The Company Dance Theater’s gymnastics department has created a new training group called Hot Shots.

Hot Shots is a group designed as a stepping stone for the competitive gymnastics team coming in 2014.

Hot Shots is for gymnastics classes at the company who have shown natural talent in physical strength and flexibility, great skill potential and the mental determination of an athlete.

The company gymnastics began one year ago under the direction of the center’s gym director Kimberly Morgan and coach Tona Headrick.

“This training group is designed to assist in developing these girls to be the best athletes they can be,” Headrick said.

The hot shots group will begin training in June.

“I am really excited to be working in south Alabama,” Headrick said. “These girls have shown me a lot this year and I know that they can accomplish anything they set their mind to.”

Morgan is a Texas native and 15-year recreational gymnastics coach. She began working at the company in November 2011 as a tumbling instructor to help build the tumbling program.

The company offers training on all four Olympic events — vault, bars, balance beam and floor. The company plans on holding its first team tryouts later this year.

“I am amazed at how far these girls have come in the short nine months they have been in gymnastics,” Morgan said. “We have a lot of talent in our gym and am excited to see these young ladies excel in their new group.”