Meet Chasity Hagerty of Flip for Function

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chasity Hagerty. 

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started coaching gymnastics when I was 15 – as soon as I could have a job, I knew that’s what I wanted to do. I continued to coach through high school, college, and even post-college when I needed a break from my office job. I had a journalism and marketing degree but it felt like there was more I should be doing. I started doing private gymnastic lessons with a little girl with Down Syndrome and her mom asked if I had ever considered pursuing Occupational Therapy. At the time I was unsure of what it was, but she mentioned that the way I was able to connect with her daughter and set up her sessions through a holistic lens was similar to the way occupational therapists view their clients. I did some research and decided to go back to school for Occupational Therapy. I had always wanted to be in a profession that served the community to the best of my abilities and this seemed like the perfect fit. After I told this little girl’s mom that I was going that route, she mentioned the need for recreationally based classes in the community, specifically for children with special needs and that planted the seed for Flip for Function. I was accepted into Belmont University’s Occupational Therapy program, and from my very first day, I was soaking up all the knowledge with anticipation to launch Flip for Function. During my last semester, I had the opportunity to create and implement a pilot Adaptive Gymnastics Program, partnering with an Occupational Therapy clinic and the gymnastics gym I was working at in Northern California. The program involved training current gymnastics staff on inclusion practices as well as a pilot program devoted solely to children with special needs. That helped to solidify the foundation of what is now Flip for Function. 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road to where I currently am was definitely filled with hills and valleys. I tend to view difficulties as opportunities to pivot and grow, but it definitely requires a mindset check and it isn’t always easy. 

My mom actually passed away in 2016, before I graduated OT school. I found that the only way to survive back then was to sit in a place of denial, or else I wouldn’t be able to finish school. Once I graduated and began moving forward, I struggled with thoughts of feeling like nothing I did mattered anymore since she wasn’t there to share it with -she was honestly my biggest fan. As I began working through my grief, I knew she would want to me to move forward with my dreams. It was definitely tough moving forward with the business knowing she wouldn’t physically be here for advice or support. During some of my hardest struggles, and the high points, I can sometimes hit a mental wall realizing I can’t pick up the phone and share those moments with her or hear her advice. During those times, I have to turn the rampant thoughts and the outside noise down long enough, and I can hear her cheering me on. 

As a solo business owner, it can also sometimes feel isolating. There is always a to-do list and very few people that understand exactly what you’re going through. I’ve worked hard to create a community of like-minded people around me that have become a safe place to go and share our victories and our challenges. It’s important to create that and seek out those that lift you up. We are all in this together with a common goal – to help others – and sometimes that means pouring into another business owner so they can serve others to the best of their ability. 

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Flip for Function offers pediatric occupational therapy services and adaptive and therapeutic gymnastics and boot camp fitness classes for all children, including those with exceptionalities, special needs, mental health challenges and disabilities. Our mission is to unlock potential by strengthening minds, bodies, and confidence of all children through exercise and fitness so they may experience a sense of belonging and achievement and push past limits in all areas of their lives. 

We are known for being relationship builders and problem solvers. From day one, we are building a strong foundational relationship with our clients and their children, while honoring their interests and strengths, and identifying what barriers may exist that are impeding their independent functioning in various areas. Once we identify those, we use our knowledge of child development, kinesiology, sensory processing, neuroscience, mental health, etc. to structure our sessions in such a way that capitalizes on their strengths while pushing past those barriers, all while teaching gymnastics and fitness. I always say we are like a two-birds-one-stone approach – a child gains athletic benefits as well as therapeutic benefits. 

We are different in that we offer a safe, judgment-free place for children to explore their potential through sports and fitness, tailored just for them. They are able to learn what their bodies need from a sensory and movement standpoint, using purposeful movements, that they can carry over into other aspects of their lives. Our knowledge, education, and experience of Occupational Therapy and gymnastics put us in a unique role where we are able to not only teach a sport but do it through a holistic, therapeutic lens, where we think on our feet and recognize what a child needs. For some children, they need heavy rotational movement, for others, they may be averse to their feet leaving the ground. Some children have decreased body awareness, affecting how they move through the environment. Others have decreased safety awareness. We are able to identify these things and have the tools to work towards improving challenges, creating a safe and adaptive environment for children to learn and unlock their potential. 

I am most proud of the relationships we have within the community as well as with our clients. As I mentioned earlier, we are relationship-focused, making sure our clients know we are always working for the betterment of them and their child. We want to make sure they feel like family when they come in and feel better when they leave than they did when they arrived. We listen to suggestions within our organization as well as from our clients and value partnering with other organizations, such as the gyms we work in. My husband and I always repeat a quote we’ve heard along the way: “There’s no such thing as business ethics, there’s just ethics,” and that’s how we run Flip for Function, while staying true to our mission, serving others and maintaining integrity with our partners. 

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I have to give a shout-out to my team – we currently have 4 Occupational Therapists and 1 Occupational Therapy student on staff and we are continuing to grow. They are the reason that our clients make the gains they do and recognize their confidence and potential. They keep this ship running when I am completing administrative and back-end business tasks. They aim to deliver the highest quality of service while building strong relationships with all our clients and I love hearing their excitement reverberate from across the gym when one of their students achieves a new skill! 

We are also so thankful for continued community support. Small businesses such as ours wouldn’t sustain without it, and we are always so appreciative of those who support us. We are continuing to expand our programming to include other sports and activities and expand into new locations, so be sure to follow us on social media and sign up for our newsletter on our website to stay up to date on all the new things happening at Flip for Function. 

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.flipforfunction.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/flipforfunction
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/flipforfunction