Just like in any sport, gymnasts need a place to train. However, these places require a monthly payment for training, competing and much more.<\/p>\n
For MaJe Lee, University of Utah gymnast Kari Lee\u2019s mother, instead of writing that check every month for her five kids, it made more sense just to run a gym herself. But it wasn\u2019t without difficulty.<\/p>\n
For over 11 years, the Flames Gymnastics Academy has been a major part of MaJe and her family\u2019s life. For Kari, it\u2019s the gym she trained at for most of her career \u2014 and she has been a part of it since her parents took over the gym.<\/p>\n
Owning a business can be tricky though, and many business owners can\u2019t make it. Taking the core business classes for her major at the U has opened Kari\u2019s eyes to different elements of the business world, and it has taught her how to run a business successfully.<\/p>\n
\u201cStuff like that with technology and everything, it can make things a lot better,\u201d Kari said. \u201cAlso with how recruiting has been so huge in gymnastics \u2014 they start recruiting at a young age \u2014 technology helps put videos together, so doing stuff like that for the younger generation is a big thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kari hopes that one day she can take her parents\u2019 place in running the gym herself. Right now, Kari\u2019s oldest brother runs the second gym they opened a few years ago, her second brother is an assistant coach to her long-time coach and her sister is the women\u2019s coach.<\/p>\n
\u201cI definitely have that in my future, hopefully,\u201d Kari said. \u201cI\u2019m getting my degree in business and communication, so I\u2019m trying to learn about the business side of things so I can help bring new things to the table when I go back.\u201d<\/p>\n
MaJe\u2019s goal for the gym is to train, progress and get athletes ready for competition. According to MaJe, some people didn\u2019t like that, because they didn\u2019t want their kids to be Olympians, but her philosophy is if they are going to do it, they are going do it right.<\/p>\n