About Us: Why We Built Grit Club
The Grit Report · Our story
"We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future." — Franklin D. Roosevelt
That's Randi's favorite quote. It's the reason we coach, the reason we volunteer and the reason Grit Club exists.
We're Randi and Michael Brantner, and we're opening Grit Club Athletics on November 1, 2026, at 750 Garden of the Gods Road in Colorado Springs.
Who we are
We're former Spartan racers. We know what it feels like to stand at the bottom of a wall that looks impossible, and we know what it feels like when a stranger reaches down and pulls you over. That's the spirit of obstacle racing, and it's the spirit we want in our gym.
Randi is also a former dance instructor and cheer coach. She knows first hand how kids gain confidence one skill at a time.
Between us, we bring more than 40 years of experience in finance, operations, facilities, public safety and emergency response, and we've split Grit Club the same way. Randi, who has an MBA and is a Six Sigma Black Belt, leads the business side: enrollment, scheduling, finances and making sure every family has a great experience. Michael leads facilities and safety. He's a former EMT shift supervisor at the summit of Pikes Peak and a former wildland fire crew supervisor and incident commander, and today he manages facilities and security for 16 public buildings across the region. He's also an Eagle Scout.
We've also been Scouting America leaders for six years. Michael is Cubmaster for a Pack of more than 70 Cub Scouts in kindergarten through 5th grade. Randi is Scoutmaster for a Troop of more than 15 girls ages 11–17, and an assistant Scoutmaster for a Troop of more than 35 boys ages 11–17. Every week, we see what young people can do when someone believes in them and gives them a place to belong.
We're parents, too. Our two kids are a big part of why Grit Club matters so much to us. We're building the kind of place we want for our own kids.
A place where kids belong
Today's kids spend a lot of their lives on screens, in social media and video games. We wanted to build something different: a real place, with real people, where kids put the phone down, climb something hard and hear a crowd cheer when they do it.
Not every kid fits into a traditional team sport, and that's okay. Some kids aren't built for the soccer field or the basketball court, but they light up on a warped wall. Grit Club is for them. It's a place for non-traditional athletes to find their team: coaches and friends who show up every week and cheer them on.
Why this space matters
When the ninja gym that used to call this space home closed, our ninja community lost something big. Kids lost their coaches, their friends and the place where they felt strong. Parents lost the community they'd built in the bleachers.
We couldn't let that be the end of the story. Grit Club is our way of bringing that community back home and building it into something even stronger.
What we believe
- Grit is built, not born. Every athlete starts somewhere, and every fall is part of the climb.
- Everyone gets a team. Ninja may be an individual sport, but nobody here trains alone.
- Safety and trust come first.
- Community is everything. We're not just a gym. We're a family of athletes, parents and coaches who show up for each other.
That's what our slogan means: Built on grit. Driven by community.
Come meet us
Come celebrate at our Grand Opening on Sunday, November 1, from 2 to 5 PM: remarks and a ribbon cutting at 2 PM, a gym walk-through, a free open gym for every age, snacks and a prize drawing. Participant signup and signed waivers are required before participation. See Grand Opening details.
We'll see you on the course.
Randi and Michael Brantner Owners, Grit Club Athletics
