09/01/2026
SEPTEMBER INSTRUCTOR OF THE MONTH! ESTHER STOUTE!!
Esther, your dedication to our members, your tireless effort to uphold our club and department standards, your support for the team, and the passion you bring to every single class is inspiring. You’ve built an amazing community here and you are so appreciated!
Esther's story:
"My fitness journey began at a young age when I fell in love with volleyball in third grade. It became my sport for many years, along with softball and track & field. I faced some challenges during college when I had tumors removed from my back, followed by a broken foot that took 2 years plus surgery to heal, and then a traumatic brain injury. Although I went to college on a softball scholarship, it was a tough few years for my physical and mental health.
After college my focus shifted to running and I began participating in local races in Chicago. In 2009 I moved to Texas and decided to join a gym. I wasn’t used to running in the heat and a gym seemed like a great place to keep running and lifting. One Friday night I saw a Zumba class happening and it looked so fun! I’m not a great dancer, so I thought if it was a total disaster I could always join another gym 😆 Well, it ended up being a fantastic decision and became my new Friday workout. I met some new friends and one Friday we decided to try a Saturday morning class called BodyPump. It took me a few classes, but I was hooked!
After several years of resisting, I finally ripped the Band-Aid off and became an instructor in 2017. Next thing I knew I was adding more trainings and certifications - Sprint, The Trip, Strength Development, Les Mills Core, Shapes, Thrive, BodyPump Heavy, Advanced BodyPump, Advanced Sprint, BodyCombat, and several non-Les Mills certifications as well. In 2022 I was also selected to be part of the Les Mills TAP team as an assessor! The BEST part about my fitness journey and being at Villa Sport has been the community and meeting the most amazing people, including two of my best friends! I could not imagine life without my gym family. They have been by my side through the darkest days of losing my first husband and on the highest days when I was blessed to get remarried and have my sweet baby girl.
Fitness is more than just showing up at the gym. It is about how we live, how we care for those in our life and how we care for ourselves each and every day, physically, mentally and emotionally! My goal as a fitness instructor is to inspire, encourage and motivate everyone I have in class to be their best for that day and to celebrate all we do together. One of my favorite quotes is my motto - Exercise is a celebration of what the body CAN do, not a form of punishment! It is an honor to be part of the Villa Sport community, and I can’t wait to see what comes next!"
You can find Esther most days teaching, subbing, or taking class:
• Monday 9:00am - The Trip
• Tuesday 10:45am - BodyPump
• Wednesday 8:15am - Shapes
• Wednesday 9:30am - Sprint
• Thursday 8:15am - BodyPump
• Saturday 8:30am - The Trip
