After about a month since its opening, the new Aerial Gymnastics Club (AGC) facility in Redondo Beach has drawn significant local attention, with consistent new student enrollment and the continuation of a positive gymnastics environment that their Torrance location first brought to life. Megan Hogentogler, a coach for the recreational classes at both locations, sees the expansion as beneficial for local families and their kids. 

“Expanding to a larger space brings a lot of new clients for people who live in North Redondo. It’s a lot closer for them. It also gives more options to the people who are in between [North and South Redondo], or their jobs are in North Redondo. It’s easier to bring their kids there. Both gyms are great, so whichever one they decide to go to, they’re going to get the same care and they’re gonna have fun wherever they go,” Hogentogler said.

The club’s new location officially opened on Feb. 1, with their recreational classes beginning immediately and their competitive team transitioning the week after. Each recreational class is 45 minutes long and runs through three different circuits that allow gymnasts to try several skills according to their level of ability. The combination of positive encouragement from coaches and fun, interactive stations create a place where gymnasts can develop fundamental, foundational skills. Mackenzie Andershock, another recreational class coach who spends her weekends coaching at the Torrance location, emphasizes the gym’s value.

“The new gym helps the AGC community in so many ways,” Andershock said. “I think one of the reasons they want to come here is because we have such a kind, loving community. AGC is a super healthy gymnastics environment, which is something that is kind of rare to come by, so being able to expand on something good is great for everyone in the Torrance and Redondo area.”

The coaches believe the gym’s emphasis on creating an encouraging environment is what sets it apart from other gyms. Like any sport, improvement can only take place in a setting that allows an athlete to keep a positive mindset that can foster growth, physically and mentally. For children, having fun while practicing their gymnastics is an important part of fostering that growth. Having reliable and relatable coaches does just that, according to Hogentogler.

“The ages vary, but [coaches are] mostly between junior in high school to junior or senior in college, with a few exceptions. A lot of us were kids not too long ago compared to other people, so we know what the kids find funny,” Hogentogler said.

The supportive environment that AGC nourishes is not only felt by the gymnasts and their families but coaches as well. The gym’s coaches are passionate about their job and, according to Andershock, can find several benefits in having such a job outside of the gym.

“Coaching helped me come out of my shell, and it helped me to become a better speaker in high school. Working with kids helped me enunciate better and helped me think clearer on the spot because you never know the next move they’re gonna pull,” Andershock said. “Here, I was able to take leadership over a group of kids. Working with children is not necessarily something that’s easy to do, but it’s also one of the most rewarding things you can have.”

Opportunities like these extend further than skill-building for athletes, also offering valuable experience for coaches. With several staff members balancing school and work, the gym provides a space to develop leadership, communication and mentorship skills that can carry into future careers. For some coaches, that experience also continues a long-term connection to the sport.

“I’m a Mechanical Engineer at University of Southern California. I’m basically studying all the time, and it gets tiring at times, so having a weekend to give back to this younger generation, it kind of grounds me. These kids are just getting started, and everything is exciting to them. It reminds me of why I did engineering in the first place because it was exciting to me,” Andershock said. “At a certain point, my love for gymnastics transitioned from a love of being the one doing gymnastics, but now it’s a love of being able to share my love.”