At Southern Belles Gymnastics, success isn’t always measured by who lands the hardest skill or earns the highest score. Sometimes it’s a child finding the confidence to try again. Sometimes it’s teammates cheering for one another. And sometimes it’s a parent walking through the door and asking, “What can I do to help?”

Those small moments have helped create something bigger than just a gym in Springfield. Together, the children, families and coaches have created what Melissa Devenney describes as “a little family in itself.”

Priscilla Polanco and her two daughters are part of that family. Her oldest is seven and starting her second competitive season, while her youngest is two and participates in the Parent and Tot class.

“Over the past year, our family has gone through a major life transition, and Southern Belles has been an incredible source of consistency, encouragement, and support for us during that time,” she said. “Having a place where my girls can continue doing something they love, be surrounded by people who care about them, and simply get to be kids has meant more to me than I can put into words. I’m incredibly grateful for the coaches and the Southern Belles community and for the positive impact they have had on both of my girls and our family as a whole. It truly feels like more than a gym; it feels like a community that has been there for us when we needed it most.”

When Devenney watches a child walk in for the first time, she knows they may be taking the first step toward discovering what they are capable of. For some, it might be their first attempt at a cartwheel or even stepping onto a piece of gymnastics equipment. Whatever their starting point, Devenney knows that progress will come one small accomplishment at a time.

A skill that once seemed impossible becomes possible. A child who was hesitant begins to try. A gymnast who struggles with a skill learns to keep working when the first, second or tenth attempt doesn’t go as planned.

And somewhere along the way, the lessons learned in the gym begin to reach far beyond gymnastics.

“Gymnastics teaches so much more beyond the sport,” Devenney said. “The confidence, the resilience, the discipline, the teamwork.”

Those lessons are at the heart of the gym Devenney opened in October 2025, fulfilling a lifelong dream after years spent in gymnastics and coaching.

Less than a year after opening its doors, Southern Belles has already received an extraordinary vote of confidence from the community. Southern Belles, Devenney and members of the gym community were recognized across 11 categories in the Best of Effingham 2026 awards, including:

Devenney was also recognized individually as:

Additionally, gymnast Rachel Sanchez Melendez was named Best Local Athlete, while Southern Belles was recognized in the Best Dance Studio category. For Devenney, however, the recognition isn’t simply about winning awards. It is about what those awards represent. “It’s such a blessing to be a new business,” she said. “To have been nominated and win all those categories ... just shows the impact we are making in the local community.” That impact was the reason she opened the gym in the first place.

Devenney joined the U.S. Marine Corps, serving from 2015 to 2020. The decision was consistent with something else she had always valued: a challenge. She knew she wanted to join the military after high school and wanted to push herself both physically and mentally. The Marines, she decided, were the right fit.

Being a Marine did not get in the way of her passion. Devenney began coaching gymnastics in the evenings after work. After leaving the Marines, she continued her education through The Citadel, earning a Bachelor of Science in Tactical Strength and Conditioning. At the same time, she worked for the City of Port Wentworth's Recreational Department, where she was initially hired as a part-time tumbling instructor.

The program didn't stay small for long. Devenney built it into a competitive gymnastics program and eventually moved into a full-time role. After about three years, however, she had reached another turning point. She had outgrown the program. And a childhood dream was still waiting. “It was now or never,” Devenney said. The opportunity came quickly. A friend from a gym where she had previously trained found a building in Springfield. In about 30 days, Devenney had seen the facility, signed the lease and committed to opening her own gym.

Lessons That Last Beyond the Gym 

Devenney’s military experience may seem like an unlikely pairing with children’s gymnastics, but to her, the connection is natural. The Marines reinforced the skills she learned in gymnastics: discipline, confidence, strength, perseverance, hard work and time management. Richard and Rosaidy Melendez have seen how those same skills are being gained by their daughters. (Image Caption: Effingham's 2026 Best Local Athlete Rachel Sanchez Melendez)

“Gymnastics has become such an important part of our family's life. Rachel and Rossely have grown not only as gymnasts, but as individuals, learning confidence, discipline, perseverance, and the value of hard work,” they said. “As parents, we are incredibly proud to watch them overcome challenges, work towards their goals, and become stronger and more determined along the way.”

A young gymnast doesn’t simply learn how to perform a back handspring. They learn what it means to work toward something they cannot yet do. Confidence, Devenney explained, often starts with a child who walks through the gym doors having never touched a piece of gymnastics equipment. They begin with what they can do. Then they come back and try again. With each practice, they get a little closer to mastering a skill. Coaches encourage them along the way, reinforcing progress that might otherwise be easy for a child to overlook. Eventually, the skill comes. And with it comes the realization: I did that.

That realization matters. So does what happens when the skill doesn’t come easily. Mental blocks are common in gymnastics. Devenney recalled one gymnast who had confidently performed a roundoff back handspring until one day she bailed on the skill. Afterward, rebuilding that confidence took time. For Devenney, that’s one of the most important things gymnastics can teach. Sometimes moving forward doesn’t mean forcing yourself to do something you’re afraid to do. Sometimes it means taking a step back, finding the support you need and trying again.

A Team Inside an Individual Sport

Gymnastics is often viewed as an individual sport. Each gymnast works on individual skills and, in competition, individual performances matter. But Devenney sees something different when she looks around the gym. She sees a team. One gymnast may be competing against another, but that doesn't stop them from cheering each other on. When someone learns a new skill, the other children celebrate with them. “Every effort matters,” Devenney said.

That sense of encouragement extends to the families who walk through the doors. Devenney said Southern Belles' families have become a huge part of the gym's success. Parents regularly ask how they can help or whether she needs anything. The relationship, she said, has become something more than a traditional business relationship.

That feeling of belonging is especially important to Devenney because she wants Southern Belles to be a place where every child can participate. The gym offers an adaptive gymnastics class two Saturdays a month, reflecting Devenney’s belief that gymnastics should be accessible to everyone who wants to participate. Southern Belles has also sponsored local initiatives, including Special Kicks Camp.

Heather Swinford has been taking her 5-year-old daughter, who is autistic, to Southern Belles since the gym opened and said it has been a wonderful experience. “The adaptive classes have been so inclusive it has given Abigail the opportunity to flourish,” Swinford said. “She loves gymnastics now and looks forward to her classes each month. She has grown each class with her level of comfort and is even interacting with other peers, playing and having fun.”

For Devenney, giving back isn't something separate from running the business. It is part of the responsibility that comes with having a place in the community. Southern Belles is still young. But in that short time, the gym has become a place where children learn skills, families build relationships and young athletes discover that success is simply being willing to try, just as she did when she opened her gym. ■