07/04/2026
Dear friends, family, dreamers, and believers,
I’m taking a leap of faith, one that has been years in the making.
I’m stepping into a new business journey and working to bring a preschool and early-age gymnastics facility for children and families throughout the greater Longview area. Before I share what we’re building, I want to share where this dream began...
~~~~~~~~~~
When I was a kid, I loved to get dizzy.
I would play out in the front yard, spinning in circles with my arms stretched out like helicopter blades, my head tilted back, staring up at the sky until I fell. Then one day, in 1984, I remember watching the gymnastics competition during the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. I watched the athletes tumbling across the floor exercise and thought to myself, “That would be a great way for me to get dizzy!”
Little did I know, that moment would become the beginning of my lifelong love for the sport of gymnastics.
From that day on, I started teaching myself gymnastics. I spent countless hours working on cartwheels, rolls, bridges, and anything else I could figure out on my own. Finally, at age 11, my mom enrolled me in tumbling classes at a dance studio called Centre Stage. For the next three years, Catherine Weatherly Stinson turned me into a little flipping machine. I was doing aerials and back handsprings in no time, and I loved competing in acro categories with my tumbling routines at different dance competitions.
Throughout high school, I continued working on my gymnastics skills. One of my first high school jobs was with the City of Chino, where I worked as an assistant coach alongside the wonderful Mary Hagen. Not only did I get to assist her, but I also began learning skills on bars, beam, and other apparatuses. She took me under her wing and taught me so much of what she knew. I also learned from Miss Roseann at Dynasty Gymnastics, which was the first time I ever stepped foot onto a spring floor.
After high school, I took my tumbling abilities and started auditioning for Disneyland. In 1998, I landed my first role at the park as a soldier acrobat in the Mulan Parade. From 1998 to 2001, I performed in various parades and shows, using the tumbling skills that I had started in my front yard years before.
In 2002, I moved to Las Vegas, where I spent four years flipping across the stage in the world-famous Les Folies Bergère at the Tropicana Resort. From 2006 to 2007, I was back at Disneyland bouncing and flipping in Block Party Bash, and from 2008 to 2012, I performed in various parades and shows at Walt Disney World.
No matter where I was in my performing career, I would teach whenever I could. From my first coaching job with the City of Chino, to Dynasty Gymnastics, teaching tumbling at The Dance Shop (Sally Daigle, Carie Rollman) , and the Jewish Community Center in Orlando, Florida, gymnastics has always been the thread running through my life.
In 2014, I hung up my performing shoes and moved to the Pacific Northwest. For six years I taught at The Children’s Gym. When the pandemic hit and everything shut down, I took the knowledge I had gained from working with children through gymnastics and to make ends meet, became a nanny for two years for the lovely Ben Coleman-Fire and Leora Coleman-Fire for their set of twins, and occasionally their daughter. What a fun and wild ride those two years were! During that time, an idea began to form.
I knew then that I wanted to open my own gymnastics facility, one dedicated specifically to preschoolers and young children. I wanted to create a place where little ones could move, explore, build confidence, and develop important physical and social skills through the sport I have loved for most of my life.
I just needed a little more time.
For the past five years, I have worked for a gymnasium based out of Vancouver, WA, and for the past three years, I have been running the Longview location. That experience has only strengthened what I already knew in my heart: this is what I am meant to do.
And now, the time has come.
It is time for me to spread my wings and fly.
~~~~~~~~~~
I am proud to introduce Lil Tykes Gymnastics, a preschool and early-age gymnastics facility designed for children from crawling through 6 years old! This facility will be located in Longview, Washington, and my hope is to create a place where families from the greater Longview area feel welcomed, supported, and connected.
My goal is to create a warm, joyful, and developmentally appropriate space where children can build fine and gross motor skills, gain confidence, develop discipline, and experience the joy of movement through gymnastics.
More than anything, I want Lil Tykes Gymnastics to be a place where children feel proud of themselves, where families feel connected, and where community is built from the ground up, one tiny cartwheel at a time.
Lil Tykes Gymnastics is also the beginning phase of a much bigger dream.
Because gymnastics equipment and facility start-up costs are so expensive, I want to begin in a smart and intentional way by focusing on preschool and early-age gymnastics first. Starting small allows me to build a strong foundation, serve a specific age group well, and grow the business responsibly.
Once Lil Tykes Gymnastics is up and running successfully, my hope is to eventually expand and create an additional space for children ages 7 and older. I would love to build a program where kids can continue growing in the sport beyond their early years, developing strength, confidence, discipline, and a lifelong love for movement.
For now, Lil Tykes Gymnastics is the first step. It is the seed of a larger vision and, with the right support, I believe it can grow into something truly special for children and families throughout the greater Longview area.
~~~~~~~~~~
**What We’ve Accomplished So Far**
As I have started this endeavor, I have had the opportunity to work with a mentor through SCORE, a nonprofit organization where current and retired entrepreneurs help guide new entrepreneurs through the process of starting and growing a business.
With that guidance and support, many important pieces are already in place. The LLC has been formed, **Whoa-y Joey LLC, DBA Lil Tykes Gymnastics**, and the business plan, financial projections, and estimated start-up costs have been finalized. A dear friend has also meticulously and lovingly created a website for Lil Tykes Gymnastics, and a page has been created so people can follow along with the progress of this journey.
In many ways, the groundwork has been laid.
Now, we are ready to flip into action.
~~~~~~~~~~
**What’s Holding Us Back**
The biggest hurdle right now is funding.
Because this is a new business with no collateral and not enough starting capital, securing traditional bank financing can be difficult. Raising funds will help strengthen the financial foundation of Lil Tykes Gymnastics and support the process of securing the funding needed to move forward.
The other challenge is timing and space. While Lil Tykes Gymnastics will be located in Longview, Washington, finding the right space for a boutique preschool and early-age gymnastics facility may take time. The space needs to feel welcoming, safe, functional, and thoughtfully designed for young children and families throughout the greater Longview area.
Timing is also important because gymnastics equipment can take approximately 8 to 12 weeks to arrive from the time it is purchased. Raising funds now will help make it possible to secure equipment, prepare the space, and move closer to opening the doors when the right location is found.
But to bring this dream to life, I need your help.
I am currently raising starting funds to help cover the many expenses that come with opening a new business. These funds will go toward important start-up needs such as equipment, supplies, licensing, insurance, facility-related costs, marketing, and the other essentials needed to open the doors and build a strong foundation.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
For those who are able to contribute, I would love to recognize the people who help make Lil Tykes Gymnastics possible. We have created reward packages for those who would like to be recognized for their contributions. We also just launched the fundraising campaign on Kickstarter (see link at bottom!), which is a website where people can fundraise for their business and give out rewards. Here are the reward tiers (also easily viewable on our website liltykesgymnastics.com):
~~~~~
**Any Amount | Community Supporter**
Every contribution, no matter the amount, helps bring Lil Tykes Gymnastics one step closer to opening its doors and serving young children and families throughout Longview and the surrounding communities.
~~~~~
**$25 | Tiny Tyke Digital Supporter Package**
Supporter title: Tiny Tyke Supporter
Be recognized as a Tiny Tyke Supporter and show your early support for Lil Tykes Gymnastics.
Supporter gifts include:
- Personalized digital thank-you from Joey
- Digital Tiny Tyke Supporter certificate
- Optional Tiny Tyke listing on a future Supporters page
Estimated fulfillment: September 2026
Delivery: Digital supporter gift
~~~~~
**$100 | Pre-Launch Celebration Invitation**
Supporter title: Little Learner Advocate
Be recognized as a Little Learner Advocate and celebrate the upcoming launch with Joey and other early supporters at a private gathering inside the future Lil Tykes Gymnastics facility.
Supporter gifts include:
- All previous supporter gifts
- Pre-launch celebration invitation for one household
- Early notice of tours, opening enrollment, and events
- Digital Little Learner Advocate certificate
- Optional Little Learner listing on a future Supporters page
Event location: Future Lil Tykes Gymnastics facility
Estimated fulfillment: December 2026
Limit: 50 households
The celebration will take place at the future Lil Tykes Gymnastics facility, depending on the facility timeline and readiness. Early notice does not reserve enrollment, guarantee class placement, or provide tuition credit.
~~~~~
**$250 | Mighty Mover Founder’s Edition Package**
Supporter title: Mighty Mover
Be recognized as a Mighty Mover and receive access to a special Founder’s Edition merch package celebrating your contribution to Lil Tykes Gymnastics!
Supporter gifts include:
- All previous supporter gifts
- Lil Tykes Founder’s Edition merch package
- Digital Mighty Mover certificate
- Optional Mighty Mover listing on a future Supporters page
*Note: Exact merch items and quantity will be finalized before fulfillment. Merch can be shipped if you are unable to pick it up at the pre-launch celebration!
Estimated fulfillment: January 2027
Limit: 50 households
~~~~~
**$500 | Name on Founding Supporters Wall**
Supporter title:** Founding Friend
Be recognized as a Founding Friend and receive the option to have your approved individual, family, or business name displayed on our future Founding Supporters Wall.
Supporter gifts include:
- All previous supporter gifts
- Your approved name on our future Founding Supporters Wall
- Digital Founding Friend certificate
- Optional Founding Friend listing on a future Supporters page
Estimated fulfillment: January 2027
Limit: 20 supporters
The approved name will be displayed on the Founding Supporters Wall when the future Lil Tykes facility is ready. Recognition does not provide ownership, equity, financial returns, advertising guarantees, or naming rights to the business or facility.
~~~~~
**$1,000 | Name on Legacy Champions Plaque**
Supporter title: Legacy Champion
Be recognized as a Legacy Champion and receive our highest level of supporter recognition, including the option for featured placement of your approved individual, family, or business name on our future Legacy Champions Plaque.
Supporter gifts include:
- All previous supporter gifts
- Featured approved name on our future Legacy Champions Plaque
- Digital Legacy Champion certificate
- Optional featured Legacy Champion listing on a future Supporters page
Estimated fulfillment: January 2027
Limit: 10 supporters
The approved name will receive featured placement on the Legacy Champions Plaque when the future Lil Tykes facility is ready. Recognition does not provide ownership, equity, repayment, interest, revenue sharing, management rights, advertising guarantees, or naming rights to the business or facility.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I am reaching out to the people who know me, believe in me, and understand how much this dream means. Any contribution, big or small, would make a meaningful difference and help move Lil Tykes Gymnastics closer to becoming a reality.
I completely understand that giving financially is a personal decision, and there is no pressure at all. Support can come in many forms. Whether you are able to contribute, share this with someone who may be interested, offer advice, send encouragement, or simply cheer me on from the sidelines, I would be incredibly grateful.
I will also be sharing updates through the Lil Tykes Gymnastics page (see link at bottom of post) as this journey moves forward. If you would like to follow along, you can like and follow the page for progress updates, behind-the-scenes moments, fundraising updates, and news about getting the business up and running.
~~~~~
Please note that Lil Tykes Gymnastics is a business and is not a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Lil Tykes Gymnastics is a DBA/trade name of Whoa-y Joey LLC. Contributions are not intended to represent charitable tax-deductible donations. However, if you would like a contribution receipt for your personal records, I would be happy to provide one.
~~~~~
This journey started with a little kid spinning in the front yard, chasing the feeling of flying. Now, all these years later, I have the chance to create a place where children throughout the greater Longview area can discover what their own bodies, minds, and hearts are capable of.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story, for believing in me, and for considering being part of the beginning of Lil Tykes Gymnastics.
With Love and Appreciation,
~Joey Ochoa~
~~~~~~~~~~
If you'd like to support Lil Tykes, you can contribute to the official Lil Tykes Venmo at venmo.com/u/LilTykesGymnastics. Paypal users can also contribute to that same Venmo account.
Follow the Lil Tykes launch journey on our page at facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590453792969
Visit the website at LilTykesGymnastics.com.
View our fundraising campaign on Kickstarter at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/liltykesgymnastics/lil-tykes-gymnastics-boutique-playspace-for-little-movers
