Sports Management Issue 1 2012 - Leisure Opportunities

TOP TEAM
The £5.25m extreme sports facility in
Hemel Hempstead combines skateboarding,
climbing, high ropes and caving with a onestop-shop
for youth services. Karen Maxwell
takes the plunge and talks to its top team
certainly don’t fall into the
age range of XC’s target audience
– adrenaline-seeking
I 13- to 19-year-olds – however,
after throwing myself (quite literally)
head-first into some of the hair-raising
activities the centre has to offer, I’m likely
to don a hoodie and head back for more!
The result of a partnership between
Dacorum Sports Trust, Dacorum Borough
Council and youth services provider Youth
Connexions, the XC houses activities
and services chosen by young people for
young people – many of who shy away
from traditional indoor sports such as
badminton, basketball and netball.
My XC experience
There were no shuttlecocks or shin pads
to be found in the retail outlets at the
entrance to XC. Instead, rock climbing,
skateboarding, BMX biking and scooter
equipment filled the shelves – as well as
skateboarding brands such as Vans shoes,
Emerica clothing and Nixon watches.
On entering the facility, I was greeted by
friendly staff in an open-plan, ultilitarian
reception/café area, which offered floorto-ceiling
views of the climbing wall on
one side, and the skatepark on the other.
Double doors at the end of the café
area led to Youth Connexions’ youth
services area on the first floor – comprising
a media suite, recording studio and
counselling offices – with views to the
climbing and skateboard areas below.
The 150m organic, indoor caving system,
built into the fabric of the building, and
the high ropes obstacle course are also accessed
from this part of the building. This
The fibre-glass, pitch black 150m
caving system is said to be the
largest of its kind in Europe
is where I met up with former skateboarder
Declan, my caving guide.
After a safety and navigation brief, we
switched on our helmet lights and embarked
on a 20-minute crawling exercise
of twists and turns as we stretched and
squeezed ourselves in and out of a network
of confined tunnels – at the end of
which I was very happy to see daylight!
I then donned climbing shoes, helmet
and harness and joined Declan and Chris
(ex-skateboarder and climbing enthusiast)
in the open- (air) ended 60m x 14m
climbing area. Starting with the basics – I
placing my feet on nooks and stretching to
holds to walk across a transverse wall, progressed
onto a bouldering wall and then
climbed 12m, while attached to a safety
pulley. The final feat was a 12m climb onto
a flat ridge before abseiling down – with
Declan belaying from the ground.
I’m not keen on heights, but after the
climbing and some gentle persuasion,
Chris harnessed and attached me to the
high ropes obstacle cable system – 12m
above the ground – and helped me to
sway and stumble through the course.
Once back on firm ground, I reflected
on a terrifying but hugely enjoyable
experience. I’d had a unique, full-body
workout in an open air environment and
both Declan and Chris helped me to push
myself beyond what I thought possible.
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Issue 1 2012 © cybertrek 2012