KAY Watson has dedicated nearly a decade of her life to training up south-west Queensland’s next generation of gymnasts, but now the Mitchell resident is saying goodbye.

Ms Watson has sold Wot’s On Gymnastics to good friend, Luanne ‘Leuy’ Maslen, after she decided to move back to the Lockyer Valley due to health reasons.

Having taught hundreds of kids from Roma to Quilpie, Ms Watson wanted to re-assure people that Ms Maslen would be going to all the same locations and was even looking at expanding the scope of the business.

“We decided it was time to move on – we’ve raised the kids here for 11 years,” she said.

“The business has had a huge impact on us – I just love giving to other people and it’s not about how good our students are, it’s about how much they improve themselves.

“I wouldn’t have gone without sorting out the business, because I teach in five towns [but] it will all still happen as normal.”

Having started in gymnastics since she was 10, Ms Watson said it would be sad to hand over a project that had such humble beginnings.

“Gymnastics has always been a passion of mine and my family – I started back in the 1970s,” she said.

“In Roma, I now have 130 kids and 59 kids in Charleville and we’ll soon have even more kids in Quilpie.

“It is with mixed emotions that I leave but I wish to sort my health out and pursue living closer to family.

“I know it is going to great hands with great transition happen right now.

“Luanne was coached under the great past Graham Carey and achieved high with National titles with a winning score of 9.8.

“If they can support Leuy like they supported us, it would be amazing.”

IF YOU would like to give Kay a farewell, her email is oak.flats@bigpond.com. Classes will still be on Mondays and Tuesday afternoons.