Attitude. Mindset. Power.

AMP Gymnastics includes numerous services for all ages including dance, gymnastics, strength and conditioning classes and other activities.

Amy Coughenour, one of the three AMP owners, also a former cheerleader and Marshall University Alumni, said she wanted to bring the community back to life.

“Huntington is so sad at this point,” Coughenour said. “I have lived in Huntington my entire life, and I wanted a place where kids could go, have fun, be active and most importantly, be safe. I wanted the same community I had when I was a 10-year-old girl.”

AMP is also the home of the Marshall cheerleaders. They go to the gym to practice their tumbling.

Marshall cheerleader Haley Hall, an instructor at the gym, said she enjoys the job.

“Everyday here is so great,” Hall said. “It’s so rewarding when the kids bring you pictures of them showing you something they learned. I changed my major to elementary education after working here because of the kids.”

Sheri Duncan, one of the three founders of AMP also said she enjoys working at the gym.

“Working at the gym is so rewarding,” Duncan said. “The kids come out so happy after learning new skills.”

Coughenour said it is important for the kids to build more than just skills.

“Every child should have a moment in their life that they feel good about themselves, even if they just come in the gym and do a front roll,” Coughenour said. “Make it the best front roll ever, and by god we will celebrate that front roll. It is so important to build kid’s self-esteem and starting young will prevent them from going down streets that are not productive in the long run.”

Coughenour’s niece, Nikki Coughenour, is a dance instructor at the studio, and she said watching the dancers grow makes her job worth it.

“Watching the girls grow as dancers makes all the hard work worth it,” Nikki Coughenour said. “They come in every week better and better, and show me how they’ve been practicing and that is such a good feeling. If I got nothing out of this job but enhancing lives and seeing the kids smile, it would be worth it.”

AMP has a wide range of customers from 18-months to 41-years-old.

AMP is open 1p.m. to 9p.m. Monday through Friday and the first class is always free.

Karima Neghmouche can be contacted at [email protected].