6 Sports For Your Aspiring Olympian
Does your kid like to tumble, dive or ride? Here’s where your future gold medalist can get started in Bergen County.
If you’ve noticed your child doing cartwheels in the yard or dueling with toy swords, you might be raising a future Olympian. The Paris Games have everyone’s attention these days, thanks in large part to inspiring performances by both high-profile stars, such as Simone Biles and LeBron James, and local athletes like Ridgewood’s Mitchell Saron and Oradell native Hezly Rivera.
But we can do more than let kids pretend they’re winning a gold medal—why not encourage them to pursue their Olympic dreams? While young athletes in the area might flourish in soccer, basketball and tennis because those sports have an abundant of play spaces and camps in the area, those interested in non-traditional disciplines may need to search a little more to find instruction and training. BERGEN’s here to help!
Below’s a list of six “other” sports that were featured at the Olympics this past week and places to play and learn them in Bergen:
Archery: First timers and veterans alike can line up at the Shooting Zone archery range in Hackensack or SW Archery in Paramus. Both facilities rent out equipment, offer lessons and provide open shoot time.
Diving: It’s fun doing cannonballs in the backyard pool, but nothing beats a perfect 10. Introduce kids to the sport of diving by starting them at Pike Dive Academy, based in Township of Washington. Before they even hit the water, kids ages 3 to 18 can enroll in a dryland clinic teaching them the techniques. When they’re ready to take the plunge, classes head to the pool at NJIT or Montclair State University.
Equestrian: Bergen is home to several first-class equine centers, including the Bergen Equestrian Center in Leonia and Saddle Ridge Riding Center in Franklin Lakes. Summer, winter and after-school programs are available, as are etiquette and horse care classes.
Fencing: After playing with toy light sabers as a child, Ridgewood Olympian Saron learned sabre skills at the Bergen Fencing Club in Waldwick, which offers lessons and memberships for all ages. Other options include Durkan Fencing Academy in Garfield and Gutkovskiy Fencing Academy in Fair Lawn, both of which have produced high school champions and Olympics hopefuls.
Gymnastics: At ENA Gymnastics in Paramus, your child can learn and work out where Rivera as well as LSU and social media star Olivia “Livvy” Dunne once trained. The Little Gym in Englewood, Lodi and Waldwick and Aeon Fitness and Gymnastics in Hillsdale also are great options for little ones to start tumbling.
Table Tennis: Take ping pong to the next level and learn how to serve and smash with the best. Cresskill-based ProSmash Table Tennis Academy offers private and group lessons (all ages!) at locations in Fort Lee, Paramus, Ridgefield Park, Ridgewood and Tenafly. PingPod’s Fort Lee location has clinics for all ages and levels.
Does your child love to play sports? Share your photos of them with us: Tag us on Instagram @bergenmagnj.
