VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — A Hampton Roads adult gymnastics team is looking for a new place to practice after suddenly losing their spot last week.

The team practiced in the same facility where a Chesapeake gymnast recently got hurt during open gym.

A lot of people have been seeking out the Virginia Beach Adult Gymnastics Club wanting to get back into the sport, or to try it out for the first time after watching gymnasts compete at the Olympics.

Now, they’re hoping to find a new spot so they can get back to practicing on the mat soon.

“We’re really trying to promote gymnastics as like something that doesn’t have to be done at the elite level,” said Virginia Beach Adult Gymnastics Club founder and co-captain Gina Dean.

The Virginia Beach Adult Gymnastics Club was founded two years ago, and is the only adult program in the Hampton Roads area.

They are part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Gymnastics Clubs and travel to competitions in places such as Albuquerque, New Mexico, or even closer to home like William & Mary.

Dean said that with increased attention on the sport right now, they’re seeing more interest.

“We’ve been hearing from people on Facebook and Instagram,” Dean said. “Just so many people just really excited about getting back into the sport and being inspired from everything they see on TV.”

Dean participated in gymnastics as a kid, while fellow captain, Crystal D’Amato, discovered it as an adult.

“I am reliving a childhood dream in my late 40s,” D’Amato said. “I mean, it’s incredible.”

The team previously practiced at the facility where 16-year-old Chesapeake gymnast Cody Bennett fell off the high bar during open gym in a coach-free setting. Bennett is still recovering from injuries and is learning how to walk again, as 10 On Your Side reported last week.

“We all kind of just practice whatever we want to practice, a lot of us were coaches previously, so we help each other,” said Dean. “We don’t have a formal coach, but we set up drills for each other, we give each other tips.”

Because the adult team was practicing without a coach, and the facility is no longer having open gym following the accident, they are looking for somewhere else to go.

Dean said there are challenges, though, when it comes to finding a spot for adults to practice.

“We do have insurance coverage for our gymnasts, which is probably the biggest hurdle,” Dean said. “Aside from that, it’s finding a gym that will let us rent space to use [for] couple hours for a couple of days a week.”

The team can practice at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront when it’s nice, but they need to be able to use equipment, like a beam or tumbling mats.

D’Amato believes helping people understand what adult gymnastics is may encourage people to be more willing to let them use their space.

“I think that’s the one thing people need to understand,” D’Amato said. “When I say I’m going to do gymnastics, I’m not going to do what Simone Biles does. I’m not capable of that. But the level of the sport that I can do still qualifies as gymnastics.”

D’Amato said seeing the average age of an Olympic gymnast increase also helps others to realize they might be able to pick up the sport too.

“That global stage of the Olympics now, and the increased age of almost every gymnast competing [on] this squad in this Olympics session has has made people realize, ‘I might be able to do this,'” D’Amato said.

She said there is also major health benefits for adult gymnasts, like the neurological benefits of creating and memorizing a floor routine.

“The muscle memory of gymnastics lends itself to the prevention of things like Alzheimer’s disease,” D’Amato said. “So, I mean, there’s everything to be gained from it and nothing to be lost.”

D’Amato also hopes that, one day, people won’t look at her differently when she says she’s going to practice gymnastics as an adult. She hopes that as more people learn about adult gymnastics, it will normalize the practice for everyone.

“I wish that more gym owners understood how many of us there are out here who are capable or willing, who are interested, who have everything it takes, but the opportunity for a place to train,” D’Amato said.

The team is in the process of filing for nonprofit status as well. They want people to know they are all about promoting gymnastics for all ages, skill levels and genders.

Competition is always optional for members, but team members say it’s a fun way to challenge yourself.

“We are definitely not giving up, and we’ll hopefully have official practices up and running really soon,” Dean said.

If you’re interested in learning more about the team, or if you know of a facility that might work for the team, click here.

You can also email vbadultgymnasticsclub@gmail.com or follow them on Instagram @vbadultgymnasticsclub or Facebook Virginia Beach Adult Gymnastics Club to see what the team is all about!