On the outside, the building where Tumbleweeds Gymnastics is housed has all the charm of a warehouse, which is exactly what it is.
But inside the 15,000-square-foot facility at 1859 W. Grant Road, the atmosphere is much different.
Plastered all over the walls are the achievements of the Tumbleweeds' many top gymnasts, who have collected countless state, regional and national awards since owner Kim Bird started the club in 1990.
Several more awards could be added to the walls this month when six Tumbleweeds gymnasts compete in the USA Gymnastics Junior Olympic Nationals.
Four girls — Monica Ahanonu, Caitlin Mann, Kassandra Lopez and Kindra Wright — will perform at the Level 9 Western Championships taking place Friday through Sunday in Spokane, Wash. A week later, Amanda Hunter and Kristen Schmeider will represent Tumbleweeds at the Level 10 Junior Olympic Nationals May 18-20 in Mason, Ohio.
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"We have the most kids of any club in the state," said Bird, who also coaches the gymnasts. "These girls have really toughed it out. Our kids are just hitting (their routines) right now. "
The last time a Level 10 gymnast from Tumbleweeds made nationals was in 2004, when Marana High School grad Courtney Dennison went for the third time. Dennison is currently a junior at Oregon State, and last month competed with OSU in the NCAA championships.
The main difference between Level 9 and 10 is the increased difficulty of some of the requirements gymnasts must meet in their routines, Bird said.
For Hunter and Schmeider, making the nationals puts the finishing touch on a pair of stellar careers that saw both girls make Level 10 at an early age but always come up just short of making nationals.
"I was an alternate for three years," said Hunter, 18, a senior at Catalina Foothills who reached Level 10 in seventh grade. "My age group has been one of the hardest."
Hunter said making it this year was especially rewarding after she injured her ankle early in the season, coming back just in time to perform at the state tournament and win the Level 10 all-around title.
Schmeider, an 18-year-old senior at Sabino, has been in Level 10 since her freshman year of high school. She's been making the long drive to and from her home on Tucson's Northeast Side to Tumbleweeds' gym for much longer, but she says it's been worth it to be part of the teamlike atmosphere that Bird has instilled.
"I think, when you're having a hard time with yourself, it helps to have teammates to cheer on," Schmeider said.
"We do a lot of things with our team — it's good to have them there for support," added Ahanonu, a 16-year-old sophomore at Foothills who is headed to nationals in her first year of Level 9. "I was happy to make it, because I'd worked hard for it the whole year."
Bird said a strong support system has been a key to his gymnasts' success over the years, especially when it comes to helping girls avoid getting distracted as they get older. But a great amount of skill is also required.
"First off, you've got to be talented," said Bird, a Canyon del Oro High School grad who was part of the University of Arizona's final men's gymnastics team in 1980-81. "There are a lot of girls that get into gymnastics that never get this far."
Headed to nationals
Six girls from the Tumbleweeds Gymnastics Club will compete in national meets later this month:
Name Age School Level
Monica Ahanonu 16 Catalina Foothills HS Level 9
Amanda Hunter 18 Catalina Foothills HS Level 10
Kassandra Lopez 13 Amphitheater MS Level 9
Caitlin Mann 14 Magee MS Level 9
Kristen Schmeider 18 Sabino HS Level 10
Kindra Wright 18 Catalina HS Level 9
