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.