Arizona Heat Elite shares its rags to riches story.

by Brittany Geragotelis

CBN Feb/Mar 2010

Arizona Heat Elite Cheer Training Center

1830 E Baseline Rd, Ste 108
Mesa, AZ 85204
480-539-1134 * arizonaheat.org

Jason and Krystal Mitchell opened the first all-star program in Arizona in 1997 with a total of 33 students. Due to a lack of all-star enthusiasm in its own state, Arizona Heat Elite Cheer Training Center had to travel all the way to California just to compete against other gyms, and they trained out of a local gymnastics gym for their first year—with no air conditioning.

Today, Arizona has more than 30 all-star programs, and this continues to grow. Over the past 12 years, the Mitchells have experienced so much success with their business that they were able to move the program into a much better space. “We’re very excited to be in a facility that’s over 16,000 square feet,” says Jason. “And it’s fully air-conditioned, which is a commodity we’ve never enjoyed before.”
Besides the luxury of a cool gym, the draw to the Arizona Heat Elite space is no doubt its accessibility and location. “People passing by on the street are able to see the activities going on in the gym, which has been a great marketing opportunity for us,” says Jason.
But the gym’s success hasn’t been without challenges. Due to the rough economy and the new ruling of the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) to keep school cheerleaders from also competing on all-star teams, the Mitchells needed to come up with some inventive ways to keep their doors open and their business profitable. “Arizona’s made a lot of strides in cheerleading in the last 10 years, but this has truly been a hard blow to our industry here in the state,” says Jason. “We have several schools that train with us, and that’s helped make up for some of the lost revenue resulting from the AIA’s new ruling.”

Despite these setbacks, Arizona Heat Elite has sent teams to The Cheerleading Worlds the past four years, continues to place well nationally and manages to develop outstanding athletes. “As corny as this sounds, the families who have been a part of our program for the past 12 years are what make Arizona Heat Elite so special,” says Jason. “We’re thankful for the opportunity we’ve had to develop these relationships and influence these kids’ lives.”

What’s Inside:

*16,300 square feet
*25′ high ceilings
*Fully air-conditioned
*Snack bar and pro shop
*Lobby and parent viewing area
*Three 54′ x 42′ competition floors
*One 48′ x 42′ school foam/martial arts floor
*Weights and adult conditioning area
*40′ tumble track
*12′ x 54′ tumble strip
*Large projection theater for movies and marketing
*Flat-screen TV and team viewing area