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Upgraded Centre For Sport In Cowes Aims To Change Young Islanders' Lives

A brand-new sports facility has opened its doors as the Island’s home of ‘tricking’ moves to a bigger premises in Cowes. 

The new space for WightTricks is one of the largest in the UK, boasting a 150 square-foot floor set with more than 4,000 springs.
 
It will be based at the Somerton industrial estate.
 
The centre triples the organisation’s capacity and includes a cafe and separate kids-only chill-out space.
 
An official opening last Friday (January 13) saw a party attended by more than 60 young members plus their parents and coaches.
 
Tricking is a training discipline that combines kicks with flips and twists from martial arts and gymnastics as well as many dance moves and styles from breakdancing.
 
It’s very different to gymnastics because in tricking you take off from one foot and incorporate kicks and twists.
 


The sport — which has been around since the 1960s — is gaining in popularity around the world and has its own culture and global community. 

Founders and Islanders Robbie Bates and Katharine Dancy — both coaches of the sport — passionately believe in the transformative power of tricking, particularly for neuro-diverse children who might be struggling in mainstream school.

The move to a new premises will allow much needed space and flexibility for WightTricks, which currently boasts a waiting list of almost 1,000 children.

It’s been an expensive process helped by crowdfunding via gofundme

Katharine says:

"A few surprises have come up (during the move), unexpected hurdles between the old and new buildings - so that’s hit us financially.

"The Island community has rallied round, people have donated money and expertise in helping us get things ready in just under a fortnight.

"Lots of the kids are neurodiverse, with many having ADHD and autism, (which often sees them) struggle in school.

"School is not a great environment for them, and when they come here they can be themselves." 

One of many WightTricks success stories is 12-year-old Josh Williams who won a gold medal last October, performing a triple full twist at an international competition in Oslo, Norway.

He said:

"I love the new floor at the gym, it’s really nice and soft so when I want to go for tricks, I can get the height and bounce right off it.

"I really like the cafe and the chill-out space at the top where I can watch other people trick."

WightTricks plans to host international competitions at the new gym, with the goal of putting the Island firmly on the map as a home of tricking.

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