Empowering Children to Reach their Potential
On February 1st, 1999, owner Aubrey Ryan founded Shoot for the Stars Gymnastics because of her love of 2 things; children and gymnastics. After having both the honor and pleasure of working with thousands of children and families for over 20 years, her love has grown to a passion for embracing and nurturing ALL kids and their families, regardless of where their personal interests lie. Over the past 20 years, Shoot for the Stars Gymnastics has expanded multiple times and has been renamed, Shoot for the Stars Youth Center to better correspond with the number of youth programs now housed at Shoot for the Stars
Since June 2000, Shoot for the Stars Youth Center has housed one of largest, most popular Preschool Developmental and gymnastics programs in the K.C. Northland area. We offer a separate gym packed full of equipment just their size, and a foam pit too. Here, the younger kids are allowed to be in a safe area, where there are no safety concerns about interfering with older students. Our exciting lesson plans are carefully designed to work in accordance with developing the skills that go hand in hand with the development of many gross, fine and locomotor skills, but also aid in developing reading readiness.
In May 2001, Shoot for the Stars relocated to a brand new, larger facility, where we were able to add a cheerleading program, birthday parties, summer camps, open gyms and various other activities.
In 2010, as we re-modeled and further expanded our facility, Aubrey re-named Shoot for the Stars Gymnastics, Shoot for the Stars Youth Center, to more accurately describe the current and future projected expansion of services we offered our families.
In 2016, SFTS was thrilled to become the practice home of Smithville High School and Smithville Middle School Cheerleading Squads and home to Smithville Scholars Homeschool P.E. Classes. In 2016, we also began offering a theater program for children’s ages 8 & up, where we have been blessed to have some amazing instructors.
On April 1, 2018, we moved to a new larger location, where we have more space and equipment in the individual gyms and classrooms for all programs, and more room and comfort for our parents and guests to observe activities and classes. Our new location also offers more parking and nearly 8 times more acreage to utilize.
On June 1, 2018, PC Cheer, (K-6th grade Platte County Youth Cheerleading league), officially named Shoot for the Stars their home for weekly, year round tumbling instruction and practice.
In 2019, Shoot for the Stars is proud to once again be called home to a number of USAG Gymnastics State and Regional Champion Gymnasts and National Acrobatic Competition Champions, as many of our gymnasts finished on top at these events.
Perhaps as exciting as ever, Aubrey is thrilled to begin seeing another one of her long time dreams come true over the past few years. As we approached our 25th-year Anniversary,
we realized that children that made Shoot for the Stars a part of their lives in their younger, more formative years, are becoming todays’s leaders in part because of their experience here with us! We’re so proud to have been a large part of the lives of Nashville recording artist, Casi Joy, Utah State College gymnasts Paige Jones and Kristen Meyers (also named NCAA assistant gymnastics coach of the year in 2018), Clinton County prosecutor Brandi Kellam, among other individuals that have become successful doctors, nurses, therapists teachers, community leaders and parents! Aubrey loves nothing more than to receive a text, phone call or note, saying, “Shoot for the Stars made a positive difference in my life.”!
Today, Shoot for the Stars is proud to house awesome recreational and competitive tumbling and gymnastics programs, an extremely popular preschool developmental gym program, a very interactive Ninja Warrior program, a wonderful cheerleading program- directed by a former college cheerleader.