While the sport of gymnastics seems to have leaped into prominence only within the past 30 years or so, local pioneers in the sport have been active for twice as long. Al and Sally Stumpf have been training local gymnasts for over 50 years. The addition of sons Eric and Kurt to the coaching ranks made the Stumpfs the first family of gymnastics in the Buffalo area.

Ellsworth (Al) met his wife Sarah (Sally) at the Buffalo Turners, Buffalo's only gymnastics club, in the late 1940's. In 1954, the couple organized their first of many gymnastics teams, several of which won national competitions. One of their star students was Kathy Gleason, who competed as a member of the U.S. Women's Gymnastics team at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City.

In the early 1970's, the Stumpfs opened the Gymnastics School of Buffalo, the first private gymnastics training center in Buffalo. During this period, they also developed the women's gymnastics program at Canisius College, which became a state collegiate power in the sport. Winners of several New York State Championships, Canisius, under Al's tutelage, was also ranked sixth in the nation at one point. Sally taught physical education at Mount St. Mary's for over 27 years, and established that school's outstanding gymnastics program; son Kurt helped her coach two undefeated teams from 1979-1981.