Stoyan Deltchev, a former world-class gymnast from Bulgaria, is hoping to pass on his expertise.
Deltchev is preparing to open his Deltchev Gymnastics Academy in a vast, brand-new facility he leased in the WinCo Shopping Center in Reno's South Meadows area.
The studio will be geared for children wishing to get take up gymnastics.
Two of his long-time acquaintances Lubo Angelov and Anni Damianova are on hand to help Deltchev get the academy off the ground.
Angelov and Damianova were also world-class gymnasts from Bulgaria and will serve as coaches there.
The trio has been working diligently to get the complex ready and furnished with new equipment for its grand opening on Halloween.
To start up the academy, Deltchev used much of his own money plus generous gifts from others, including contributions from the parents of his championship team, which totaled between $150,000 and $160,000.
A few contractors, including Monarch Construction, also donated their time to convert the building into a gymnastics academy.
Asked how much it took to start the academy, Deltchev gives a wry smile and says it was "astronomical." Already, Deltchev has acquired the right to host the compulsory gymnastics state championships at his studio in November.
The compulsory state meet hosts children aged 6-18 with exceptional gymnastics abilities.
"Now we are ready to open it up to everybody and offer the best coaching and the best facility in the area," Deltchev said.
"What I want for myself is to give the kids what I know."
He has already coached a group of 10 young girls to a several awards at a recent state tournament.
The trophies, and a picture of the girls that Deltchev affectionately refers to as the "Dream Team," adorn a wall just inside the gym's entrance.
Deltchev brings a lot of experience to the gym.
In addition to winning gold and bronze medals in Olympic competition, and numerous European and world competitions, Deltchev invented two high-bar and one ring move called the 'Deltchev Moves.' He also served a stint as Bulgarian national coach.
After that, Deltchev decided it would be in his best interest to move to the United States.
He was looking for a better life away from his homeland where he says opportunities were limited.
His travels took him all over the country before settling first in the Lake Tahoe region then to his current home in Stead.
Originally, Deltchev had no intentions of starting his own gymnastics studio.
He had inquired on a few occasions to buy or gain employment at several gymnastics schools, but was rebuffed in his attempts.
So Deltchev finally decided to take matters into his own hands and start his own studio.
"At first, I wanted to work for somebody else," he said.
"I really didn't have in mind to open up a business because I respected the other businesses."
The studio will offer classes for children as young as six months to three years old on up to older, more advanced students.
Classes run six days a week from Monday to Saturday.
While Deltchev wants his students to work hard and learn discipline, he also wants then to have fun.
For Deltchev, gymnastics is a sport that can lead children into other sports such as football or basketball.
"If they want to try the sport for six months, or a year or two, then they can go on to other sports," Deltchev said.
Deltchev contends that his studio's fees are competitive with other studios offering expert instruction.
Classes cost from $45 for a day-a-week class for toddlers to $145 for two classes a week for intermediate students.
A 10 percent discount is offered for families with more than one student enrolled in the program.
Deltchev isn't looking to get rich.He just finds the idea of finds teaching gymnastics fulfilling.
"What we want is to devote our hearts into this."
