Inside Look: The Peach Pit!

Inside Gymnastics magazine caught up with Sarah Wharton Rhino, Owner & CEO of The Peach Pit for an inside look at the growing company. Defined as a “Boutique Gymnastics, Cheer, Ninja & Dance studio,” The Peach Pit now features five locations in Georgia with a strong growth track – including new career opportunities for talented coaches and leaders looking to grow their careers with an expanding organization. Sarah is a native Atlantan and past competitive gymnast, collegiate cheerleader, coach and director. In this segment, she shares more on the background, guiding philosophies, program offerings, team staffing opportunities and more!

1. Tell us a little bit about the early days of The Peach Pit. What was the inspiration, and what was the start-up process like?

The Peach Pit was created in 2011 as a grassroots gymnastics program with a simple vision: give children ages 2–18 an exceptional foundation in gymnastics while creating a beautiful, welcoming environment where clients, parents, and coaches truly come first.

At the time, I was coaching cheerleading at Georgia Tech in the evenings and teaching gymnastics during the day. I saw firsthand how often gyms were forced to choose between newer, safer equipment, professional development, and investing in their coaches. I knew there had to be a better way.

That became the foundation of The Peach Pit. From day one, we have continually invested in studio safety, equipment, coaching education, and our team. We offer benefits such as healthcare, retirement, and continuing education because we believe our coaches deserve to be valued just as much as our athletes.

I often say that The Peach Pit should be a landing mat or a springboard for our staff. We want to provide a place where coaches can build a career, grow their skills, and feel supported—whether they stay with us for decades or eventually take what they’ve learned into another chapter.

And then there is The Peach Pit experience itself. We believe exceptional gymnastics and exceptional customer service should go hand in hand. From our studios and amenities to the way a family is greeted when they walk through the door, every detail matters. We want people to feel that they belong here.

2. And now you’ve grown to five locations. What has the expansion process been like, including the biggest challenges?

It has been a unique and incredibly fun journey. We went from one studio to two locations in our very first year, and that growth made us take a thoughtful look at what expansion could—and should—look like for The Peach Pit.

There can be a tendency in the gymnastics industry to believe that bigger automatically means better. We don’t necessarily agree. We believe a small-to-mid-size studio can offer dynamic, diverse programming while still maintaining the personal attention, culture, and quality that families are looking for.

For us, the goal has never simply been to have more locations. It has been to build great studios with great programs and great people.

One of our biggest challenges has been growing faster than we anticipated while maintaining the quality and consistency our families expect. Another is navigating the natural evolution of young leadership. We have team members who have shared our passion for more than 15 years, as well as young professionals who are still discovering where their careers may take them—inside or outside of gymnastics.

We invest deeply in our team, and the passion our coaches bring to the sport is unmatched. When an amazing coach eventually chooses another career path, we have to rebuild—but the mission doesn’t change. The foundation stays the same, while the individual personalities and strengths of our programs continue to grow.

3. Tell us a little about the programs offered at The Peach Pit.

One of the things that makes The Peach Pit special is the variety of ways a child can find their place here.

We offer everything from preschool and recreational gymnastics, dance, cheer, tumbling, and ninja to competitive gymnastics, competitive dance, and All Star Cheerleading.

Our philosophy is that recreational gymnastics is the heart of the business. It is where children discover the sport, build strength and confidence, and fall in love with movement. From there, families can explore complementary programs such as dance, cheer, tumbling, or ninja.

We believe that if you build a strong foundation of strength, technique, confidence, and passion at the beginning, your competitive programs naturally become stronger, too.

At the end of the day, we want every athlete to have a path that feels right for them—whether that means coming once a week simply for fun or ultimately competing at the highest levels.

7. For people who may be interested in a career at The Peach Pit, what positions and opportunities are available?

We joke that our goal is for The Peach Pit to be a landing mat for many.

We have built a business model around investing in our coaches from the grassroots level. In fact, many of our best coaches were athletes at The Peach Pit themselves. Others have moved across the country—or even from outside the United States—to join our team and help build exceptional programs.

We offer 401(k), medical, dental, and life benefits, along with continuing education and opportunities for professional growth. And, of course, our annual Christmas party is one you definitely don’t want to miss!

But beyond the benefits, culture is everything to us.

When a team is working together toward a common mission, something special happens. We truly believe we can change the world one child at a time.

We have opportunities ranging from coaches-in-training and recreational coaching to management and leadership positions. All of our General Managers have grown into their roles from within The Peach Pit, creating a real pathway from hourly and part-time positions into full-time and salaried leadership.

We want our team to stay forever—so we try to treat them like the peaches they are.

8. For someone interested in applying, what qualities are you looking for?

A great attitude.

I can teach someone how to teach great gymnastics. What I can’t teach is a genuine love for children, a willingness to work hard, a desire to contribute, and a passion for helping others.

I recently saw a list of qualities every athlete should have that require zero talent. Things like being prepared, arriving early, giving a little extra, having positive body language, bringing energy, maintaining a great attitude, and showing passion.

That really resonated with me because those are exactly the qualities we look for in our team.

You don’t have to know everything when you walk through our doors. You do need to be coachable, positive, hardworking, and genuinely excited about making a difference in a child’s life.

9. How should someone go about applying to be considered?

It’s super easy! Send a cover letter and resume to hr@peachpitgym.com.

We also encourage prospective team members to follow us on Instagram and Facebook and subscribe to our email list to stay connected with what is happening throughout The Peach Pit.

And you don’t have to have everything figured out before reaching out. If you simply want to talk shop, ask questions, or learn more about working in the gymnastics industry, we’d love to hear from you.

We hope The Peach Pit can be part of your journey—whether you join our team today or somewhere further down the road.

10. What do you envision for the continued growth of The Peach Pit in the years ahead?

Honestly, I have no idea what the next two to ten years will look like—and I think that’s part of the fun.

Right now, our focus is on doing what we do really well: great gymnastics and great leadership.

As we look toward the future, we could see additional studios led by the incredible coaches and leaders we’ve developed within The Peach Pit family. We love the idea of giving talented people the opportunity to launch their careers further while still being part of something bigger than themselves.

We are not a franchise, and we don’t want to lose the personality that makes each Peach Pit special. We believe in individual leaders, entrepreneurial thinking, and people who share our mindset and passion.

Growth is exciting, but growing well is even more important.

11. Anything else you’d like to add?

We want to hear from you!

Whether you’re a gymnast with a training question, a parent looking for guidance, or a coach who wants to talk about career development, drills, training techniques, or just share what’s happening in your gym—we genuinely love connecting with people in our industry.

Some of the best ideas come from simply talking, listening, and learning from one another.

The Peach Pit has always been about more than gymnastics. It’s about people, relationships, community, and helping each other become better.

So whether you’re an athlete, parent, coach, or fellow gymnastics professional, come say hello.

Meet YOU @ The Pit. 🍑

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