In 1994, after earning a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Western Michigan University, Chad Babcock returned to Boise, Idaho. By April 1995, driven by a dream to join the World Cup and Olympic inverted aerial ski teams, he moved to Park City, Utah. To support himself, he worked as a full-time 4th-grade teacher by day and a gymnastics coach by night while training for skiing.
One day, while talking with fellow ski hopefuls, discussing their shared backgrounds in skiing and gymnastics, they all agreed that they could open a gymnastics gym together. One of Chad’s friends mentioned the Tumble Bus program, a mobile gymnastics program. Curious, he researched it and soon found himself driving to Denver with his girlfriend Katie to learn more.
By the end of the 1995/1996 ski season, Chad decided to step away from teaching and skiing. He joined a professional ski show that toured the world, helping to pay off debt and sparking my dream of owning a business. In the fall of 1997, he returned to Boise, and with the help of his family, he built his first Tumble Bus. On January 12, 1998, the Magic Tumble Bus welcomed its first customers and quickly became a popular activity in Treasure Valley.
By 1999, there were three buses and a growing business. That summer, Katie and Chad married, and soon after, expanded further by taking over the lease of a small gym, The Treasure Tree, which came with all its equipment. Although their initial goal wasn’t to start a gymnastics gym, the community’s interest led them to reopen the facility, and by November 1999, Tumble Time Gymnastics had 60 students.
As demand grew, Tumble Time expanded their facility, and by January 2005, opened a new state-of-the-art “green” building, offering a wide range of programs.
Five years later, in 2010 came another year of growth with the introduction of Jump Time, an indoor trampoline park offering fun for all ages. With locations now in Meridian, Twin Falls, and Bozeman, Montana, they continue to grow and serve their community and beyond.
