Business of the Week: VeGa Gymnastics

When one first walks into the 10,000-square-foot home to VeGa Gymnastics, he or she is blown away by its bountiful space and playful atmosphere. With beams and bars and colorful foam pits, the gym is a welcoming space for those looking to stretch, tumble and play around a little bit.

Located on 3 Day Road off of Old Route 6 in Carmel, VeGa announced its grand opening just over a month ago. Since its inception on Oct. 5, owner and instructor Chris Spassov has initiated programs, classes and birthday parties beginning at the “Mommy & Me” level for toddlers to high school sports teams looking to practice gymnastics, dance and cheerleading.

Born and raised in Bulgaria, Spassov grew up with gymnastics in his life and competed at the “elite” level in his home country, as well as in an European championship that the modest gym owner claimed is “nothing major.” Three years after completing his mandatory 2-year service in the army, Spassov was one of two Bulgarians selected to study at Moscow’s sports university, where he mastered in physical education and graduated in 1988.

After working at various universities building their gymnastics’ programs, Spassov said he became lucky once again when in 1997 he won a “green card lottery” and was awarded permission by the Bulgarian government to move to the United States with his family.

“In April of 1998, I flew over the ocean here knowing absolutely nothing about America because I never thought I would ever be coming to America,” Spassov said.

Upon his arrival to the United States, Spassov got in touch with a fellow Bulgarian who assisted him with his first job at a gymnastics facility in Columbus, Ohio. Because his wife was a physical therapist in Bulgaria, Spassov and his family moved to New York because at the time it was the easiest state to go to renew her license. He landed his first job at World Cup Gymnastics in Chappaqua, and later moved to Mahopac after being invited by Jack Hartog to help assist with the opening of Odyssey Gymnastics.

“During these years, I saw that this program was so good, Jack’s program is just really amazing,” Spassov said. “That’s how I started thinking, ‘wait a minute, maybe I can start this niche.’”

Nearly five years later, Spassov finds himself inside of what he calls a “medium-sized” gym with a base of 55 to 60 regular program participants. He offers classes seven days a week to boys and girls, ranging from toddlers to 12-plus years of age.

With the help of his wife, who will help him with the implementation of classes specifically designed for special needs children, and his daughter, an Iona college junior who participates on the school’s dance team, Spassov hopes to boost his numbers and fill this specific “niche” of children who dance, cheerlead and tumble.

Thus far, organizations such as Kent Recreation and the Brewster High School cheerleading team have expressed interest in using VeGa for its fall and winter workouts. Because the gym is brand new, Spassov said he hoped that in the near future he will be able move away from the administrative duties and focus on the action that happens on the springy floor that has been present for most of his life.

“From an early age, you’re getting all the skills like jumps for basketball and volleyball, upper arm and body strength if you want to be a swimmer in the future,” Spassov said. “Gymnastics is one of the main and basic sports that gives you all of these skills.”

Adam Stone

Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.