QUINCY — While local Basin student athletes may be out for the summer, their opportunities to remain in shape for their respective sports are not. Head Baseball Coach at Quincy High School and owner of Athletic Breakthrough Gym David Garza has made his business available to local Basin athletes to continue developing during the offseason.  

“You're starting to see the kids who are trying to be more dedicated to their sport,” Garza said. “One thing that contributes to a lot of that success is dedication in the offseason, their hard work in the weight room, the dedication that they're putting in, as well.” 

Garza said he noticed more athletes expressing an interest in reaching higher levels of their sports, like college or the pros. However, he noticed a gap in athlete development, citing the summer as a key time period where athletes can separate themselves from the competition.  

“I've told them, if you've ever had a chance in your life to ever talk to a professional athlete, a lot of the professional athletes will also say, ‘I wish I would have done this earlier, I wish I would have started training earlier, I wish I would have had a trainer or a player specific skill set that would have made me better.’ It's something that they have to do all year round,” he said. 

In turn, Garza has offered programs to help student athletes at varying levels and sports across the Basin progress in the offseason. Whether it’s college, high school, middle school or elementary, his gym offers the opportunity to them, he said.  

“If someone really wants to progress, coaches are here for you; trainers are here for you to get to that next step in that next level,” Garza said. “Like we talked about for baseball, it's who's going to put the work in. So come November open gym time and stuff, even in that period of time, we'll see who put the work in.” 

Originally from Othello, he played baseball, basketball and football in the Huskies program. From there, he attended Eastern Washington University where a few bumps in the road put him on the path he’s on now.  

“I don't want it to ever be the story, but I did have a severe knee injury, and that kind of set me back a lot, but that's when I continued (club) baseball, because I felt like it was going to be able to work that way, and then football wasn't the dream anymore,” he said. 

During his rehabilitation process, he learned more about physical therapy, training and coaching. In 2013, he graduated with a bachelor's degree in health and fitness and would later earn his masters in sports administration.  

Fast forward to 2024 when he opened ABT in Quincy. Being able to help local athletes in this way offers more fulfillment for Garza.  

“In coaching you get your select group of kids, but that's it. Coming into Quincy, I was like, I want to see every athlete and every kid. I want to help every program grow. I don't want any program here to feel like they're not able to do something to help themselves out,” Garza said. 

In addition to helping local athletes, ABT has programs for adults and is open for anyone in the Columbia Basin, too. For adults, ABT offers technical strength training, a high-intensity interval training (HIIT), one on one training, small and large group sessions and 24/7 access to the facility.  

Above all else, he wants anyone who comes into his gym to find it enjoyable. 

“It's the full spectrum of what my strengths are,” he said. “All these things are very gym oriented. Getting adults into shape, making them feel like they feel a part of a community, which is my biggest thing. I want you to have fun, and adults here should feel like they're finding a place where that's an enjoyable part of the day, even though they're getting their butts kicked.” 

For anyone interested in signing themselves or their athletes up for training, sign up links can be found on www.athleticbreakthrough.com. 

    A student at Athletic Breakthrough works through a barbell movement.
  

    David Garza (in gray) jokes with one of his students at Athletic Breakthrough. Garza said he aims to make ABT an enjoyable place for anyone to come to work out at.
  

    Located in Quincy, Athletic Breakthrough is a private gym that opened in 2024 and is owned by David Garza.