RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesAfter serving the North Coast for nearly a decade, Infinity Gymnastics officially closes Friday, although the business stopped operating about a week ago.
Owner Nancy Taylor announced the closure after operating the gym for nine and a half years. Infinity Gymnastics opened in Astoria in January 2017 before relocating to the former Seaside High School building at 1901 N. Holladay Drive, in 2023. Taylor said closing the gym was one of the hardest decisions she has ever made.
“This wasn’t due to one single event, but rather a combination of challenges that have become increasingly difficult to overcome,” Taylor said in a written statement to The Astorian.
She cited rising operating costs, inflation, staffing shortages and declining enrollment. She said those challenges made the business financially unsustainable despite efforts to restructure operations, reduce expenses, seek financial assistance and downsize.
“I want people to know that this decision was not made because I gave up,” Taylor said. “I fought incredibly hard to keep Infinity’s doors open because I deeply believe in what gymnastics offers children and families. Unfortunately, sometimes passion alone isn’t enough to overcome economic realities.”
Building confidence through gymnastics
Taylor said she founded Infinity Gymnastics to give North Coast children the same opportunity gymnastics gave her while growing up in Hood River. As a child, she said gymnastics helped her overcome shyness and build confidence, something she hoped to pass on to future generations.
Infinity Gymnastics has served an abundance of children through recreational gymnastics, preschool programs, ninja classes, cheer clinics, open gym sessions, birthday parties, summer camps, special events and clinics. Over the years, Infinity became the only competitive gymnastics program on Oregon’s North Coast, Taylor said, drawing athletes from throughout Clatsop County and surrounding communities through its Xcel competitive team.
“What I will miss most are the children and families,” Taylor said. “There is nothing quite like watching a child accomplish something they once believed was impossible.”
Taylor said watching children gain confidence and believe in themselves was the most rewarding part of owning the gym.
Championship success
The closure comes just months after one of the most successful competitive seasons in the program’s history. In March, Infinity gymnasts earned multiple top finishes at the Oregon Xcel State Championships.
In the Gold Division, Summer Burns placed second on bars with a 9.0, second on beam with a 9.20, third on floor with a 9.350 and third in the all-around with a 36.250. Antoinette Hill placed third on beam, fifth on vault and fifth in the all-around, while Sylvia Hamilton earned fourth on vault and fifth on beam.
Silver division gymnasts also found success. Ellarose Moncy finished second on bars and beam while placing third in the all-around. Stahssi Davis earned third on vault and fifth on bars, while Elodie Barrett added a fifth-place finish on vault.
In the bronze division, Layla Bobian, Edith Rice and Vienna Dupre each earned top-five finishes in their respective events.
“We built a program that helped athletes develop not only as gymnasts but as hardworking, respectful and resilient young people,” Taylor said.
Families reflect on the loss
For many families, Infinity Gymnastics became more than a place to train. Amber Hill, a coach and parent, said many of her family’s closest friendships were formed through the gym. “Our community has a lot of amazing athletes in a lot of sports, and gymnastics was no exception to that,” Hill said.
The gym was also a community gathering place with birthday parties and open gym sessions held throughout the week.
“It was a good place to get the wiggles out,” Hill said.
Hill said Infinity filled a longstanding gap for local families. “This is a small community, so getting the opportunity to give our kids a chance to do a sport like gymnastics is huge,” Hill said. “Previously there hadn’t been a gymnastics center out here since 2001. To bring it back was a big deal for the community, and I think it will be missed.”
Hill said after Infinity closes, her family plans to focus on other sports, adding that gymnastics provided a strong foundation for her daughter’s athletic development.
Mark Kujala, foundation director at Columbia Memorial Hospital and chair of the Clatsop County commission, said his daughter, Karlie, spent the past three years training and competing with Infinity.
“Infinity Gymnastics has been a huge part of our lives,” Kujala said in an email to The Astorian. “We developed strong relationships with the other gymnasts and their families. Infinity taught her the importance of teamwork, focus and dedication.”
Kujala said some of his family’s favorite memories include birthday parties at the gym and traveling to competitions in Newport, Everett and Boise before Karlie eventually competed at the national championships in South Carolina.
“Most importantly, I was able to witness the tremendous growth in her skills, strength and confidence over the last three years,” Kujala said. “Great times.”
Kujala said the closure represents the loss of an important youth program for Clatsop County. “You always like things to keep going, and you hate to lose a youth program and community organization like Infinity,” he said.
Kujala also thanked coach Amber Hill for helping keep the competitive program alive over the past year and building owner Mark Utti for providing a home for the gym while keeping rent affordable. “And special thanks to Nancy Taylor, who created a program for the youth in our community to develop their skills and reach their full potential,” Kujala said. “Our family is very grateful.”
Taylor said she hopes the gym’s impact will continue long after its doors close.
“If even one child leaves with more confidence, resilience and belief in themselves because of t...
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