March 27, 2025 • 23 mins
Marie Wood's remarkable journey with Tumble-Bee Gymnastics pans nearly four decades—from being among the first students when its doors opened in 1986 to becoming its passionate owner. This beautiful full-circle story embodies the very essence of what makes Tumblebee special: genuine community connection that transcends generations.
What distinguishes Tumble-Bee Gymnastics from both national franchises and competitive gymnastics programs is their commitment to teaching proper skills while ensuring every child feels celebrated. "Our goal is to have every kid walk out the door feeling better than when they walked in," Marie explains, highlighting a philosophy that has sustained this local treasure for 39 years. Through their nationally recognized Fun and Fit curriculum, children from 10 months to 12 years old progress at their own pace, with individualized tracking and support that meets each child exactly where they are developmentally.
The magic of Tumble-Bee Gymnastics reveals itself through countless stories of transformation. Local therapists, educators, and doctors regularly recommend their programs. Parents share heartfelt testimonials about children who've overcome fears, found their voices, or developed crucial social skills through gymnastics. Marie's background as a special education teacher enhances this inclusive approach, allowing children of varying abilities to thrive either in specialized or mainstream classes.
Today, Marie teaches the children of students she once instructed. Grandparents who brought their kids decades ago now arrive with grandchildren in tow. Beyond classes and flexible camp programs, Tumble-Bee Gymnastics serves as a gathering place for community support—evidenced by their recent cartwheel-a-thon fundraiser for a student with terminal brain cancer. These moments of connection remind us that the most enduring businesses aren't just about services offered, but about how they make people feel. As Marie reflects, "They may forget what you said, but they won't forget how you made them feel."
Curious about giving your child the Tumble-Bee Gymnastics experience? Visit tumblebeegym.com or call 845-623-2553 to learn about their programs, camps, and special events at their Nanuet location.
Tumble-Bee Gymnastics
Marie Wood
401 Market St Nanuet, NY 10954
845) 623-2553
info@tumble-beegymnastics.com
tumble-beegymnastics.com
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Doug Drohan.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Welcome to another episode of the Good Neighbor
Podcast brought to you by theBergen Neighbors Media Group.
I am your host, doug Drohan,and today we are going to tumble
and rumble with Marie Wood, theowner of Tumble Bee Gymnastics
in Nanuet, new York.
Welcome to the show.
Thank you, thrilled to be here.
Yeah, we were talking last year.
(00:34):
I believe it was about a yearor so ago.
You had one of my idols and I'ma big Met fan.
You had Dwight Gooden.
Come to Tumblebee, which isinteresting.
You're a gymnastics and playspace for kids.
But hey, dwight cameen.
Come to which is interesting.
You're like a gymnastics andplay space for kids, but hey,
Dwight came.
That's great.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
So we did a cartwheel-a-thon to raise money
for one of our students, atwo-year-old that was diagnosed
with a terminal brain cancer.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Oh, wow, okay.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Yeah, and so Doc Gooden does a lot of outreach
work and volunteer things andjust you know, fundraising,
building awareness, and he cameto help promote the event and
get people to the family, youknow as much, as they were
experiencing extreme financialsituations.
(01:18):
They really just wantedawareness of it because it's
such a rare thing.
So he was a big help that way.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
That's great.
So tell us a little bit aboutTumblebee gymnastics, Like
what's the history of it?
I know you're in NUET now, butit started off in Pearl River
right.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
It did.
Yes, tumblebee started in PearlRiver in August of 1986.
It's the 39th year forTumblebee, 1986.
It's the 39th year forTumblebee, so very exciting.
Tumblebee moved from PearlRiver.
It was there shortly.
It had two locations in NewCity and has been in.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Nanuet for 27 years now.
All right, so it's been arounda long time since the Mets won
the World Series actually arounda long time since the Mets won
the World Series actually.
So why do you think it's beenable?
I mean, there are othergymnastic places.
There's big national franchiseslike my Gym and Little Gym and
(02:17):
of course, there's a lot ofgymnastics places around closest
.
I mean, I know there's one inOrangeburg, there's one in
Norwood, new Jersey, there's onein Hillsdale, new Jersey.
What's different aboutTumblebee?
And why do you think it's beenaround for so many years?
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Yeah.
So Tumblebee, you know.
You talk about the places likethe franchises that are around.
They have, you know, a certainthing that they have to offer.
You have then kind of on theother end, the big competitive
gyms, and they have, you know,something to offer as well.
We are kind of the best of bothworlds, for from my perspective
(02:55):
and from a lot of families inRockland perspective, we are a
gymnastics program, so we teachthe skills, we have them, you
know, learning the basics.
We go from 10 months to 12years, even have them.
You know, learning the basics.
We go from 10 months to 12years.
Even at 10 months they'relearning the basics, the
beginnings, the fundamentals forgymnastics, which doesn't
necessarily happen in otherplaces.
(03:16):
You know, again, there's thingsthat people focus on, but it
may be more of gymnastics inname as opposed to in
practicality and actually doingit.
Then you have, on the oppositeend, the very competitive.
You know you have to do a drilland skill and that's it, and
(03:36):
there's no leeway and there's nowiggle room.
We have a program where, like Isaid, we teach the skills the
right way.
We want them to learn it, butour goal is to have every kid
walk out the door feeling betterthan when he or she walked in.
So we are not a competitiveprogram.
I'm not concerned about losingtenths of a point going to a
competition.
I want the kids to learn theskills but celebrate the
(03:59):
accomplishments along the way.
So you know, if a kid couldn'tdo a cartwheel the week before
and now something is starting tolook like a cartwheel, I'm not
going to be saying, ah, you knowyour knees are bent or I will,
but I'll say it nicely.
But first we're going tocelebrate that you can do more
than you could do before andyou're moving forward.
And you know we're so excitedabout that and we're excited
(04:20):
together.
The kid is excited, theteachers are excited.
You know we're able tocelebrate and recognize that
kids progress at their ownlevels, that you know every
child is an individual and wecan provide a lot of
individualized attention, a lotof support, and we're able to be
flexible and accommodate for alot of families.
(04:42):
A lot of you know kids and whatthey need, as opposed to trying
to have them fit into a mold.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Nice.
So what is the Fun and Fitgymnastics curriculum.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
Yep.
So there is a nationallyrecognized program called Fun
and Fit.
It breaks down gymnasticsskills into the different
apparatuses.
So floor bars, balance beam,trampoline, dance, mini
trampoline, vaulting, parallelbars, rings, everything is
broken down.
There's different levels thatthey move through, again
(05:16):
non-competitive.
But kids will start off doing a,for example, a cartwheel lead
up over a box.
Then they'll move to doing acartwheel on the floor, then
they'll move to doing acartwheel with the non-domin a
box.
Then they'll move to doing acartwheel on the floor, then
they'll move to doing acartwheel with the non-dominant
side, then they'll move to aroundoff.
So the fun and fit programtakes all of those skills and
breaks them down veryprogressively.
We load those skills onto anaccount for every single student
(05:38):
that comes and as the studentcomes to the class we mark off
okay, they can do this skill.
You know level one, skill 13,.
They've, they've done that.
Now they're going to move tothe next step in doing it.
So you know, for the student asyou know, billy comes in
through the door we know exactlywhat he's worked on, what he's
(05:59):
achieved last time, and thenthis is what we're moving
towards now.
So again, we we've it down forthe child to be able to work to
meet them at their level.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
I mean, it sounds like natural, like that's how
everybody should teach it.
You know that you have to learnone skill to then progress to
the next and the next.
So it's interesting that youguys are in only gyms in the
area to teach that.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
Yeah, so.
So we're one of the only onesthat has followed this specific
program, which has had very goodfeedback and success nationally
and the other thing for us isthat we've, beyond the program
itself, we've created somemodifications for kids who may
need a little more or who mayfind it a little too challenging
, and we don't want thefrustration to become so
(06:51):
overwhelming that, oh, you're onthe same thing, you're on the
same thing.
Well, how can we fix it so thatyou know the kid can be
successful, still accomplishingthe spirit of the skill?
But you know, let's, let'sagain meet them where they're at
and work with them so that it'snot.
I need this one skill and I'monly doing that and what?
Speaker 2 (07:10):
what ages do you have anywhere from preschool to how
old?
Speaker 3 (07:14):
We actually start 10 months, so we have toddlers in
here.
Um, we go up to 12 years, so wehave different programs.
Um, you know, we have a toddlergym program and romp and roll,
where parents are in the gymwith the kids.
And you know, we have theoption of a little more
structured for the ones that canhandle it, a little less so for
(07:35):
the kids that just kind of needthat space to run around.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Yeah, we did that.
We did that with my son.
We were living down nearHoboken, new Jersey, and we
found a place there when he was,you know, two or three.
Yeah, you know, we could go inthere with him and let him run
around and do his thing.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
Right, but we're still instructing.
You know, we're constantlyencouraging the kids to come
over to us to do the skills, tolearn the skills the right way,
even at that age and and youknow a lot are very good about
accepting, you know, letting ushelp and things like that,
especially as time goes on andthey get used to us, used to the
gym, comfortable with all ofthat.
Our program for three to fiveyear olds they come in without
(08:14):
parents.
We have obstacle courses set upon each event and the obstacles
, yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Ninja warrior thing.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
Well, depending, we have different theme weeks that
we follow.
So, according to the theme week, it's the.
The obstacle is set up in thatway.
So, for example, this week it'ssuperhero week, so they're
jumping on the mini trampolineand flying like Superman.
They're climbing up theskyscrapers to get to the top,
like that's all incorporatedinto the obstacles.
They're going through tunnelsand it's like the batcave.
(08:42):
So you know, we incorporate theskills with the themes and pair
those together in a way thatthe kids look forward to coming
and are excited about it anddon't always realize that
they're working on thosegymnastics.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
Right, right, yeah, just make it fun.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
So it's almost April and I know at this point people
should have already figured outwhat their summer plans are,
with camps and things like that.
Do you guys offer summer camps?
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Oh yes, the camp program in general has been
growing tremendously.
Two years ago we brought campback, and last year we had an
overwhelming response to camp,so much so that parents were
really, really pushing to havemore.
Every time there's a schoolbreak or a holiday or anything
like that, we're open for camp.
(09:32):
So we have a spring break campgoing on.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
We just have a regular yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
So we have a nine to three camp program.
But now I just for spring break, just started offering before
care and after care becauseparents want it, parents really
want it and the kids have ablast.
They leave tired Parents lovethat aspect.
We feed them.
They don't have parents, justhave to drop them off.
That's really get them here andpick them up and that's all
(09:59):
they have to worry about.
So, yes, we do have a summercamp program.
There's half day options.
There's full day options andthere's no minimum.
Like people can choose to justcome for one half day.
Typically when they do, thekids are begging for more.
But you know we again we try tooffer that flexibility to work
(10:19):
with parents for what they needA lot of places do require a
minimum.
You have to commit for howeverlong for camp you camp.
People can come for what worksfor them.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Yeah, oh nice.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
So how did you?
Speaker 2 (10:30):
get into this business, were you a gymnast, so
I actually took classes atTumblebee.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
I was one of the first students when Tumblebee
opened its door 39 years ago.
I came up through the program.
I'm the oldest of seven kidsand my mom was bringing the
younger kids to the gym.
She knew the owner very well atthat point, having put a whole
bunch of kids through theprogram, and the owner at the
(10:58):
time asked if I was interestedin working.
My mom said yeah, she is.
She brought the paperwork homeand said you're working at
Tumblebee.
You start Tuesday, fill thisout.
And I worked all through highschool, all through college.
I worked.
I was in school for becoming ateacher and I actually went and
did a volunteer teaching programand I would work.
(11:20):
When I came home from that Istarted teaching in a school.
I would work on evenings andweekends at Tumblebee.
I just loved it.
I loved that it paired with theeducational aspect of it.
But also I had a first name.
I got to run around andexercise and be silly with the
kids and I wasn't chasing themfor homework and things like
that.
So I loved the aspect of it,the aspect of it.
(11:42):
So I started working and neverleft.
27 years after I started working, the owner at the time, her
daughter had twins in SouthCarolina.
She was ready to go be afull-time grandma.
At the same time, my kids werestarting school.
My kids had been at Tumblebeesince I was pregnant.
(12:03):
With them.
I worked all through gettingmarried, being pregnant, having
kids, all of that.
So it was just a very naturalthing for me to be able to come
and take this role and I stillutilize the educational skills.
I was a special ed teacher fora long time.
We offer classes for kids withspecial needs and we have a good
(12:24):
number of kids who have moremild special needs who are in
our general ed classes becausewe are able to provide the
support.
So there was a lot where I wasable to utilize those teaching
and educational skills and makeit work for my family as well.
So it was a very naturaltransition over and I'm very
(12:46):
happy that I did it.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
You know, but it's one thing working there as an
employee, it's another thingrunning the show and being
responsible for the well-beingof everyone else who works there
and driving revenue andbringing in, you know, marketing
and all that bringing newstudents.
So what was that?
Was it just a naturaladjustment for you?
I worked there for so long andwatched how things were done and
(13:10):
was was there like aneyeopening moment where you're
like oh man.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
Yes to both.
Um, yes, I definitely.
Um, I knew a lot of the aspectsthe the owner the previous
owner had had me start to dosome of the things while she was
still there so that she couldsupport me in that transition
and I wouldn't be such a shock,which was very nice, but I had
(13:36):
been, you know, working at thedesk and talking with parents
and doing all those, a lot ofthose things prior.
I also knew a lot of thefamilies very well, so that made
it easier too, because, as Icame on board, a lot of families
were very supportive and youknow whatever needed to be done
(13:58):
or very patient and things likethat.
So that was amazing.
And, yeah, there were definitelysome elements of oh, I'm the
one that has to figure this outnow, but I've had a lot of
background with differentsituations.
I've done a lot of thingsworking with kids.
I've been in supervisory rolesfor a lot of my life.
(14:18):
So, you know, I am fortunate tohave a very good support system
.
I still call the previous ownerand bounce things off of her,
but it's been honestly, whateverit is that comes up, I'm
getting to do what I love, soit's worth it.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
Yeah, yeah, that's great.
That's great.
I mean, you know, a lot ofpeople that I've talked to on my
show have talked about you know, whether they in some cases
they've like your journey.
They used to work for thecompany.
Now they own it and it's alwaysa bigger.
You know, obviously theresponsibility of being an owner
(14:57):
is a lot different than beingan employee, because you're not
only do you haveresponsibilities of other people
that are relying on you, butit's you know the budgeting, the
financial part of it, you knowthe, the paying the bills and
all that other stuff.
That's, that's a challenge.
I guess you know there's asaying that if you love what you
do, you'll never work a day inyour life.
(15:17):
I mean, I believe part of that,but you know there's still
going to be.
You're going to have your upsand downs.
There's going to be days whereit feels like that song Mama
said.
There'll be days like this.
Speaker 3 (15:29):
Always, always.
And you know, for me it's it'sa different one.
There were, there were, thosedays with teaching and there
were.
You know the stress factorthere.
So you know for sure.
And then you know everythingyou're saying is true.
The other aspect withgymnastics is the safety piece
of it too.
So that's always at theforefront of my mind and and you
(15:52):
know what I impart to the staffas well, because that's that's
the biggest thing for gymnastics.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
Yeah, that's true.
I mean you know, when you seethe competitive gymnastic events
and what some of these girlsand guys do with their bodies
and just throw themselves at youknow they're running full speed
and doing the horse or pummelhorse or whatever it's called.
You know, my God, or you knowthe uneven bars and the way they
(16:23):
throw themselves.
You know it's gotta be a littletime where you hold your breath
and hope everything's okay.
But what?
So?
What has been the mostrewarding part of of you know,
being part of Temple B and beingthe owner and being a part of
this kind of gymnastics world?
Speaker 3 (16:39):
Yep, it's always the community aspect we have.
We have people.
We have people coming here thatwere students here and now
they're bringing their kids.
I taught them as students andnow I'm teaching their kids.
That's a little crazy, but wehave, you know, grandparents who
brought their kids and are nowbringing their grandkids.
(17:01):
I have staff.
I taught over half of the staffthat are working here now so
very much that that communityaspect.
I'm always wearing my tumblebeeshirt or sweatshirt or whatever
and I'm stopped almosteverywhere you know with a story
about Tumblebee or oh, you know, I had my birthday party there
when I was five and now thataspect of it, even you mentioned
(17:33):
the cartwheel-a-thon.
At the start of it, you know,the parent had just called
because they couldn't attendclasses anymore because of the
diagnosis and it turned intothis whole thing classes anymore
because of the diagnosis and itturned into this whole thing.
So things like that that youknow we're able to be a part of
this community and have thisgroup of people and and you hear
about the difference I have aparent who had been with us for
a while and her son startedpreschool and she came back and
(17:55):
she said you know, they broughtup the fact that he was
struggling a little bit sociallyand I asked what I should do
and the preschool immediatelysaid put them in classes at
Tumblebee.
We have OTs and PTs thatrecommend us at other you know
daycares and preschools, becauseyou know people recognize the
(18:15):
value that it can bring.
I know firsthand that you knowhow it helped me because you
know it's it's learning theskills in a supportive way and
there's not always so manythings that are supportive
nowadays.
So you know when you're able toto build somebody up and it has
(18:38):
an impact on them, you knowyou'll.
You'll read the thank you notesand the emails and the cars and
whatever gets sent and I alwaystry to share it with my staff
and just say you know it matters, even if we think it doesn't.
The details.
(19:00):
A parent will send an emailabout just the way that a staff
member approached their childwhen they were scared or upset.
Or you know how the child wouldstart talking about their
experience here when theywouldn't talk to others before.
Things like that just itovershadows any of the tough
days by a thousand.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
So that's, you know, that's what it's all about,
right, About community and aboutpeople coming together.
It's it's kind of my brandmotto bringing people together
through their stories and theshared experiences that we have
as a community.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
Right, exactly.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
There's a reason why some of these boutique gyms like
CrossFit or cycle bar or orangetheory, it's not just about
getting a workout.
People feel like they're partof something.
Speaker 3 (19:48):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
And you know they're there for each other, they're
always rooting each other on,and that's the way to
successfully build a business.
I think it's.
It's to have that and, as yousaid, generational.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
And even, you know, even though I'm a business
trying to, you know, bring inclientele and promote myself and
all of that you just mentionedcycle theory.
We partnered with them to do,you know, like we had a raffle
go on with some of their goodsand they had one with some of
ours, so also being able tobuild up those partnerships and
the networking and all of thathas been amazing, because I'm
(20:24):
talking to people that you knowwe'll just shoot each other a
text and be like hey, did youhear about that?
Just because you know we'rebusiness owners together,
looking out for each other, asopposed to like trying to
compete against each other yeah,yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
So, marie, where how would people find tumblebee like
what's the best way to reachyou guys?
Speaker 3 (20:45):
yeah, um, so the website phone number is on
there, the email text facebook,all of that.
Uh, it's.
You know, the world is so smallnow, so Google Tumblebee.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Well, let's just I'll just say it anyway for the
benefit of the listeners.
It's 845-623-2553.
You're on a.
You're a place called MarketStreet, 401 Market Street in
Nanuet.
It's kind of tucked away right.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
It is so.
Next to the shops at Nanuetthere's a strip mall, and we're
in the back of the strip mallright so if you're coming from
rivervale right, you're drivingup middletown road yes uh, right
before you get to route 59.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
Uh, the big you know shops at nanuet that used to
have macy's and, yes, a bunch ofother things before you turn
into there.
Right before that there's thisother street called market
street and you go in there andyes, it's correct yeah um gps
has made it a lot easier tofigure out where we are.
Speaker 3 (21:49):
We don't, we don't get quite as many.
Speaker 2 (21:52):
Uh, I'm in the parking lot looking for you
phone calls, yeah, yeah uh, Iknow because I think I was there
for a birthday party once, um,and then obviously met you as
well.
But, uh, so, marie, this wasgreat, I really appreciate you
being a guest today and, um, youknow, again, it's.
It's interesting when, uh, Ihave all different business
(22:13):
owners on that, have alldifferent types of businesses
and stories, but the overarchingkind of connecting thread is
about community and about howthey make people feel.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
And I think that's great.
You're doing it from 10 monthsold all the way up to 12 years.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
Yes, yes, You're talking about settings.
Another saying is you know theymay forget what you said, but
they won't forget how you madethem feel and exactly All right,
Marie Well, thank you very much.
We're going to just let.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
Chuck, kick us out, and you and I'll be right back.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
Perfect, thank you.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
Thank you for listening to the good neighbor
podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to GNP Bergen.
com.
That's gnpbergen.
com, or call 201-298-8325.
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Doug Drohan.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Welcome to another episode of the Good Neighbor
Podcast brought to you by theBergen Neighbors Media Group.
I am your host, doug Drohan,and today we are going to tumble
and rumble with Marie Wood, theowner of Tumble Bee Gymnastics
in Nanuet, new York.
Welcome to the show.
Thank you, thrilled to be here.
Yeah, we were talking last year.
(00:34):
I believe it was about a yearor so ago.
You had one of my idols and I'ma big Met fan.
You had Dwight Gooden.
Come to Tumblebee, which isinteresting.
You're a gymnastics and playspace for kids.
But hey, dwight cameen.
Come to which is interesting.
You're like a gymnastics andplay space for kids, but hey,
Dwight came.
That's great.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
So we did a cartwheel-a-thon to raise money
for one of our students, atwo-year-old that was diagnosed
with a terminal brain cancer.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Oh, wow, okay.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Yeah, and so Doc Gooden does a lot of outreach
work and volunteer things andjust you know, fundraising,
building awareness, and he cameto help promote the event and
get people to the family, youknow as much, as they were
experiencing extreme financialsituations.
(01:18):
They really just wantedawareness of it because it's
such a rare thing.
So he was a big help that way.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
That's great.
So tell us a little bit aboutTumblebee gymnastics, Like
what's the history of it?
I know you're in NUET now, butit started off in Pearl River
right.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
It did.
Yes, tumblebee started in PearlRiver in August of 1986.
It's the 39th year forTumblebee, 1986.
It's the 39th year forTumblebee, so very exciting.
Tumblebee moved from PearlRiver.
It was there shortly.
It had two locations in NewCity and has been in.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Nanuet for 27 years now.
All right, so it's been arounda long time since the Mets won
the World Series actually arounda long time since the Mets won
the World Series actually.
So why do you think it's beenable?
I mean, there are othergymnastic places.
There's big national franchiseslike my Gym and Little Gym and
(02:17):
of course, there's a lot ofgymnastics places around closest
.
I mean, I know there's one inOrangeburg, there's one in
Norwood, new Jersey, there's onein Hillsdale, new Jersey.
What's different aboutTumblebee?
And why do you think it's beenaround for so many years?
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Yeah.
So Tumblebee, you know.
You talk about the places likethe franchises that are around.
They have, you know, a certainthing that they have to offer.
You have then kind of on theother end, the big competitive
gyms, and they have, you know,something to offer as well.
We are kind of the best of bothworlds, for from my perspective
(02:55):
and from a lot of families inRockland perspective, we are a
gymnastics program, so we teachthe skills, we have them, you
know, learning the basics.
We go from 10 months to 12years, even have them.
You know, learning the basics.
We go from 10 months to 12years.
Even at 10 months they'relearning the basics, the
beginnings, the fundamentals forgymnastics, which doesn't
necessarily happen in otherplaces.
(03:16):
You know, again, there's thingsthat people focus on, but it
may be more of gymnastics inname as opposed to in
practicality and actually doingit.
Then you have, on the oppositeend, the very competitive.
You know you have to do a drilland skill and that's it, and
(03:36):
there's no leeway and there's nowiggle room.
We have a program where, like Isaid, we teach the skills the
right way.
We want them to learn it, butour goal is to have every kid
walk out the door feeling betterthan when he or she walked in.
So we are not a competitiveprogram.
I'm not concerned about losingtenths of a point going to a
competition.
I want the kids to learn theskills but celebrate the
(03:59):
accomplishments along the way.
So you know, if a kid couldn'tdo a cartwheel the week before
and now something is starting tolook like a cartwheel, I'm not
going to be saying, ah, you knowyour knees are bent or I will,
but I'll say it nicely.
But first we're going tocelebrate that you can do more
than you could do before andyou're moving forward.
And you know we're so excitedabout that and we're excited
(04:20):
together.
The kid is excited, theteachers are excited.
You know we're able tocelebrate and recognize that
kids progress at their ownlevels, that you know every
child is an individual and wecan provide a lot of
individualized attention, a lotof support, and we're able to be
flexible and accommodate for alot of families.
(04:42):
A lot of you know kids and whatthey need, as opposed to trying
to have them fit into a mold.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Nice.
So what is the Fun and Fitgymnastics curriculum.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
Yep.
So there is a nationallyrecognized program called Fun
and Fit.
It breaks down gymnasticsskills into the different
apparatuses.
So floor bars, balance beam,trampoline, dance, mini
trampoline, vaulting, parallelbars, rings, everything is
broken down.
There's different levels thatthey move through, again
(05:16):
non-competitive.
But kids will start off doing a,for example, a cartwheel lead
up over a box.
Then they'll move to doing acartwheel on the floor, then
they'll move to doing acartwheel with the non-domin a
box.
Then they'll move to doing acartwheel on the floor, then
they'll move to doing acartwheel with the non-dominant
side, then they'll move to aroundoff.
So the fun and fit programtakes all of those skills and
breaks them down veryprogressively.
We load those skills onto anaccount for every single student
(05:38):
that comes and as the studentcomes to the class we mark off
okay, they can do this skill.
You know level one, skill 13,.
They've, they've done that.
Now they're going to move tothe next step in doing it.
So you know, for the student asyou know, billy comes in
through the door we know exactlywhat he's worked on, what he's
(05:59):
achieved last time, and thenthis is what we're moving
towards now.
So again, we we've it down forthe child to be able to work to
meet them at their level.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
I mean, it sounds like natural, like that's how
everybody should teach it.
You know that you have to learnone skill to then progress to
the next and the next.
So it's interesting that youguys are in only gyms in the
area to teach that.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
Yeah, so.
So we're one of the only onesthat has followed this specific
program, which has had very goodfeedback and success nationally
and the other thing for us isthat we've, beyond the program
itself, we've created somemodifications for kids who may
need a little more or who mayfind it a little too challenging
, and we don't want thefrustration to become so
(06:51):
overwhelming that, oh, you're onthe same thing, you're on the
same thing.
Well, how can we fix it so thatyou know the kid can be
successful, still accomplishingthe spirit of the skill?
But you know, let's, let'sagain meet them where they're at
and work with them so that it'snot.
I need this one skill and I'monly doing that and what?
Speaker 2 (07:10):
what ages do you have anywhere from preschool to how
old?
Speaker 3 (07:14):
We actually start 10 months, so we have toddlers in
here.
Um, we go up to 12 years, so wehave different programs.
Um, you know, we have a toddlergym program and romp and roll,
where parents are in the gymwith the kids.
And you know, we have theoption of a little more
structured for the ones that canhandle it, a little less so for
(07:35):
the kids that just kind of needthat space to run around.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Yeah, we did that.
We did that with my son.
We were living down nearHoboken, new Jersey, and we
found a place there when he was,you know, two or three.
Yeah, you know, we could go inthere with him and let him run
around and do his thing.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
Right, but we're still instructing.
You know, we're constantlyencouraging the kids to come
over to us to do the skills, tolearn the skills the right way,
even at that age and and youknow a lot are very good about
accepting, you know, letting ushelp and things like that,
especially as time goes on andthey get used to us, used to the
gym, comfortable with all ofthat.
Our program for three to fiveyear olds they come in without
(08:14):
parents.
We have obstacle courses set upon each event and the obstacles
, yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Ninja warrior thing.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
Well, depending, we have different theme weeks that
we follow.
So, according to the theme week, it's the.
The obstacle is set up in thatway.
So, for example, this week it'ssuperhero week, so they're
jumping on the mini trampolineand flying like Superman.
They're climbing up theskyscrapers to get to the top,
like that's all incorporatedinto the obstacles.
They're going through tunnelsand it's like the batcave.
(08:42):
So you know, we incorporate theskills with the themes and pair
those together in a way thatthe kids look forward to coming
and are excited about it anddon't always realize that
they're working on thosegymnastics.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
Right, right, yeah, just make it fun.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
So it's almost April and I know at this point people
should have already figured outwhat their summer plans are,
with camps and things like that.
Do you guys offer summer camps?
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Oh yes, the camp program in general has been
growing tremendously.
Two years ago we brought campback, and last year we had an
overwhelming response to camp,so much so that parents were
really, really pushing to havemore.
Every time there's a schoolbreak or a holiday or anything
like that, we're open for camp.
(09:32):
So we have a spring break campgoing on.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
We just have a regular yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
So we have a nine to three camp program.
But now I just for spring break, just started offering before
care and after care becauseparents want it, parents really
want it and the kids have ablast.
They leave tired Parents lovethat aspect.
We feed them.
They don't have parents, justhave to drop them off.
That's really get them here andpick them up and that's all
(09:59):
they have to worry about.
So, yes, we do have a summercamp program.
There's half day options.
There's full day options andthere's no minimum.
Like people can choose to justcome for one half day.
Typically when they do, thekids are begging for more.
But you know we again we try tooffer that flexibility to work
(10:19):
with parents for what they needA lot of places do require a
minimum.
You have to commit for howeverlong for camp you camp.
People can come for what worksfor them.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Yeah, oh nice.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
So how did you?
Speaker 2 (10:30):
get into this business, were you a gymnast, so
I actually took classes atTumblebee.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
I was one of the first students when Tumblebee
opened its door 39 years ago.
I came up through the program.
I'm the oldest of seven kidsand my mom was bringing the
younger kids to the gym.
She knew the owner very well atthat point, having put a whole
bunch of kids through theprogram, and the owner at the
(10:58):
time asked if I was interestedin working.
My mom said yeah, she is.
She brought the paperwork homeand said you're working at
Tumblebee.
You start Tuesday, fill thisout.
And I worked all through highschool, all through college.
I worked.
I was in school for becoming ateacher and I actually went and
did a volunteer teaching programand I would work.
(11:20):
When I came home from that Istarted teaching in a school.
I would work on evenings andweekends at Tumblebee.
I just loved it.
I loved that it paired with theeducational aspect of it.
But also I had a first name.
I got to run around andexercise and be silly with the
kids and I wasn't chasing themfor homework and things like
that.
So I loved the aspect of it,the aspect of it.
(11:42):
So I started working and neverleft.
27 years after I started working, the owner at the time, her
daughter had twins in SouthCarolina.
She was ready to go be afull-time grandma.
At the same time, my kids werestarting school.
My kids had been at Tumblebeesince I was pregnant.
(12:03):
With them.
I worked all through gettingmarried, being pregnant, having
kids, all of that.
So it was just a very naturalthing for me to be able to come
and take this role and I stillutilize the educational skills.
I was a special ed teacher fora long time.
We offer classes for kids withspecial needs and we have a good
(12:24):
number of kids who have moremild special needs who are in
our general ed classes becausewe are able to provide the
support.
So there was a lot where I wasable to utilize those teaching
and educational skills and makeit work for my family as well.
So it was a very naturaltransition over and I'm very
(12:46):
happy that I did it.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
You know, but it's one thing working there as an
employee, it's another thingrunning the show and being
responsible for the well-beingof everyone else who works there
and driving revenue andbringing in, you know, marketing
and all that bringing newstudents.
So what was that?
Was it just a naturaladjustment for you?
I worked there for so long andwatched how things were done and
(13:10):
was was there like aneyeopening moment where you're
like oh man.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
Yes to both.
Um, yes, I definitely.
Um, I knew a lot of the aspectsthe the owner the previous
owner had had me start to dosome of the things while she was
still there so that she couldsupport me in that transition
and I wouldn't be such a shock,which was very nice, but I had
(13:36):
been, you know, working at thedesk and talking with parents
and doing all those, a lot ofthose things prior.
I also knew a lot of thefamilies very well, so that made
it easier too, because, as Icame on board, a lot of families
were very supportive and youknow whatever needed to be done
(13:58):
or very patient and things likethat.
So that was amazing.
And, yeah, there were definitelysome elements of oh, I'm the
one that has to figure this outnow, but I've had a lot of
background with differentsituations.
I've done a lot of thingsworking with kids.
I've been in supervisory rolesfor a lot of my life.
(14:18):
So, you know, I am fortunate tohave a very good support system
.
I still call the previous ownerand bounce things off of her,
but it's been honestly, whateverit is that comes up, I'm
getting to do what I love, soit's worth it.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
Yeah, yeah, that's great.
That's great.
I mean, you know, a lot ofpeople that I've talked to on my
show have talked about you know, whether they in some cases
they've like your journey.
They used to work for thecompany.
Now they own it and it's alwaysa bigger.
You know, obviously theresponsibility of being an owner
(14:57):
is a lot different than beingan employee, because you're not
only do you haveresponsibilities of other people
that are relying on you, butit's you know the budgeting, the
financial part of it, you knowthe, the paying the bills and
all that other stuff.
That's, that's a challenge.
I guess you know there's asaying that if you love what you
do, you'll never work a day inyour life.
(15:17):
I mean, I believe part of that,but you know there's still
going to be.
You're going to have your upsand downs.
There's going to be days whereit feels like that song Mama
said.
There'll be days like this.
Speaker 3 (15:29):
Always, always.
And you know, for me it's it'sa different one.
There were, there were, thosedays with teaching and there
were.
You know the stress factorthere.
So you know for sure.
And then you know everythingyou're saying is true.
The other aspect withgymnastics is the safety piece
of it too.
So that's always at theforefront of my mind and and you
(15:52):
know what I impart to the staffas well, because that's that's
the biggest thing for gymnastics.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
Yeah, that's true.
I mean you know, when you seethe competitive gymnastic events
and what some of these girlsand guys do with their bodies
and just throw themselves at youknow they're running full speed
and doing the horse or pummelhorse or whatever it's called.
You know, my God, or you knowthe uneven bars and the way they
(16:23):
throw themselves.
You know it's gotta be a littletime where you hold your breath
and hope everything's okay.
But what?
So?
What has been the mostrewarding part of of you know,
being part of Temple B and beingthe owner and being a part of
this kind of gymnastics world?
Speaker 3 (16:39):
Yep, it's always the community aspect we have.
We have people.
We have people coming here thatwere students here and now
they're bringing their kids.
I taught them as students andnow I'm teaching their kids.
That's a little crazy, but wehave, you know, grandparents who
brought their kids and are nowbringing their grandkids.
(17:01):
I have staff.
I taught over half of the staffthat are working here now so
very much that that communityaspect.
I'm always wearing my tumblebeeshirt or sweatshirt or whatever
and I'm stopped almosteverywhere you know with a story
about Tumblebee or oh, you know, I had my birthday party there
when I was five and now thataspect of it, even you mentioned
(17:33):
the cartwheel-a-thon.
At the start of it, you know,the parent had just called
because they couldn't attendclasses anymore because of the
diagnosis and it turned intothis whole thing classes anymore
because of the diagnosis and itturned into this whole thing.
So things like that that youknow we're able to be a part of
this community and have thisgroup of people and and you hear
about the difference I have aparent who had been with us for
a while and her son startedpreschool and she came back and
(17:55):
she said you know, they broughtup the fact that he was
struggling a little bit sociallyand I asked what I should do
and the preschool immediatelysaid put them in classes at
Tumblebee.
We have OTs and PTs thatrecommend us at other you know
daycares and preschools, becauseyou know people recognize the
(18:15):
value that it can bring.
I know firsthand that you knowhow it helped me because you
know it's it's learning theskills in a supportive way and
there's not always so manythings that are supportive
nowadays.
So you know when you're able toto build somebody up and it has
(18:38):
an impact on them, you knowyou'll.
You'll read the thank you notesand the emails and the cars and
whatever gets sent and I alwaystry to share it with my staff
and just say you know it matters, even if we think it doesn't.
The details.
(19:00):
A parent will send an emailabout just the way that a staff
member approached their childwhen they were scared or upset.
Or you know how the child wouldstart talking about their
experience here when theywouldn't talk to others before.
Things like that just itovershadows any of the tough
days by a thousand.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
So that's, you know, that's what it's all about,
right, About community and aboutpeople coming together.
It's it's kind of my brandmotto bringing people together
through their stories and theshared experiences that we have
as a community.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
Right, exactly.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
There's a reason why some of these boutique gyms like
CrossFit or cycle bar or orangetheory, it's not just about
getting a workout.
People feel like they're partof something.
Speaker 3 (19:48):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
And you know they're there for each other, they're
always rooting each other on,and that's the way to
successfully build a business.
I think it's.
It's to have that and, as yousaid, generational.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
And even, you know, even though I'm a business
trying to, you know, bring inclientele and promote myself and
all of that you just mentionedcycle theory.
We partnered with them to do,you know, like we had a raffle
go on with some of their goodsand they had one with some of
ours, so also being able tobuild up those partnerships and
the networking and all of thathas been amazing, because I'm
(20:24):
talking to people that you knowwe'll just shoot each other a
text and be like hey, did youhear about that?
Just because you know we'rebusiness owners together,
looking out for each other, asopposed to like trying to
compete against each other yeah,yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
So, marie, where how would people find tumblebee like
what's the best way to reachyou guys?
Speaker 3 (20:45):
yeah, um, so the website phone number is on
there, the email text facebook,all of that.
Uh, it's.
You know, the world is so smallnow, so Google Tumblebee.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Well, let's just I'll just say it anyway for the
benefit of the listeners.
It's 845-623-2553.
You're on a.
You're a place called MarketStreet, 401 Market Street in
Nanuet.
It's kind of tucked away right.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
It is so.
Next to the shops at Nanuetthere's a strip mall, and we're
in the back of the strip mallright so if you're coming from
rivervale right, you're drivingup middletown road yes uh, right
before you get to route 59.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
Uh, the big you know shops at nanuet that used to
have macy's and, yes, a bunch ofother things before you turn
into there.
Right before that there's thisother street called market
street and you go in there andyes, it's correct yeah um gps
has made it a lot easier tofigure out where we are.
Speaker 3 (21:49):
We don't, we don't get quite as many.
Speaker 2 (21:52):
Uh, I'm in the parking lot looking for you
phone calls, yeah, yeah uh, Iknow because I think I was there
for a birthday party once, um,and then obviously met you as
well.
But, uh, so, marie, this wasgreat, I really appreciate you
being a guest today and, um, youknow, again, it's.
It's interesting when, uh, Ihave all different business
(22:13):
owners on that, have alldifferent types of businesses
and stories, but the overarchingkind of connecting thread is
about community and about howthey make people feel.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
And I think that's great.
You're doing it from 10 monthsold all the way up to 12 years.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
Yes, yes, You're talking about settings.
Another saying is you know theymay forget what you said, but
they won't forget how you madethem feel and exactly All right,
Marie Well, thank you very much.
We're going to just let.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
Chuck, kick us out, and you and I'll be right back.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
Perfect, thank you.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
Thank you for listening to the good neighbor
podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to GNP Bergen.
com.
That's gnpbergen.
com, or call 201-298-8325.
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