Char Boggs is a lifelong athlete, coach, and mentor with over 25 years of experience in gymnastics and cheerleading. Her journey began as a national-level gymnast for 13 years before transitioning into cheerleading in high school. She cheered briefly at Florida Atlantic University before relocating to North Carolina, where she lived while her then-husband served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Following their divorce in 2011, Char raised her three children—Taya, Talia, and David—on her own, all of whom grew up immersed in the sport she loved. Taya, Talia, and David each became Worlds athletes for UKnight; Taya and Talia now serve as coaches, while David works in the UKnight office.

Char’s coaching career took off in North Carolina when the city’s mayor asked her to launch a youth program. Within just 10 weeks, it grew so rapidly that a condemned 10,000-square-foot building was donated and brought to code thanks to the support of the local community, Marine Corps, and Navy. That space became the town’s first cheer and gymnastics facility—founded, built, and led by Char.

After moving to Florida, Char spent time working with companies like SunTrust and H&R Block, where she created national customer service programs that are still in use today. But her passion for coaching never faded. While giving private lessons out of her backyard, she recognized the local need for a quality program—and opened a small gym in East Orlando.

That’s when she met Brian Cartier, owner of UKnight Training Center and head coach of UCF Cheer. With aligned values and a vision to elevate the All-Star world, Char joined UKnight as director. In early 2025, she officially became the owner of UKnight Tumble and Cheer.

Her mission is clear: to build not only strong athletes, but stronger people. Through UKnight and the nonprofit UKnighted Together for Children, Char focuses on turning the lessons learned in youth sports into real-life skills—helping athletes gain confidence, earn scholarships, and succeed far beyond the mat. As she often says, “People say it takes a village—but at UKnight, we’ve built a kingdom.”

Her partner in life and business, Ben Neri, is an engineer, athlete, and unwavering supporter of the UKnight mission. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida, received his master’s from UCF, and later completed a second master’s from the University of Florida. Ben has spent the past 19 years as an engineer at Siemens.

An avid soccer player his entire life, Ben was no stranger to competitive sports. But over the years, he’s grown to deeply understand and appreciate the cheerleading industry—and now proudly shares Char’s passion for the sport, the athletes, and the impact UKnight has on its community. When Char shared her dream of owning a gym, Ben simply said, “Let’s do it—I’m all in.”

A proud father of three, Ben and Char now share a modern-day Brady Bunch—raising six children and leading UKnight side by side.

 

Together, they are committed to creating a place where athletes, families, and futures can grow.

“People say it takes a village—but at UKnight, we’ve built a Kingdom.”