The Story of MEGA: How Massachusetts Elite Gymnastics Academy Found Its Home
In the summer of 2016—just as the world watched the final moments of the 2016 Summer Olympics unfold—something extraordinary was beginning much closer to home. After walking in the Opening Ceremony with the Armenian delegation and coaching Houry Gebeshian, Armenia’s trailblazing Olympic gymnast, longtime coach Levon Karakhanyan returned to Medfield not just with pride from Rio, but with a new mission: to build a permanent home for the athletes who had stood by him through a year of uncertainty, grit, and relentless determination.
From “Gymnastic Nomads” to a Community Reborn
For 12 years, Levon coached at the New England Sports Academy (NESA) in Westwood, helping athletes rise to the state, regional, and national level. But when asbestos was discovered during a building renovation in late 2015, the facility abruptly closed—leaving Levon, his team, and their families without a gym overnight.
What followed became a defining chapter in MEGA’s history.
Parents, coaches, and athletes banded together, refusing to let circumstances break their momentum. They trained wherever space could be found—Tewksbury, Marlborough, Stoughton, Canton, and Ashland—sharing floors and equipment with gyms who generously opened their doors. For nearly ten months they lived as “gymnastic nomads,” yet the team’s tight-knit spirit only strengthened.
Against all odds, the group of girls who remained together went on to earn Region 6 Club of the Year—a testament not just to talent, but to character, resilience, and community.
A Coach Who Built More Than Athletes
To the families who followed him from gym to gym, Levon was far more than a coach. His students describe him as a role model whose lessons extend well beyond skills: discipline, humility, integrity, and an unwavering belief that gymnastics is a vehicle for shaping strong humans.
Levon’s journey—from growing up and coaching in Armenia, to building a life in Medfield and becoming a U.S. citizen in 2012, to coaching on the Olympic stage—became the foundation of MEGA’s philosophy: greatness grows from perseverance, mentorship, and a community that lifts each other up.
The Moment Everything Changed: The Clicquot Club Building
In 2016, that community finally found its forever home.
The historic Clicquot Club Building on Route 109 in Millis—once the largest ginger ale manufacturer in the world—was transformed into a cutting-edge gymnastics training center. Behind the iconic CLICQUOT smokestack, the newly renovated first floor became a bright, expansive gym filled.
This wasn’t just a building—it was a promise. A place to rebuild, grow, and dream again.
And in early September 2016, Massachusetts Elite Gymnastics Academy (MEGA) officially opened its doors.
A Beginning That Set the Tone for Everything MEGA Is Today
From that first grand opening ribbon-cutting to today’s thriving program of recreational gymnasts, competitive teams, and a growing legacy of state, regional, and national champions—MEGA continues to honor the spirit that built it:
Resilience in adversity
Excellence in training
Integrity in coaching
Family-centered community values
What began as a journey of survival has grown into one of the region’s most respected and inspiring gymnastics academies—where athletes of all levels are shaped by the same heart and grit that carried MEGA through its earliest days.
Read the article on Patch.com
