Meet Haylee Ellerbe of Adrenaline Athletics in Katy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Haylee Ellerbe.

Haylee, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I took over as an owner for Adrenaline Athletics when I was 21 years old. I participated in competitive cheerleading at a private cheerleading facility from the age of 4 years old untile I graduated high school. I was fortunate enough to be taught many tangible and intangible skills by very good coaches and gym owners at my cheerleading and tumbling clubs as well as my time as a cheerleader at Katy High School.

After high school, and while attending Texas A&M University, I decided I wanted to own a business that had as much of a positive impact on the community as possible. I decided to pursue a degree in Leadership Development with minors in Youth Development and Sports Management. It was at Texas A&M when I realized that many kids today are thirsty in learning responsibility, accountability, athleticism, discipline, hard work, and teamwork. While those were all positive facets of the things I learned from cheerleading and tumbling it lead me to think about all of the kids that did not have the opportunity to learn those important life lessons. I continued to think about how much better our society would be if all kids had an inclusive environment that they could go to regularly. I became fixated on that thought for the rest of my college career and knew I had to do my part to try to turn that thought into a reality.

Additionally, I have had the opportunity to be surrounded by multiple successful and influential people in my young life, and I have learned, listened and adopted their drive and work ethic. I felt like my experiences could be passed on in a positive manner through Adrenaline. By virtue of God’s plan, Adrenaline Athletics in Katy, TX became available for purchase, and with the consultation of my loved ones and mentors, I decided to pursue that opportunity. Adrenaline was a successful program when I took it over, and that success continues today.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I love this question because I think it is so important for people to know what it is like to be an entrepreneur especially with social media at our fingertips. Owning your own business can be one of the most rewarding things you could ever do but it can also be the hardest and everyone’s journey is different.

As much as I love what I do, it has not always been a smooth ride. When approaching my career, I knew that my age is not a normal age to run a business. Knowing that ahead of time, I’ve had many opportunities where people have dismissed me because of my age but I have never let that stop me. I’ve always told myself that the way I will gain others’ respect is through action. For the first year, I was always the first one to arrive and last one to leave. I never complained about how tired I was or other normal situations that people complain about. I gained respect from clients, employees, and the athletes by being the most dependable and reliable person in the gym. Because of uncertainty in new ownership, our client base was skeptical, as is with any business during such transition. However, I remain strict in my goals of providing a positive atmosphere for young people. My first year in business, I worked tirelessly to create a gym culture that I was proud of. In any industry, culture change is not the most popular topic but I knew if I stuck to the gym’s core values, it would benefit the business long term and it has. Our positive culture in the gym is contagious and it is something I am insanely proud of.

Another adversity I faced was during the first year that I owned Adrenaline Athletics. I was a senior in college at Texas A&M University so I was juggling owning a business, coaching our cheer teams, and being a full-time student. I spent 5-6 times a week driving to Katy from College Station. During that time, I basically removed myself from social media for a while to try to focus solely on my business. I did that because I did not want to be tempted by comparing myself to my peers which I feel like is a problem a lot of millennial’s face in today’s day in age. I found myself telling many teenage girls in the gym to not compare themselves to others’ accomplishments on social media because it is just a highlight reel, not reality. Which is all true, but the problem was that I would go home and subconsciously compare myself to the people who I followed. I realized if I was going to be the positive role model to the kids I the gym, I had to hold myself accountable as well. Struggling with the feeling of not having enough hours in the day to accomplish everything that was on my to-do list and having societal pressures of social media were two things that I really struggled with personally and professionally. It was a challenge but I believed in myself and the core values Adrenaline represents and knew that my hard work would pay off one day.

Tell us about your business/company. What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of as a company? What sets you apart from others?
Adrenaline Athletics is a youth sports facility that specializes in tumbling, competitive cheerleading, and ninja warrior classes. We also host open gyms, parent’s night out, nerf war nights and other activities meant for children to have fun while exercising and many life lessons like teamwork, discipline, accountability. Adrenaline is known for being very personable to all of our clients. The Adrenaline staff wants to know what is going on in each athlete’s life because they truly care.

I am most proud of Adrenaline for being an all-around inclusive environment for youth from all walks of life. It does not matter what side of town you live on or your skill set, everyone is welcome in our gym. From our staff to our athletes, we encourage diversity and inclusivity not only in at Adrenaline but in the community as well. We also love to give back to our community and that is something I am extremely proud that our business does. Each month we give back to a charitable cause. For example, in August we held a school supplies drive, and in September we held a drive where people can donate shoes to be distributed to children who can’t afford new or comfortable footwear. We don’t love only the kids within our walls. We love all children and want them to have the best childhood possible. Unfortunately, in today’s crazy world, there are children living with many obstacles outside of their control. While financial and team winning success is a common goal many of us have, I know there are children needing to be within the walls of Adrenaline simply because they can take a break from their difficult lives or realities at home, school or elsewhere. We want all children to know that they are loved regardless of where they came from, their background, their family financial status or anything.

What sets Adrenaline apart is that we have a strong desire to provide an all-inclusive, positive environment to all children. Every single child who walks through the Adrenaline doors is treated the exact same. There is no favoritism or politics at the gym. For example, if you are a 17-year-old beginner or a 17- year-old elite tumbler, our staff will treat you with the same respect. Because at the end of the day, their future employer is not going to care if they can do a cool backflip or run up a warped wall. Their employer will care about their work ethic, inner confidence, and whether or not they can be a team player. Those are all characteristic traits that are taught every day at Adrenaline. We are here for every child, and we want every child to know we love them regardless of their financial or life status. We try to keep our fees low and our quality of instruction high so that each child has the opportunities I had when I was growing up. Our goal is not to provide “professional cheerleaders” or “professional tumblers”, etc. when they become adults, but we would rather see them become professional adults and positively contribute to the sport of life.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I can see how being at the right place at the right time could potentially be helpful in business but that is about it. In regard to my personal business philosophy, I do not believe in luck. The elements that have played the most meaningful role in my life and in business are, always being the hardest worker in the room, proper networking, and sticking to your own personal core values and ethics even when you are tempted not to. I truly believe in what Adrenaline stands for. With that being said, I believe that blessings come your way if you are constantly trying to give to greater purpose than yourself.

Pricing:

• Our Trial Program is 4 weeks of Tumbling or Ninja Warrior for $54! Visit www.join.adrenalineathletics.com to register.

Contact Info:

• Address: 1420 Katy Flewellen
  Katy, TX 77494
• Website: www.adrenalineallstars.com
• Phone: 2816353197
• Email: info@adrenalineallstars.com
• Instagram: Business: @adrenalineathletics_ Personal: @hollahaylee
• Facebook: wwww.facebook.com/adrenalineathletics

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