Sports Beijing’s biannual Festival of Sport returns this Saturday, February 11. The event runs from from 10am to 3pm, and takes place at the International School of Beijing (ISB). We asked Carlos Javier from Sports Beijing to give us the lowdown.

So what is the Festival of Sport?
Held indoors in the ISB Fusion Dome, this event allows kids of different ages to try out a variety of sports and activities, while parents can talk to the coaches and register their children for one of the 15+ activities provided by the youth amateur sports organization.

How is this year’s event different to previous years?
In addition to the sports activities during the event, we are focusing on connecting our members with our partners and our ‘friends of Sports Beijing’. There are a lot of companies and organizations doing great work in the community and it’s important that we get their products/information out there and help them gain exposure. Our members can benefit by being better informed about what’s going on in the Beijing community, meeting people, and getting the chance to see how they can get involved to make a positive difference. Some of the partners we have invited are Roundabout, A Voice for Animals, Smart Air, Koryo Tours, Penny Food Studio, and Dave’s Studio (who will be bringing a photobooth). Roundabout will be collecting donations, so bring along your books, clothes, equipment… Links Moving will also bring a bouncy castle, so that’s exciting!

What sports will be featured?
We will have a small football tournament running throughout the event, as well as our development U12, U14 and U16 Basketball teams practising throughout the morning. In addition we will have a field hockey scrimmage/training (hopefully we will have a local Chinese team come and play our members) from 9-10.30am, Rugby training/tryout from 12-1pm and Handball from 13.30-14.30. Our Kung Fu guys (XMA KungFu) will also be present and do a short performance, as well as Karate. Our Fencing coaches will be there to answer questions and to demonstrate the sport to our members.

What else is there for kids to do?
Besides having a kick about, shooting some hoops, trying out our Handball obstacle course, etc, we will have facepainting offered by Eva from ArtJamming. Kids can build their own air purifier (SmartAir) and take it home (they’ll need to register in advance, and the air purifier workshop costs RMB 200). Kids can engage with the Voice for Animals people, who will be looking to do an ‘adoption role play’, and Links Moving will bring the bouncy castle. There will be lots of opportunities for pictures by Dave’s Studio, and we are planning to do a raffle, so kids can win some prizes too.

Finally, tell us a little about Sports Beijing.
Sports Beijing is a not-for-profit multi-sports organization dedicated to providing high quality sports and activities. We offer a wide range of recreational and competitive youth sports programs, professionally coached and aimed at developing physical, technical and social skills for young athletes. Our activities are designed for participants of all backgrounds and abilities.

Photos: courtesy of Sports Beijing

When I was at school the only sport we ever played was football (or ‘soccer’ to many of our readers). Every sports class, break time and summer course was dedicated to my unsuccessful attempts to recreate the elegant, flowing style of my Manchester United idols.

But while my love for the game remains to this day, I have some regrets.

To begin with, the decision not to diversify my sporting endeavors has left me with undeveloped hand-eye coordination, absolutely no upper body strength and nothing to do when it’s really cold. What’s more, if someone had told me that I had a much better chance of becoming a national-level synchronized swimmer than a footballer then I might have chosen differently.

So if your kids want to improve their chances of actually getting to something nearing a meaningful competition or just to try something new, here’s a selection of some less mainstream sports available to kids in Beijing.

Synchronized Swimming
Best described as a fusion of swimming and ballet, synchronized swimming is a novel alternative for kids interested in either sport. The combination of strength and artistry has seen it grow in popularity since its inclusion in the 1984 Olympics.

The Xiqi Shuiyang Synchronized Swimming Club offers weekend classes for children aged 6 and over. Beginners are welcome, though they must be able to swim at least 50 meters in two styles to take part.

2 Tiyuguan Rd, Chongwen District (139 1023 5840) 北京市崇文区体育馆路2号

Fencing
Plenty of kids like sword fighting, so why not get them using sabres, épées and foils rather than poking each other with sticks in the kitchen? Fencing is a great way to work up a sweat and that’s not just because of all the protective gear.

The Wanghaibin International Fencing Club has classes for kids aged 6 and over to learn the basics of the sport.

Bldg 2, Block 21, Xiaoying Beilu, Chaoyang District (8499 0075) 朝阳区小营北路21号院2号楼

Archery
Archery has played a major part in Chinese history, from the rituals of the imperial court to the throes of the battlefield. Nowadays the bows and arrows are more likely to be found in sports clubs than repelling invaders, but there’s still lots of fun to be had for sharp-shooting kids.

The Beijing City Archery Club runs sessions for children aged 8 and over with a former member of China’s National Archery Team.

Rm. B103 Tower A Chaowai SOHO , No. B6 Chaoyangmenwai Street (5900 9123) 朝阳门外大街，朝外SOHO, A塔B103

Handball
Increasingly popular in Europe, handball is a combination of many of the skills required for basketball, soccer and rugby. This fast-paced sport is played indoors, so perfect for kids whose love of scoring goals decreases as the mercury falls.

Sports Beijing offers blocks of training sessions, with the next starting on Sunday 15th October at Harrow International School.

Scuba diving
Most kids enjoy donning a snorkel and having a look at what’s below the water’s surface, but mastering scuba diving is life skill worth having. It can also come in handy for future family holidays for those who would rather go fish-spotting than sit on a beach.

SinoScuba runs courses with fully qualified dive instructors for kids aged 10 and over, as well as trips to swim with dolphins and – if you’re brave enough – sharks.

All photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons