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Parents, athletes and coaches urge Arlington to keep Barcroft gymnastics program open
Summary
Dozens of coaches, parents and young athletes told the county board that a proposed elimination of Arlington Gymnastics at the Barcroft community center would uproot thousands of participants, disrupt adaptive classes and dissolve long‑standing volunteer and coaching pipelines.
Scores of current and former gymnasts, parents and coaches testified at the county budget hearing that the Arlington Gymnastics programs housed at Barcroft — including the Aerials and Tigers competitive teams, recreational “wreck” classes and adaptive gymnastics — should be preserved or phased rather than eliminated.
Julia Olri, representing parent‑led associations, said the proposal would cut a program that reaches more than 2,000 participants annually and that the $969,000 impact to the Department of Parks and Recreation budget is a small fraction of DPR’s overall spending. Parents and athletes described long waiting lists, a scarcity of regional alternatives and the value of the program for youth development, volunteering and mental health.
Teen and preteen athletes described Barcroft as “a family” and said many rely on the gym for structure, community and volunteer opportunities. Coaches and program volunteers urged the board to accept parent proposals to increase revenue, expand fee tiers, or delay proposed reductions while community groups and DPR work out sustainable models.
Adaptive‑gymnastics volunteers and parents said those classes — which help children and adults with developmental disabilities gain motor skills and social connection — would be especially hard to replace if the county parks program were cut.
The board did not vote on program funding at the hearing; the budget discussion was recessed and will continue at the next scheduled public hearing session.
