Horizon Gymnastics - About Us

Tara Horner is the owner and operator of Horizon Gymnastics — a gymnast herself with plenty of experience in competitive gymnastics, including college at UNK. She’s been coaching in college and other school levels for over eight years.

Starting Horizon Gymnastics several years ago, she’s steadily built it by word of mouth and reputation throughout the region — she now has students from throughout south central Nebraska and as far away as Glade, KS.

Students range in age from three to high school seniors. Both boys and girls train at the school. Many of the kids participate in the AMERIKIDS program, an AAU-sponsored program that is accessible to all. It’s designed to allow all kids to be competitive at their own level of training.

Students range in age from three to high school seniors. Both boys and girls train at the school. Many of the kids participate in the AMERIKIDS program, an AAU-sponsored program that is accessible to all. It’s designed to allow all kids to be competitive at their own level of training.

Horner is proud that her students have won state championships the last two years and will compete again in April of 2008. Thirty one Horizon Gymnasts participated in the National Championships in Kansas City in June and earned several top honors, with eight National Champions in the AMERIKIDS program, including four All-Around Champions and four Individual Event Championships — despite the challenge of competing against over 500 participants nationwide!

“Competitions are tough work. It takes a structured, disciplined approach to training if you’re going to compete well against other clubs,” Horner said. She said in the AMERIKIDS program, there’s no differentiation in levels based on the size or location of the clubs. Each club must compete against schools big and small, from rural areas and big cities.

Horner said a place like hers couldn’t exist without lots of parental support.
“Our new facility has been a work in progress for the past year,” she said, “but whatever the need, parents volunteered their time, talent and even materials to make it a better place for their kids. Everyone rolled up their sleeves and helped.”

Tara has a staff of four instructor/coaches to assist in the training of gymnasts, which includes teaching classes of both boys and girls at a variety of ages and skill levels. Almost a third of the students are boys, something she’s happy to see.

“It’s sometimes tough to attract boys into gymnastics, but we’ve had a program for them for over two years.”

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