YMCA Newark Activity Village aiming to inspire next generation of Olympians

As the Olympic games kick off today in Paris, the next generation of Olympians are being inspired right here in Newark.

From rock climbing to track and field, Newark’s YMCA Community and Activity Village is fully kit out for a whole host of sports, aiming to inspire the town’s youth — as well as adults of all ages — to try something new and find a sport they love.

Among the facilities there is a 15-metre-high IFSC Olympic standard speed climbing wall — used in competitions which pitch climbers against each other in a test of speed as they scale the wall using specifically placed holds — as well as bouldering walls and rope climbing walls.

For younger or less confident climbers there are also a range of fun Clip ‘n Climb walls.

The YMCA also offers National Indoor Climbing Award Scheme (NICAS) levels for young climbers, progressing them through confidence building and basic skills to a standard where they can join the competition team and pursue climbing further — providing a pathway to explore professional or even Olympic levels in the sport.

Much of what is involved in the sport is focused on problem solving, and working together against the wall rather than against eachother.

Climbing centre manager and coach Luke Mansfield said: “Over 100 kids come to climb as part of the NICAS levels.

“They go through a taster, build independence and then we teach training and how to work towards their own goals — physical or psychological.

“A lot of our ethos is also about helping them socially, retaining them and them having a safe space.”

The climbing centre also hosts competitions, which have attracted 200 competitors and seen people travel to Newark from as far away as Ireland, Scotland and London to compete.

An upcoming competition, to be held in November is a regional level competition, part of the pathway to GB Climbing.

Caroline Cartwright, marketing manager at the village, added: “We didn’t have anything like this in Newark before. It’s about community and getting people in — igniting passion in young people for sport.

“They probably wouldn’t have travelled to Nottingham or elsewhere to take part.”

Luke added: “Climbing is about failing and getting back up again, that’s what kids get out of it.”

Outside, the village has a full house of track and field facilities which are regularly hired out by athletic clubs and schools, as well as being available for the community to use.

There is a 400-metre track which can also be used for Steeplechase and hurdles, shotput, pole vault, high jump, long jump and triple jump facilities.

Caroline added: “It’s everything you need to put on your own Olympics.

“Our mission really is to inspire and give children things they wouldn’t normally have on their doorstep.”

The track is already a training ground for sports starts, including a world-class frame runner, and has hosted Northern League competitions for Newark Athletic Club, and Nottinghamshire Mini League meets.

Kirsty Edwards, lead for members and enquiries, added: “It brings a completely different buzz to the village.

“Local schools also book too, for their GSCE pupils.”

There’s also facilities for football and basketball — and one of the newest additions, pump tracks and a community cycle trail.

Following consultation with British Cycling, the YMCA facilities chose to focus on BMX — a more recent addition to the Olympics — and mountain biking disciplines to bring more variety to the area.

There is also a learn to ride area, and the village has a variety of bikes in all sizes — including balance bikes — to help people get started in the sport.

The BMX pump tracks are at intermediate and advanced levels, while the community trail has a variety of different sized bumps and hills for mountain bikers to gain confidence on.

The BMX tracks in particular have attracted some of the area’s top young riders to the village.

Elsewhere, the YMCA’s gym, which has both indoor and outdoor facilities, focuses on functional fitness.

Nathaniel Söderberg, health and sports manager, said: “There’s very little bits of equipment, we want to get people thinking about how they use their bodies more than a machine doing it.

“We have coach-led classes, it’s about building a relationship and community with members.”

The gym runs dedicated youth sessions, and also supports athletes development with all-round functional training outside of their sport.

As the summer holidays kick off, there is also plenty of opportunities for young people to get stuck into sport while off school.

The YMCA’s Camp Williams summer holiday club offers attendees over eight the opportunity to pick a sport — or craft if that is more their speed — to focus on in the skills clinic, which will see them progress in the chosen skill over the camp.

On August 21, young riders can gain confidence and master essential cycling road safety skills at the YMCA Fix, Trail and Road Day.

The day will be coached by professionals and is open to cyclists aged 10 to 14.

Scholarship programmes — means tested similarly to free school meals — are also available to help those with less disposable income use the facilities.

The YMCA also has dedicated Legends groups, for older adults to participate in a variety of sports and fitness.