST: http://a.co/bTzDers
Train Hard, Train Safe
Programs Director, Firestorm Freerunning & Acrobatics
Justin Taylor
Last years anniversary Open Gym Birthday Party Jam video!