Sports

world with Nautilus: The Undersea Tour and Allura Catamaran. This semi-submerged air-conditioned observatory offers an exciting and educational experience with a marine expert sharing the history of the shipwrecks, the Cali and the Balboa. At Cheeseburger Reef, enjoy the colourful coral while their divers feed the fish outside your window. For more information on how to book a tour, visit their Facebook page www.facebook.com/nautiluscayman, email: miranda@nautilus.ky or call (345) 945 1355.

The Humane Society

The Cayman Islands Humane Society is located at 153 North Sound Road, next to A. L. Thompson’s at the Butterfield roundabout. Local families are encouraged to consider adopting a dog from them as an alternative to shipping in a dog from overseas or buying from a breeder. Volunteers are also always needed for dog walking, pet grooming, and dog and cat socialising. They operate an excellent second-hand bookstore (Book Loft) and a thrift shop (Claws-It). Call (345) 949 1461 or visit www.caymanislandshumanesociety.com for more information on how you can help.

Paddleboarding If your kids are keen on learning how to paddleboard, join the Salty Squad. They offer private and group lessons afterschool and on weekends, as well as different camps and birthday party packages. They specialise in helping kids build ocean confidence while having fun on snorkeling adventures. Visit www.facebook.com/imsalty345 or call (345) 928 2770 for more information.

Pedro St. James (Savannah) This 18th century Great House, known by locals as ‘Pedro Castle’, is a great place for all ages to learn about the early history of Cayman. With a multi-sensory movie theatre, a variety of 18th-century artefacts, and a rich history to learn about, this experience truly is a “step back in time” that will stimulate any child’s imagination. Ask for the Nature and History Trail Hunt for children or the history quiz if you really want to test your little ones. With a playground, lots of green space, activities and the Outpost Bar and Grill serving tasty bites, your children are guaranteed to have a fun time at Pedro St. James! It is also a great place to hold kids parties. Located in Savannah, Pedro St. James is just a 20-minute drive from George Town, and is open daily from 8.30am-5pm. Resident rates are: CI$5 for adults, seniors 65+ are free and children five and under are free. A valid ID is required for resident rates. For more information call (345) 947 3329 or email: info@pedrostjames.ky.

SPORTS

There is a diverse range of sports offerings on-Island, whether your child wants to be a hardcore athlete, or simply part of a team.

Athletics Cayman has a vibrant athletics community with events held throughout the year. The

Cayman Islands Athletics Association (CIAA), the governing body for athletics in the Cayman Islands encourages participation in athletics at all levels throughout the Island regardless of age, gender or race. The Associations offers programmes focused on promoting, developing, and enhancing athletics. Training sessions are held daily in the afternoon at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex (TBSC). For more information, email: ciaageneralsecretary@ gmail.com. The 345 Athletics Club has a great middle-distance team and are looking to add more runners and field event athletes to the programme. All ages and abilities are welcome. To join the club, email: media@athletics.com.

Ballet See the Dance section in this chapter.

Baseball/Softball Located on the corner of Aspiration Drive and Fairbanks Road, the Cayman Islands

four floodlit artificial turf fields on a 15acre complex. Programmes and divisions are operated by the YMCA and available for children from 4-17 years of age. If you are looking for a safe environment emphasising teamwork, good sportsmanship and learning the art of competition visit www. littleleague.ky. Volunteers are always needed for the recreational league teams for coaches, assistants, umpires and canteen helpers. For more information call (345) 916 5643 or email: info@littleleague.ky.

Basketball

The Cayman Islands Basketball Association programme participates in international competitions and currently has four leagues: under-12, under-14, under-16 and under-19, separated by gender. They also host a Basketball Academy on Saturday mornings during the school period for three age groups: ages 7-9 years, ages 10-12 years and ages 13-16 years old. For more information, call Coach Voot O’Garoo on (345) 916 5083, email: info@ caymanbasketball.com, or visit www. caymanbasketball.com.

Beach Volleyball

The Cayman Islands Volleyball Federation (CIVF) has made significant strides in promoting volleyball in Grand Cayman. CIVF has hosted the annual NORCECA Beach Volleyball Circuit on Seven Mile Beach for the past ten years, which welcomes over 30 teams from North America, Central America and the Caribbean. The youth development programmes include school leagues and tournaments, summer camps, and clinics with international and local instructors. For more information on current programmes, please email: youthvolley@civf.ky, visit www.civf.ky or www.facebook.com/caymanisvolleyball or Instagram @civfyouthvb.

Boxing In collaboration with the YMCA, The

Cayman Islands Boxing Association runs an extended afterschool amateur boxing programme for children ages 7 and up include jazz, tap, freestyle, Irish, musical theatre and hip-hop, Acrobatic Dance and CPDS’s very own Pre-school dance program Wiggle Giggle Dance With Us & Zumbini! The Centre Pointe Performance School provides a comprehensive musical theatre training programme that offers private song presentation classes and drama specific classes. External examinations are an integral part of the training at Centre Pointe; students take International Dance Acclaim Performance Awards in Ballet and Tap and London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art examinations in Acting, Shakespeare, Verse and Prose and Musical Theatre. Email: centrepointedance@gmail. com or tel: (345) 926 5889 or (345) 926

and all sizes at the D. Dalmain Ebanks boxing gym at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex. On weekdays at 3.30pm-5pm, kids can use the facilities while being coached. The coaches keep kids active in training the fundamentals of boxing whilst maintaining their fitness and discipline. Email: info@cibaky.com or visit www. cibaky.com for more information.

Cricket Cricket is a very popular sport in the Caribbean. Coach Connor runs an ongoing cricket programme on Thursday nights for U10 (5.30pm-6.30pm) and U14 (6.30pm7.30pm). The cost is CI$15 per session. Matches are held on Sundays. Sessions are held in the Kings Sports Centre. Call Coach Connor on (345) 922 3080 or email: connor.patterson001@gmail.com. Cayman Cricket organises competitions for primary and secondary schools (May to June) and summer camps in July. Cricket practice for all under-15s is held Saturday mornings during the school year. For more information, call (345) 945 6447 or email: secretary@caymancricket.ky.

CrossFit CrossFit Cayman has been working with PE teachers and sports groups to incorporate CrossFit (constantly varied, highintensity, functional movement) into their programmes. They also offer teen classes for ages 12-16 which run on Mondays and Fridays from 3.45 pm to 4.30pm and kids classes for ages 8 -11 which run on Tuesdays from 3.30pm-4.15pm. The cost is CI$15 per drop-in class or CI$125 for 10 classes. They are located in Camana Bay. For information email: tarasa@ crossfitcayman.com. School of Fitness, in the Cayman Technology Centre, also runs a Kids CrossFit camp on Saturdays at 12pm.

Dance Dance is offered in many local studios.

Centre Pointe Home of the Performing Arts teaches classes from 9 months old through to adults in their studios at Alissta Towers on North Sound Road. Classes

9603. KRI Performing Arts School, run by Kirk Rowe at 98 Shedden Road, has classes for kids, juniors, teens and adults. Dances include salsa, jazz, modern, hiphop, contemporary, belly-dancing, AfroCaribbean and reggae. Contact Kirk on (345) 924 4089. The Radiance Dance Studio, located in Countryside Shopping Village, offers a variety of dance classes for children from the ages of 3-16 years old. Dancers are taught a fusion of Modern Contemporary, Lyrical, Latin, Afro-Caribbean, Hip Hop, Ballet Foundation, Jazz and more. For further information email: info@radiance. ky or call (345) 916 0146 or visit www. radiance.ky. Bailamos Dance Studio, located in Barnett Building on 24 Huldah Avenue, offers a range of dance classes for all ages. Call (345) 917 7832 for more information.

Diving Local dive centres offer a Junior Open Water Diver certification as early as 10 years old. At Red Sail Sports children aged 5-7 years may join their SASY (Supplied Air Snorkelling for Youth) programme which is for snorkelling only, but participants wear buoyancy jackets and regulators so they can feel what it might be like to use dive gear. Children aged 8-9 years can participate in the Bubblemaker Course. This is an opportunity to try real Scuba Diving in a pool. Resident discounts are available. Call (345) 623 5965 for more information.

Divetech offers SCUBA diving activities for kids aged 5-9 and certifications for kids aged 10 years and up. For more information call (345) 946 5658, email: info@divetech. com or visit www.divetech.com. For more information on all-things diving, make sure to see our Diving chapter.

Football/Soccer Academy Sports Club runs a junior football programme for boys and girls under 8 years old on Mondays and Thursdays at 3.30pm-4.30pm from SeptemberDecember and January-April. The club also has under-11, under-13, under-15 and under-18 teams. They are located at the Academy Sports Club, Outpost Street, George Town. Call (345) 936 0100, email: admin@academysportsclub.ky or visit www.academysportsclub.ky for more

information. The Cayman Islands Football Association (CIFA) youth season runs from September to May. Teams are friendly and welcoming to new players. Leagues include under-8, under-10, under-12, under-14, under-16 and under-18. For further information, contact the CIFA office on (345) 749 5775 or email: secretariat@cifa. ky. Sunset Football Club provides football for all ages. Coaching sessions for 4-10 year old boys are held on Sunday mornings 8am-10.30am and Saturday mornings for girls aged 4-10 from 8.30am-9.30am both at the Camana Bay Sports Complex. There is also midweek training for boys and girls Under 8’s to Under 18’s as well as men’s and women’s teams. Contact either Paul Macey on (345) 525 0822 or email: pmacey@usarisk.ky or Gareth Thacker at garethjthacker@gmail.com. For any of the girls programmes please contact Gisela Gamba at gisela.gamba@gmail.com.

Excel Sports Management is a leading youth football development programme on Island. Their EUFA qualified coaches hold after-school coaching sessions designed to increase individual players’ confidence and skill. In addition, they also offer camps, overseas tours and trial opportunities for players identified as ‘talented’. For more information, visit www.esmcayman.ky or for junior golfers aged 6-16 years. For the more advanced junior golfer, there are private lessons with PGA professionals. Visit www.northsoundclub.com or call (345) 947 4653. Cayman Golf Lab is Cayman’s largest indoor golf facility with two large golf simulators and a 400sq ft putting green. They offer afterschool and weekend junior golf classes, as well as, private session for golfers of all ages. Call (345) 917 2444, email brad@caymangolflab.com or visit www.caymangolflab.com.

call (345) 925 4347. Established in 2017, Total Soccer programmes are inspired by the Dutch Football Vision and their goal is to help children become skilled and creative decision makers on the field. For more information on the programmes offered and how to sign up, email: info@ totalsoccercayman.com or visit www. totalsoccercayman.com.

Flag Football Flag football is gaining popularity on the Island and follows the basic rules of American or Canadian football. The Cayman

Islands Flag Football Association (CIFFA) runs a popular Youth Flag Football League for boys and girls aged 7-17. During the season, which runs from March-May, games are played every Saturday on the Camana Bay sports field. For more information, email: ciffa345@gmail.com.

Fountain Play Camana Bay has two wonderful fountains that children love: one for toddlers that is shaded, quite gentle and can be found next to the Camana Bay Cinema. The other one is on The Crescent and has powerful and exciting jets that come to life in a big way every ten minutes. Every Tuesday

and Saturday, an Imagination Playground is set up in the big fountain which basically consists of dozens of giant foam blocks (of varying shapes and sizes) which children love to build into boats, houses and anything they can imagine. Starfish Cay Water Park, located on the resort side of The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, is home to winding waterslides, fountains and a giant water bucket. All children under ten years of age must be accompanied by an adult and supervised at all times. Starfish Cay is open to residents with the purchase of a day pass from Ambassadors of the Environment located at the resort. Private birthday party bookings are also available. For more information, call (345) 815 6120.

Golf The North Sound Golf Club offers year-round junior camps and after-school programmes Gymnastics The Cayman Islands is a member of the International Gymnastics Federation, the international governing body for gymnastics. This allows for local gymnasts to represent Cayman at international events. Motions Unlimited has experienced coaches and state-of-the-art gymnastics equipment for children including a trampoline, zip line and a 40 ft long tumble track. See the Having a Baby chapter for details on Open Gym and Toddler Play Days. For information call (345) 749 8365 or email: info@motionsunlimited.com.

Quinntessential Movement (Tel: (345) 745 8973 offers kids and youth recreational gymnastics and aerial classes that are fun and unique. Classes help with strength, balance, coordination, focus and control.

Hockey (Inline Roller Hockey) King’s Sports Centre offers a diverse hockey programme for children ages 6-14 years old. Kids are taught to skate with fun skating drills and games. They are also given free time to skate around with new friends. Kids should have their own roller blades, helmets, and other protective equipment such as elbow and knee pads. King’s often has new and used skates for sale. Skating camps are also held during school holidays. For information, call (345) 946 5464 or email: kings@candw.ky. SEE AD PAGE 442

Horseback Riding Traditional English-style riding, vaulting, and grooming lessons are available for children (and adults) at the Cayman Riding

School is a registered overseas centre with the British Pony Club. Located in Savannah, Newlands CRS offers English riding lessons with BHS/FEI qualified instructors in Showjumping, Dressage Vaulting and cross country. Facilities offer Boarding, two full size arenas inc. a GGT jumping arena. Furry Friends Club and Pony Rides available every Saturday morning with a miniature children’s farm for birthday parties. Call (345) 926 7669 or email: caymanridingschool@gmail. com. The Equestrian Center (Tel: (345) 516 1751 or email: info@equestriancenter. ky) located just off the Linford Pierson Highway, is a registered overseas centre with the UK Pony Club and members are able to start from 4 years old. They offer riding and vaulting lessons and advanced instruction in dressage and show jumping, as well as a “Pony Park” every Saturday morning from 9am-10.30am in the upper field where children can have pony rides for CI$5 and also meet the goats, the miniature donkey and horse. Cowboy Town Stables in Lower Valley offers general horsemanship and riding along with therapeutic horsemanship and adaptive riding programmes. Their PATH certified instructors specialise in teaching developing riders as well as those with physical, mental, social and emotional disabilities/disorders. Call (345) 916 8571 or email: shanna@ cowboytownstables.com. Spirit of the West (Tel: (345) 916 6488) offers organised private and group horseback beach rides along Barkers Beach, as well as longer “ride and swim” expeditions. Resident rates are available.

Kiteboarding The popularity of kiteboarding among adults and teens has grown rapidly on the Island. Children must be 10 years of age or older. For more information on private and group lessons, contact Kitesurf Cayman on (345) 916 5483.

Martial Arts Reliable Industries Building, 313 Compass Drive. They offer afternoon and weekend classes for children ages four and older, as well as for adults. Purple Dragon teaches the martial arts system called Don Jitsu Ryu and offers a free introductory lesson. They also offer an adult Fitness Kickboxing class. Call (345) 946 1241 for more information.

Cayman Associated Schools of Karate (CASK) works out of the King’s Sports Centre in Red Bay and offer youth (ages 4-12 years old), co-ed adult and women-only classes, in traditional wado style karate, as well as a Tai Chi programme. For more information or a free trial, call (345) 925 3367 or visit www.caskcayman.com.

Netball Turtle Netters sessions for children ages 4-10 years are held every Saturday morning 8am9am and for ages by the Truman Bodden Sports Complex. New members are always welcome. Email: caymannetball@yahoo. com.

Pickleball If you are looking for a fun activity to entertain kids and teens, check out the

Pickleball Tournament at Grand Cayman’s only pickleball courts. The Pickleball Tournament takes place once a month at The Courts at the Ritz Carlton, Grand Cayman. Tournaments are from 3.30pm6.30pm. At least two players per team are required, and a total of four teams are needed to participate in the tournament. Paddles and balls are provided free of cost. Call (345) 323 0049 or email: grandcaymantennis@ritzcarlton.com for more information.

Parkour Parkour is a training discipline using movement that developed from military obstacle course training. Motions Unlimited offers this programme to experienced participants aged eight years and older on Mondays from 6pm-7pm and new participants are welcome on Wednesdays from 6pm-7pm. Registration is required to join. Visit www.motionsunlimited.com. Roller & Inline Skating Old-fashioned roller skating is great fun and can be done alongside inline skaters at King’s Sports Centre every weekend. Family skating is on Saturdays from 4.30pm-7pm for CI$8, and Teen Jam Skate nights also run on Saturdays from 7pm-10pm for CI$10. On Sundays, skating from 1pm4pm costs CI$8 if you don’t have your own skates, but is reduced to CI$5 if you do bring your own. Make sure you don’t forget your socks! For more information, call (345) 946 5464. Refer to the Hockey section for details on the inline roller hockey league for kids. You can also take a look at the Hockey sections (field, roller and ball) in the Sports & Fitness chapter.

SEE AD PAGE 442 28

Rugby The Rugby Club in South Sound holds the Maples Group Junior Rugby Community Programme for girls and boys ages 3-16 years old on Saturdays 8am-12pm from October-May. National age/grade academies for U10, U12, U14 and U16 are held on Monday-Thursday 3.30pm4.30pm from October to June. For information about these or U19 training sessions, contact Caroline Deegan at caroline.deegan@caymanrugby.com, call (345) 525 6743 or visit www.caymanrugby.

com. SEE AD PAGE 445

Sailing

The Cayman Islands Sailing Club runs various sailing training programmes for kids aged six and up. Programmes run after school from 3.30pm-5.30pm, and at weekends during the school term. The club also hosts popular all-day camps during school holidays with exciting ‘sailing away’ days. Their training boats range from the Pico and Optimist to the Hartley range. If you are interested in membership, visit “Join Us” at www.sailing.ky, email: admin@ sailing.ky or visit the Cayman Islands Sailing Club and the National Sailing Centre Facebook page. SEE AD PAGE 415

Snorkelling Cayman is popular for its beautiful underwater scenery. Refer to the Diving chapter for the best snorkelling spots.

Leisure Activities with Additional Supports Football4All is a free football programme for children with special needs. It is sponsored in partnership by The Wellness Centre and Academy Sports Club and takes place at Academy Field, Outpost Street. To register or for more information, contact Shannon Seymour at sseymour@wellnesscentre.ky.

Squash The Squash Club has a thriving junior section from beginners to top team players. Junior coaching is available (for kids from the age of 5 and up) as well as adult lessons at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. Call (345) 526 5052, email: info@ squash.ky, and refer to the Sports & Fitness chapter for more details.

Swimming

The Cayman Islands Aquatic Sports Association (CIASA) is dedicated to the promotion and development of aquatic sports in Cayman. Membership of CIASA connects you to an active aquatic community and opportunities to get participate in a variety of aquatic activities and camps. Visit the website to find a list of registered clubs and swim schools www.ciasa.ky or email ciasaboard@gmail.com for more information. Laura Ribbins and the Fitness Connection team are celebrating 30+ years of being a swim school in Grand Cayman. They offer a wide variety of programmes for all ages and abilities with both on-site and mobile instruction. Private lessons, group classes, intensive ‘Learn to Swim’ programmes and synchronised swimming classes are available. For more information call (345) 949 8485, email: fitness@fitness. ky or visit www.fitness.ky. Sky Blue Aquatics offer swimming lessons from infant to adult at the Lions Aquatic Centre or in the comfort and convenience of your pool. Whether it be a house, hotel or condo, they come to you. Their certified instructors specialise in customising lessons and focus heavily on water safety. Private, semiprivate and small group lessons provide a great learning environment. Call (345) 916 0054 or email: info@skyblueaquatics.com.

The Camana Bay Aquatic Club (CBAC) is a yearround competitive swim club, offering high quality professional coaching and technique instruction for swimmers 5-18 years old of all abilities and commitment levels. CBAC also offers a children’s swim school with classes starting at 18 months of age up to 10 years old, as well as a synchronised swimming programme for ages 6-17 years old and twice-weekly masters swimming sessions for adults of all abilities. For more information, email: info@cbac.ky or visit www.camanabayaquaticclub.com. Stingray Swim Club is a competitive swimming team for ages six and up. They meet at the Lions Aquatic Centre, which houses a 25M pool situated on Olympic Way near UCCI in George Town. The club’s swimming programmes are developed and delivered by the club’s Head Coach David Pursley. For more information email: stingrayheadcoach@gmail.com or visit www.caymanswimming.com. Thrive Fit (Tel: (345) 938 1113) offers mobile swimming, yoga and fitness classes for children aged 6 months and upwards and movement classes for preschool aged children. They teach water safety, skill development and stroke improvement. Junior Lifeguard Certification are also available. Caymanite Synchro (a division of Camana Bay Aquatic Club) is Cayman’s first competitive synchronized swimming team and is open to all confident swimmers age five and up. Water shows, skill badges, local and international competition are all a part of this fast-growing programme. For information or to schedule an introductory session, email: info@cbac.ky or call (345) 325 7905.

Tennis

The Cayman Islands Tennis Club (CITC) has a number of membership options and professionals who provide lessons for all ages. CITC offers an after-school programme from September-June and Junior Tennis Camps over the school breaks. For information call (345) 949 9464 or email: juniors@tennis.ky. For regular updates visit www.facebook.com/ caymanislandstennisclub. Cayman Tennis Academy offers lessons to kids aged 3-14 at their courts located at 1960 West Bay Road. They offer lessons every weekday afternoon from 2.30pm. Their courses run for the duration of the school term and cost between CI$20 and CI$25 per class, depending on the child’s age. They also offer private lessons to older children and adults. Tennis camps are held during school midterms, Easter, Christmas and summer holidays. Email: caymantennisacademy@ gmail.com or call (345) 547 6257 for more information. You can also check their Facebook page and website for regular updates on classes. At The Ritz-

Carlton, Grand Cayman, professionally coached, private or semi-private lessons

are offered by The Courts Tennis Centre. Programmes include after-school ‘Tiger Tennis’, including Tigers (three-yearolds), Super Shots (ages 4-6-year-olds) and High and Elite Performance (ages 6-16 year-olds). For more information about The Courts, call (345) 323 0049 or email: grandcaymantennis@ritzcarlton. com. Cayman Sports provides coaching services for those willing to learn. For more information call ex-Wimbledon coach Warren Urquhart on (345) 926 2776 or visit www.caymansports.net. Mica Koll with

Cayman Performance Tennis teaches private and group tennis lessons for all ages. Call (345) 927 8690, email: micabeach@gmail. com.

Ten-Pin Bowling (Red Bay) Cayman’s only ten-pin bowling alley at

King’s Sports Centre on Crewe Road has four bowling lanes (accommodating up to 24 bowlers in total) as well as a lounge and bar area. Lanes can be reserved for parties and birthday packages are available. For more information, call (345) 946 2695 or email: kingpinbowling@candw.ky.