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Space Boys Gymnastics Training Program

Space Boys is a space-themed boys gymnastics program blending structured lessons, staff training, and competition.
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About this idea
Men’s gymnastics is dying. Nationwide, boys make up less than 10% of the gymnastics population, and the numbers have been declining for over a decade. In many states, there are more girls at a single competitive level than boys across all levels combined. This isn’t because boys lack interest or ability. It’s because the system is broken. Traditional men’s gymnastics is expensive, space-intensive, staff-dependent, and slow to reward athletes. Gyms operate on dollars per square foot, and men’s gymnastics requires six specialized events that take up large areas and trained staff—often yielding less revenue than alternative uses of the same space. Recreational boys are expected to train for months before ever competing, stripping away the excitement that keeps young athletes engaged. Space Boys fixes this. Space Boys is a space-themed boys gymnastics program that turns men’s gymnastics into a compact, exciting, and scalable system. It runs in as little as 400 square feet, includes built-in staff training, and delivers structured, competition-ready routines in as little as one month. The program uses themed monthly missions, rotating skill focuses (flip, strength, swing), and weekly “environmental challenges” like power outages or space pirate attacks to keep boys engaged. Lesson plans, staff certifications, and class structure are all delivered through a centralized app, allowing any gym to implement the program without needing expert men’s coaches. Space Boys aligns directly with USA Gymnastics club and team pathways, offering five recreational levels and five team training programs that transition athletes seamlessly into competitive men’s gymnastics. This isn’t theoretical. Space Boys is already live, with multiple gyms actively implementing the program and others acquiring equipment. Interest spans across the state, and leadership at multiple levels of USA Gymnastics has encouraged and supported the model. Space Boys doesn’t just save men’s gymnastics—it makes it fun, profitable, and sustainable again, while building the coordination, strength, and discipline that translate to any youth sport.
Impact
Space Boys directly addresses the long-term decline of boys’ participation in gymnastics by making men’s programs fun, affordable, and sustainable for gyms to operate. By reducing space requirements to as little as 400 square feet and eliminating the need for highly specialized staff, Space Boys removes the two largest barriers preventing gyms from offering or maintaining boys’ programs. For athletes, the impact is immediate and measurable. Boys experience structured progression, frequent competition opportunities, and imaginative play that keeps them engaged during the critical early years when most drop out of organized sports. Athletes are competition-ready in weeks instead of months, restoring excitement and motivation while building strength, coordination, discipline, and confidence that transfer to all sports. For gyms, Space Boys transforms boys’ gymnastics from a financial liability into a scalable revenue stream. The program increases class retention, reduces staff training costs, and allows underutilized floor space to generate income without major facility renovations. Standardized lesson plans and app-based delivery ensure consistent quality across locations. For the sport of men’s gymnastics, Space Boys rebuilds the pipeline. Recreational athletes are guided seamlessly into club and team pathways aligned with USA Gymnastics standards, increasing long-term participation and competitive depth at the state and national levels. Space Boys is already in active use, with multiple gyms testing the program and others preparing to launch. With broad applicability across recreational gyms, training centers, and youth sports facilities, Space Boys has the potential to reverse participation decline, modernize boys’ gymnastics, and redefine how young athletes are introduced to disciplined, skill-based sports nationwide.
What I'll do with $5,000
This $5,000 grant accelerates Space Boys from a working pilot into a protected, market-ready product built for scale. Public Presence – $250 $250 will fund domain registration, basic hosting, and deployment of the Space Boys website. Built in-house, this becomes the primary onboarding and credibility hub for gyms, parents, and partners while keeping costs lean. Brand Protection – $2,450 $2,450 will be used to file 7 U.S. trademarks under Class 41 (Education & Training) at $350 per mark, establishing a defensible foundation around the programs gyms adopt first. These trademarks protect: Space Boys, four Recreational levels, and twoTeam Training Programs. This phased strategy secures the highest-value intellectual property now, while allowing additional programs to be protected as demand and revenue grow. Product Acceleration – $2,300 $300 covers one year of database infrastructure to support lesson plans, staff access, and content delivery. The remaining $2,000 funds continued app development. The Space Boys app is already live, with full system architecture completed and 8 of the planned 60 lesson plans built. This funding completes the final two core features, expands lesson content, and supports testing and refinements needed for broader deployment. Outcome At $5,000, Space Boys exits the pilot phase with a protected brand, a functioning platform, and the infrastructure required to onboard gyms efficiently—creating a clear runway for statewide and national growth.
Quick Bio
Joe Swinehart has been coaching for over 20 years with 15 years being dedicated to Men's Gymnastics (MAG). He is heavily involved, and well known, with the state and region in both MAG and WAG.
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