Last night marked Keaton’s final official practice at Austin Ninjas. While he’ll likely attend open gym this Sunday for one more training session, yesterday was the true end of an era for our family. We knew that moving would bring many goodbyes, but I don’t think any of us anticipated how hard it would be to say farewell to our ninja gym.

Since he was three, Keaton has said he wanted to be a ninja. He never wavered—not once—as we watched the show together. Matthew even built him floating steps, and by kindergarten, the two of them were checking out local gyms. They were immediately drawn to Austin Ninjas. The facility was clean, well-organized, and clearly prioritized safety. In January 2020, Matthew signed Keaton up for lessons—but just two months later, everything shut down due to the pandemic.

Still, Keaton’s passion didn’t fade. He trained daily on monkey lines we strung between trees. Two years later, we felt it was time to return to the sport, and Austin Ninjas was our first stop. During his assessment, we were amazed—he cranked out 49 pushups. It was clear he was right where he belonged. That first year and a half was a learning curve for all of us, as we began to understand the sport and its competitive structure.

But over the past two years, we’ve come to truly appreciate just how special the Austin Ninja community is. The coaches don’t just care about competition results—they invest in developing lifelong skills and character. With each practice, each competition, our respect for this gym has only grown.

As I watched Keaton doing what he loves last night, I was overwhelmed with gratitude—for the coaches who have poured so much into our family. With Matthew’s background in coaching, we don’t take that role lightly. We recognize when coaches are truly committed to the holistic well-being of a child. We know what it looks like when safety is the foundation, and individual growth and commitment are the goals.

We leave Texas missing so many, especially family, but one family that will forever hold a spot is Austin Ninjas. At a time when so many youth sports is focused in areas not productive, we will forever be appreciate to be at a gym that loved, encouraged, and celebrated Keaton. While our hearts hurt leaving tremendous coaches and teammates, we love the ninja community is small, connected, and we will see so many again. But as we leave, we could not be more grateful for a gym that was our home.