Becky Austin started her gymnastics career in a parks and recreation program when she was four years old. After a few years, her family enrolled her in club gymnastics and she competed until she began coaching in high school.

“Gymnastics has been my whole world since I was little,” Austin said.

How it happened

Austin introduced her husband, Todd, to adult gymnastics, and he was a natural, she said. He gained a deeper understanding of the sport after their daughter began competing, and together they took on the dream of owning a gym.

The couple opened Texas Twisters Gymnastics in early 2024.

“I’ve got a lot of good mentors, and I’ve been at a lot of great gyms. I’ve been able to pull all the best ideas … and put them all into one thing that we’ve created here,” Austin said.

What they offer

When Texas Twisters Gymnastics first opened, it had three coaches, including Austin. Now, there are 25 coaches on staff with classes Monday through Saturday.

The gym offers recreational adult and youth classes, day camps, programs for homeschool children, birthday parties, open gym time and more. Children can start taking classes at 1 year old, with parent participation.

The gym has four levels: beginner, intermediate, elite and advanced elite. At age 6, kids can join the beginner classes where the structure moves from an age-based program to skill-based.

Also of note

Texas Twisters Gymnastics also has a competitive team for children who are qualified and want more commitment. The team is tryout-based, and travels around Texas for competitions four to six times per year.

What’s special about it?

The Austins wanted their gym to value quality over quantity. To them, this means offering lower time commitment options and a healthier environment.

“We really care about the kids’ well-being in the gym,” Todd Austin said. “We’ll never be the kind of gym where coaches are yelling at the kids, and they’re crying because they couldn’t hit a skill.”

Todd Austin said they recognize many children won’t stay in gymnastics for long, and the couple wants students to look back at their time as a positive experience.

“As a parent, I like that too,” Austin said. “My daughter’s home for dinner. She’s not at the gym every single night. That makes us a little different.”

Looking ahead

Since opening in 2024, Texas Twisters Gymnastics has grown to around 600 attendees. To accommodate the growing number of participants, the Austins are working toward moving to a bigger gym.

“This space was a great start, but we always knew it was too small,” Austin said. “There are a few nights we’re already at capacity here.”

On the competition side, they also hope to add a new level to the program each year until they reach Level 10, which is the top of the USA Gymnastics scale, before the elite level.

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