Fletcher Hamblen

Owner

 Fletcher grew up in Dallas, Texas. He spent his athletic career wrestling at Dallas Jesuit. His summers were often spent changing tires at his family’s tire shop in downtown Dallas. After graduating from Washington and Lee University (Lexington, VA) with a B.S. in Accounting/Business Administration, he began working in the financial industry.  He started out as an auditor for Price Water House, was the controller for Richmond Memorial Hospital, and became a salesman and analyst in the hedge fund industry (James River Capital and Chesapeake Capital). The constant travel to the West Coast and time away from his family fostered his dream to open a family business. A dinner with colleagues in 2003 encouraged him to take the leap. Fletcher’s role at River City has been transformative. While Holly ran the day-to-day operations in the early years, Fletcher would work before the sun rose before having to show up to his financial job. Coach Fletcher’s true persona did not come to be until a typical fall day in 2005. Holly was having a tough time with a class of four boys. She asked for Fletcher’s help despite his starched suit and cowboy boots. By the end of the night, Fletcher was seen barefoot and chasseing across the floor. He has not looked back since. The sports and gym program became Fletcher’s personal project with the goal to get more boys in the gym. A lot of trial and error has led to one of the staples of River City. Fletcher has enjoyed watching his sons take over the program and make it their own. Today, Fletcher can be seen coaching all levels of recreational gymnastics. At times, it is difficult to determine who is having more fun, the kids or Fletcher. He takes pride in pushing each student past his or her limits. One of Fletcher’s main goals is to get children in the community excited about a healthy lifestyle. While he understands not every child wants to be a gymnast, he believes gymnastics is a great springboard to increase coordination and strength for future successes.

Perspective at RCYF:

“Being from Texas, I have always wanted to be a cowboy or a Texas Ranger. I would ride a horse if it were socially acceptable. A cowboy, to me, represents much more than a hat, horse, and boots. A cowboy stands tall for what he believes, has courage of the unknown, and has try. This try represents more than a word. It represents an individual giving every ounce of effort to achieve a goal. I often tell kids to “try harder” because they are capable of far more than they believe. My greatest satisfaction is seeing newfound confidence in kids.”

More about Fletcher: 

Fletcher married Holly three days out of college and has not looked back since. The two of them have four children (Tyler, Travis, Madison, and Tucker). Fletcher’s has tried to maintain an active lifestyle. Early in his adult life, he ran marathons and participated in triathlons. Now, however, he can be seen skipping across the floor! One of Fletcher’s earliest passions was cooking. He loves to get the family together and cook a big meal a couple times a month. Spending time with family is very important to Holly and Fletcher.