08/25/2026
Lessons From 23 Seasons: Keep Your Eyes Forward
Twenty-three seasons in this industry will teach you a few things.
One of the biggest lessons? Every few years, the industry changes.
There are seasons when kids simply don’t want to cheer anymore. Seasons when athletes would rather focus on school sports. Seasons when families make big-gym migrations because everybody seems to be going in the same direction.
There are seasons when parents, athletes, coaches—and gym owners—are simply over the scoresheets, the judging, the inconsistencies, and feeling like we’re constantly chasing a moving target.
And let’s not even forget COVID.
We went from running a full program to practicing in a park. Then, when the doors finally opened again, we restarted inside with only two teams.
Two.
After everything we had built.
But we put our chins up and pushed through.
And we built again.
That season taught me something I’ve carried with me ever since:
What God has purposed cannot be denied.
Trust the Vision, Not Your Neighbor
When you’re building something, what matters is that the people around you trust the vision—not their neighbor.
Not what another gym is doing.
Not where another family is going.
Not what somebody heard.
Not what looks good on social media.
Not the latest industry trend.
Because if the people connected to the vision spend all their time watching what everyone else is doing, eventually they’ll start questioning what we’re doing.
And after 23 seasons, I’ve learned that you cannot build anything sustainable when everybody is constantly looking left and right.
Keep Your Eyes Forward
Look forward at the goal—not around at everybody else.
Because when you start looking around, you start comparing.
And when you start comparing, you can begin to panic when there was never a reason to panic.
Somebody else’s numbers can make you question yours.
Somebody else’s roster can make you question yours.
Somebody else’s announcement can make you feel behind.
A family leaving can make you wonder if more will follow.
A changing industry can make you question whether what you’ve built still has a place in it.
But everything happening around you does not require a reaction from you.
Sometimes the answer is simply:
Stay focused.