SOAR Adaptive Gymnastics in Cypress, TX: How K2 Academy's Program Works
Most parents of kids with disabilities have had this experience: you search for gymnastics classes, you find a gym that looks good, and then you have a conversation where it becomes clear the gym isn't actually set up for your child. The coaches aren't trained for it, the class structure doesn't adapt, and the whole thing falls apart before week two.
K2 Academy runs one of the only dedicated adaptive gymnastics programs in the northwest Houston area. It's called SOAR — Success and Opportunities Achieved through Recreation — and it's been part of K2's program offering long enough to have a real structure, a dedicated director, and a track record that parents in Cypress and Tomball talk about.
What SOAR is (and isn't)
SOAR isn't a modified version of a regular gymnastics class. It's a separate program designed from the ground up for children of all abilities and disabilities — physical, cognitive, sensory, developmental.
The goals are the same things gymnastics has always been good at: building strength, coordination, balance, and confidence. The difference is the structure, the ratios, and the coaching approach. Skills that take a neurotypical 6-year-old a week to learn might take a SOAR student a month — and that's not a problem. The program is built around what your child can do and where they're headed, not around a standard progression chart.
The three formats SOAR offers:
1:1 Private Sessions
One-on-one time with a SOAR coach, customized specifically around your child. K2 doesn't walk your kid in and start teaching cartwheels on day one.
The first two weeks are about getting comfortable: exploring the equipment, building trust with the coach, understanding what the gym is. After that, each session starts with something the child enjoys — whatever gets them engaged and moving — then moves into structured work across different parts of the gym, and ends with the child choosing one last activity before they leave.
That last part matters more than it sounds. A kid who ends every class doing something they chose is a kid who looks forward to next week.
Sessions run 30, 45, or 60 minutes, once a week. Monthly tuition runs $140 to $279 depending on session length.
Shadow Class
In a shadow class, your child joins a typical K2 gymnastics class alongside other kids — but with their own dedicated coach (the shadow) next to them the entire time.
The shadow follows the same class plan, modifies skills where needed, provides hands-on guidance, and helps your child stay on track. If they get overwhelmed, the shadow handles it. The point isn't to make your child invisible in the class or to create distance between them and their peers. It's to make real participation possible.
Shadow classes run 45–55 minutes, once a week, at $120 per month.
RESPITE
RESPITE is a structured drop-off event for children with disabilities and their siblings — essentially a parents' night out, specifically built for families who don't have easy access to traditional babysitting or kids' night-out programs.
RESPITE requires a prior SOAR assessment before your child can attend. To get on the list, email the SOAR Director at senglebert@k2academy.com.
How to get started
Every child entering SOAR completes a preliminary assessment with a SOAR coach before the program begins. This isn't a hurdle — it's how K2 figures out which format fits your child, what modifications to plan for, and how to structure the first few sessions.
The assessment form is at k2academy.com/soar-adaptive-gymnastics. After you submit it, a SOAR representative follows up directly.
For questions before the assessment, contact the SOAR Director at senglebert@k2academy.com. She's the right person to talk to about whether SOAR is the right fit, which format to start with, and what to expect.
SOAR Open Play
Six times a year, K2 opens the gym for SOAR Open Play — an event for SOAR students and their siblings where parents stay and move through the equipment alongside their kids.
One of the features is the Simmons Flyer, an adaptive swing designed for children with physical or sensory disabilities. It's set up and staffed by K2 coaches at every open play event.
These events don't require the standard weekly commitment of 1:1 or shadow classes. They're a lower-stakes way to see how your child responds to the gym before committing to a full program — and a good option for families who are still figuring out whether gymnastics is the right fit.
A note for Tomball families
K2 Academy is at 15255 North Eldridge Pkwy in Cypress, TX 77429. Families from Tomball make the drive regularly — typically 15–20 minutes via 249 or Eldridge.
For most activities that drive is a consideration. For adaptive gymnastics, it's usually the only option in the area. The SOAR program at K2 is one of the very few structured, dedicated adaptive gymnastics programs in northwest Houston. Families who need a program like this don't have a lot of alternatives closer to home.
The front office hours are Monday through Thursday 8am–7:45pm and Friday 9am–6:30pm. You can also call 281-655-7272 or email frontoffice@k2academy.com if you want to talk through SOAR before starting the assessment process.
That's what we built it for.
