PHOTO BY CLARE JENSEN

Winners Gym, located at 810 E. Harrison, is conveniently located next to the Puyallup Reservation.

Gym may be Winning choice for Tribal members

By Clare Jensen

Tacoma Christian Center’s (TCC) Winner’s Gym was established in November 2006 because Pastor Terry Harris felt the Eastside neighborhood was lacking such a facility.

“There isn’t really anything like this in this part of town,” he said. “I wanted to give back to the community a place where adults, kids and families could come.”

After TCC’s new facility was opened in 1998, Terry Harris’ next priority was to open a state-of-the-art gymnasium and community center near the church that was open to the public, not only congregation members.

At first, church members were virtually the only ones using Winners, but the membership at the gym has really grown throughout the community in the past year.

“It is a community center,” he said. “The church is not just concerned about whose coming here on Sunday, TCC is also concerned about what the community is doing Monday through Saturday, and it has nothing to do with religion.”

But since Winners is church owned and operated, there is no foul language permitted on the state of the art basketball court.

“We do have those rules set in place,” he said.

In addition to the full basketball court, Winners has a floor of cardio and weight-training equipment. Winners also offers classes to members at several ability levels.

Mike Williams, director of the gym and personal trainer for members, said the classes range from a “morning walk with Mike” to “tuff” training, which he refers to as a mini boot-camp.

“It’s doing really well,” he said. “We have state of the art equipment and the campus is in really good shape.”

Mike Williams said in the future, aerobics and yoga classes will also be offered at Winners.

In addition to adult workout regimens, Winners offers teen basketball games and rents the facility to youth team tournaments and games.

They also offer organized games for children, and a place to hang out and relax while parents are getting in a workout.

Winners also hosts community service events, such as a Christmas gift drive for needy families and a huge Superbowl party open to anyone in the area.

“We’re showing that the Eastside is a good place to come,” Terry Harris said.

Mike Williams likened Winners to a lighthouse for the community.

Puyallup Tribal member Amber Santiago, who is Terry Harris’ niece, works out at Winners three times a week in the group classes.

“Me and two other tribal members also go to the gym at lunch time if we can’t make it to work-out after work, which is very convenient because it’s just down the street,” she said.

She said since the Tribe offers up to $500 for gym memberships per year, it “really makes sense to use this service at Winners gym since so close, there are a lot of machines and a huge basketball court to use.” “The tribal community would definitely benefit from using Winners gym and all of the services and activities provided.”

Monthly memberships at Winners range from $15 a month for teens to $35 a month for families.

Winners gym is located at 810 E. Harrison and is opened Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Sundays, the gym in open and free to the public from 2-4:30 p.m. For more information, call (253) 272-6079.

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