Empire Kids

Big dreams usually start with a small spark of an idea. With a bit of grit, passion, and trial and error, that small idea can begin to grow into something beyond your imagination. For Brooke Plack, President and Founder of Empire Kids, her idea to teach cheerleading lessons in her garage gained momentum and over the last eight years has grown into two businesses, including 51 employees and over 1,000 kids enrolled in classes—essentially an empire. 

Brooke Plack remembers always having a job, even from an early age. Whether it was around the house, at her grandparents’ business, or at her father’s car lot, hard work has always been a part of who she is. The first in her family to attend college, it was always an assumed part of her story. “My parents knew I was going to college; there was no question.” 

With her sights set on being a Razorback cheerleader, Brooke spent months working four nights a week on private lessons and team practices. As a high school athlete, Brooke was a base position, but was auditioning to be a flyer, performing stunts in midair. In her words, the travel schedule and the practices were “brutal.” The university only took two freshman flyers that year and Brooke’s hard work both athletically and academically paid off, gaining her a position on the team. Brooke was a cheerleader for the Arkansas Razorbacks all four years of college.

Attending the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville on a full-ride and as a member of the cheerleading team was a dream come true for Brooke. At a young age, she had spent time in her local gym and in private lessons working hard to perfect her performance. She had cheered for schools and community sports teams with the goal one day to cheer as a college athlete. 

Like most athletes, Brooke had a number of mentors. “I was a good athlete and I had to work really hard to be a good tumbler. I had a great coach, like none other,” explains Brooke. “Pam Jones believed in me and she made a difference. She set the bar and there were no excuses for anyone, anywhere. Setting goals and getting there set the course for my life. Once I opened my own gym, she called me. I hired her on the spot and she’s been by my side ever since.” 

Her biggest cheerleader, however, was her mom. From cheering her on the sidelines to fundraising for new gear, Brooke’s mom supported her love of cheer from the very start. Tragically, she lost her mom to suicide in 2013, just before she began Empire Kids. In the midst of grief, Brooke decided to begin her dream of teaching kids the life skills she learned through sport. “There’s always a chance you can fail, but I remember thinking, ‘What do you have to lose?’” said Brooke. She shares her personal story with parents and knows her mom’s story has helped save lives.

Her years of focus and consistency created the bedrock for Empire Kids. With a mission to build kids’ pride, courage, and confidence, Brooke’s big dream started in December 2013 on a 5×7 gymnastics mat in her garage. The idea came to her as she offered cheer lessons to a small group of kids before cheer tryouts. She found herself working a couple of nights a week to nearly every night, teaching weekend cheer clinics and working as a full-time teacher for the local school district. 

With the momentum of word of mouth, news of her tumbling and cheer classes continued to grow. By March of 2014, Brooke secured the back room of a small studio for her first Empire Kids classes in Benton and more than 100 kids were signed up before the first class began. Within eight weeks, Brooke had completely run out of space. With so much interest and so little space, Brooke moved to her second location and enrollment grew to 350 athletes in just under 11 months. 

“Working in the kid business, trust is a huge element,” said Brooke. “Our kids needed a great experience and they needed an environment where they could learn.” Empire Kids would move two more times, eventually into an 18,000 square-foot facility, and are currently expanding with an additional 12,000 square-foot building next door. 

Throughout the years, Empire Kids has grown from cheer clinics to summer camps, parkour and tumbling classes teaching girls and boys alike, Empire Ninja Academy, award-winning all-star competitive cheerleading, a competitive internship program, and a full-time daycare. Brooke credits her team for making the success of two companies and providing a place for more than 1,000 kids to learn, possible. “Our staff are who make us unique,” explains Brooke. “Our philosophy is asking ourselves, ‘What’s best for the children?’ and staying grounded in that helps guide our decisions. Our staff are our hands and feet every day.” 

One of the moments that inspired her most in recent memory was the can-do spirit of her staff the day Arkansas went into lockdown for COVID-19. They closed the doors on March 13, 2020, and by March 16, 2020, the Empire Kids staff had recorded virtual classes for their students to complete at home. “We have such a family dynamic among our team. Kids don’t get that year back and it’s important for us to provide a great learning environment.”