Kids Flip for Fliptastic

Patrick O'Donnell said he and his wife had their two daughters participating in gymnastics but admits he didn't like the high-pressure atmosphere some gyms offered.

That's when O'Donnell said he decided to open , which offers cheer, dance and gymnastics programs in the former Copeland Sports building on Fair Oaks Boulevard near Marconi Avenue.

"We're still a young business; we started in January 2010," he said. "What we like to do is specialize... and serve the children who want to build self esteem."

Fliptastic's staff includes coach Trudi Eberle, a former Olympic silver medalist, and a Flipastic team won their division level at a national competition in Indianapolis in 2010. Still, O'Donnell said Fliptastic doesn't have the demanding pressure that comes along with trying to train the next Nastia Liukin or Shawn Johnson.

"If we find (potential) Olympians, we'll tell them to go on the fast track," he said. "But we do have great people here."

Flipastic teams are heading to Universal Studios Hollywood for a national competition. The business has about 900 students from crawling-age to 18 years old, O'Donnell said.

The dance performance team will participate in a Disneyland parade in July and the cheer performance team is preparing for other events.

"I enjoy the warm atmosphere, the teachers and the owners," said Carmichael resident Caroline Billings, whose daughter Jaclyn, 4, takes ballet and gymnastics classes at Fliptastic. "And the price you can't beat."

Fliptastic was voted no. 1 in the KCRA A-List for gymnastics and cheer, O'Donnell said. Birthday parties are available.

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This past Monday was the first day of summer camps at Fliptastic. For more information, call 916-487-FLIP (3547) or email patrick@fliptastic.biz