About Us

Who we are

Jen Lennon: Head Coach

Ally Daum: Senior Coach

Jen (Chessell) Lennon, had been employed in 1999 by a local dance company teaching Acro Gymnastics (after 20 years as a competitive gymnast) when that dance company decided to move to Stratford in 2003. Jen felt that the children in Mitchell would benefit from a local gymnastics club and her students at the time really wanted to stay in Mitchell.

So, the ‘Mitchell Gymnastics Club’ was officially formed in 2003 with 35 members and 1 instructor, Jen Lennon.

Classes were a couple of nights per week at the Mitchell Canadian Legion where we had a tumbling floor for the students, ranging in age from 5 – 15 years old where they worked on their tumbling moves and floor routines. We held a year end demo with approximately 40 parents in attendance.

As the club grew, we hired 2 student coaches, and we also needed to find a larger space, so the purchase of 214 Cooper Street in Mitchell was finalized in May of 2004. After applying for a zone change and extensive renovations the club officially opened in September 2004 with approximately 75 students registered.

We offered a tumbling floor, donated balance beams, and a vault. As we grew, we had to expand the club to add a full kinder gym space as well as the main gym area and we purchased more equipment.

We offer classes 4 evenings per week as well as Saturday mornings. Our sessions run September to January, January to May, and a mini session May to June. We do a ½ day 1 week of summer camp in July. Our head coach and owner is Jen Lennon plus we have 13 student coaches to train our membership of approximately over 260 plus students and growing.

Our club finale had outgrown our own space and until 2019 (due to Covid epidemic) was held yearly at the Mitchell Arena with over 1200 family members enjoying the routines/demonstrations that each class had worked on over the year. We now hold a more intimate family Open House at the end of each session at Mitchell Upper Thames Missionary Church (old Mitchell Public School gym) in their main hall, where each gymnastics class showcases their personally choreographed floor routine and demonstration of their skills they have been working on over the session.

We are a family owned club with no fundraising requirements. Our goal is for children to enjoy the sport of gymnastics in a safe and friendly environment with skill and fun working hand in hand since 2003.

WHY GYMNASTICS?

Gymnastics has so many benefits for children ….10 Benefits of Gymnastics for children

1. Spatial Awareness-Gymnasts develop a strong awareness of body and spatial orientation with the understanding of distances, heights and angles.

2. Focus & Coordination – Gymnastics teaches a child to concentrate for longer with importance of details while drowning out distractions.

3. Problem Solving-Learning a new skill includes trial and error, which teaches children resilience and an open mind set to achieve a specific outcome.

4. Cognitive Flexibility-Gymnastics mixes mind and body skills with smooth coordination teaches children to be flexible with the process. Children learn a lot about adapting to unexpected situations and changes.

5. Memory & Sequencing- Gymnasts learn a variety of skills and routines with huge improvement in cognitive skills related to recollection & pattern recognition.

6. Discipline & Time Development-Mastering complex movements while drowning out distractions safely, while following instructions lead to discipline and understanding time management in the gym.

7. Social Intelligence-Gymnastics is an individual sport mostly, but children learn to work with classmates, share equipment, encourage and show excitement for others in a peer setting.

8. Enhanced Coordination & Motor Skills-Gymnasts learn precision & coordination while learning a new skill or the sequence of a routine which develops a variety of motor skills coordinating exactly what is needed.

9. Emotional Regulation-Gymnastics teaches discipline and focus, which give us a sense of control, self regulation, self understanding and a stronger emotional well being.

10. Confidence & Self Esteem-Mastering a variety of skills leads a child to understand intrinsic rewards, to conquer fears, persevere through challenges, and value the outcome.

Gymnastics provides overall child development and growth in many areas children will carry with them for life and Mitchell Gymnastics is so proud to have been part of all our members lives since 2003. We have been able to offer this great sport to children in Perth and Huron Counties at our facility and been part of the amazing student coaches that we have been able to shape over the years. As a family-owned business, we pride ourselves in the personal aspect of teaching these children for more than 23 years. Jen Lennon Owner/Head Coach.

Jen with some of her original
gymnastics team

Our Facilities

We offer a spring floor tumbling area, 2 full size balance beams, a competitive size table vault and a standard size set of uneven bars in our main gym area plus we offer a fully equipped kinder gym room with the same apparatus just suitable for the smaller gymnast.

Meet the Team

Jen Lennon

is the founder and head coach of Mitchell Gymnastics Club
Michelle Chessell

lives in Bayfield and handles admin and organization of the club
Ally Daum

Senior Coach lives in Mitchell and been an instructor since 2016
Aubrey Tschudi

lives in Seebach's Hill and been an instructor since 2023
Bailee Twamley

lives in Sebringville and been an instructor since 2023
Brooke Workman

lives in Mitchell and been an instruction since 2022
Haley Bennewies

lives in Dublin and been an instructor since 2025
Haley McLean

lives in Monkton and been an instructor since 2025
Kayden Jordan

lives in Mitchell and been an instructor since 2023
Kaylee Christie

lives in Russeldale and been an instructor since 2020
Lena Thompson

lives in St. Marys and been an instructor since 2023
Sarah Weiler

lives in Egmondville and been an instructor since 2025
Sophia Brace

lives in Mitchell and been an instructor since 2022
Violet Brace

lives in Mitchell and been an instructor since 2022
2025 Coaching Staff