Gymnastics Academy Vaults Back Into Bonners

Cory Bliss and his gymnastics academy that enthralled more than 75 youngsters two years ago are back in Bonners Ferry.

Reopened in March in the spacious green Quonset hut on Alderson Lane after operating on Main Street in 2006, the 1988 Bonners Ferry High School graduate is planting a field of dreams for north Idaho children who want to learn gymnastics but lack the facilities and coaching.

That's exactly what Bliss experienced as a kid growing up in Highland Flats, whose only tumbling area was his backyard.

"When I graduated from BFHS, I told myself I wanted to give back to this town what I didn't have as boy - a real place to learn the techniques and fundamentals of gymnastics from a dedicated coach," said Bliss. "I have big plans for gymnastics in Bonners."

Already established in Coeur d'Alene with a 12,000-square foot gymnastics academy that boasts nearly a 125-student enrollment, Bliss feels Bonners Ferry should have one that equals his Kootenai County academy, if not better.

He's hoping to provide that opportunity with large-scale facility for his gymnastics school in two years.

Bliss knows the business of teaching gymnastics as well as anyone in the region.

The 37-year-old native of Anchorage, Alaska has been teaching the sport the majority of his adult life, from Kodiak to northern Idaho. He holds a national safety certification from the U.S. Gymnastics Association he received at the Gem State Gymnastics Academy in Boise in 1992.

Growing up in Boundary County in the 1980s, Bliss fell in love with the sport. He became more adept and skillful under the tutelage of coaches at the Ponderay Gymnastics Center near Sandpoint. He also taught classes at the center when he was 14, and his passion for teaching the sport never stopped.

His Alderson Lane academy is stocked with overhead spotting rings, a trampoline, a spring floor, a pommel horse and support beams. He teaches students from 3 years of age to 14 on Tuesdays.

"They absolutely love it," said Bliss. "They can't wait to come back each week to learn new techniques."

Currently, his classes run hourly from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. for $60 per month. In the fall he plans to offers classes to all ages from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

For more information, call Cory Bliss at (208) 651-3905, or visit www.blissgymnastics.com.