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Everyone’s been talking about padel, pickleball and various trending sports. Ever wondered what makes these new sports unique and if they are the sport for you and your kids?
Having trouble finding a sport that your child enjoys? Maybe it’s because they just haven’t discovered the perfect sport yet. Thankfully, with padel, pickleball, ultimate, tchoukball and more, there are plenty of new, trending, and upcoming sports that are starting to become more popular and accessible in Hong Kong. From team sports to water sports, racquet sports and more, this list will provide sports that can help boost your child’s (or your) general fitness, build teamwork skills, teach balance, hand-eye coordination, or strategy and problem-solving skills. As a bonus, some of them are also sought-after in universities so it’s bound to help in college applications. Check out some awesome sports for you and your kid that you might not have considered before.
Read More: Kids’ Sports Classes In Hong Kong – Badminton, Rugby, Tennis & More
Padel
Padel, sometimes called padel tennis, is a racquet sport that is like a mix of tennis and squash. The game was invented in 1969 by Enrique Corcuera in Acapulco, Mexico. The game is traditionally played in doubles, making this a great social sport or family sport to consider. The padel court is smaller than a tennis court, though it uses the same scoring system as tennis and the balls are similar too but they have less pressure. Padel racquets or paddles are somewhat similar to tennis as well in that they are perforated with a pattern of holes. The biggest difference between tennis and padel is the use of walls of which the ball can be similarly played like squash which padel bats also resemble. Serving must be done at or below waist level.
Fun facts about Padel – Lionel Messi has a padel court in his garden and padel is the second most popular sport in Spain after football (sorry, Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz!). Needless to say, this emphasises the big jump in popularity padel has seen over the last few years. The padel scene has just kicked off in Hong Kong too. Want to know more about the sport? Try padel at Taikoo Place for a small fee.
Taikoo Place Padel Tour Dates: Currently on until Friday, 19 July 2024; 10am to 8pm
Padel Court Location: One Island East, Taikoo Place
Costs: $100 per 1-hour session plus a refundable booking deposit
Padel Tour Booking: Via Taikoo Place App
Where to play Padel in Hong Kong?
- Padel+ – Private and group padel lessons in Sai Kung. www.padelplus.com.hk
Read More: Family Support And Being A ‘Good’ Sports Parent To Kids With Sporting Talent
Pickleball
While sharing some similarities to padel, pickleball is a very different game. Pickleball uses a perforated and hollow plastic ball. It was invented in 1965 in the United States as a children’s backyard game by former US Congressman, Joel Pritchard. Pickleball shares similarities with tennis and table tennis. The court is slightly smaller than a padel court and like tennis, doesn’t have walls. In pickleball, the service courts are connected to the baseline. Unlike tennis, there is no volley zone between the net and service line commonly known as the “kitchen”. Pickleball also doesn’t follow the scoring systems or rules of tennis or padel. What’s nice about pickleball is that can be played in both singles and doubles as well as both indoors and outdoors, making it a versatile sport.
Where to play Pickleball in Hong Kong?
- HK Pickleball – A community of players actively promoting the sport in Hong Kong with meet ups. www.hkpickleball.com
- Ma Wan Pickleball – Organises meet ups and pickleball sessions weekly. www.mawanpickleball.com
- Hong Kong Country Club – Has dedicated days for non-members to play. www.countryclub.hk
- Hong Kong Football Club – Need to be a member of guest or a member to play pickleball. www.hkfc.com
- Aberdeen Marina Club – Need to be a member or a guest of a member to play pickleball. www.aberdeenmarinaclub.com
Read More: Hong Kong Club Membership – Best Private Member Clubs For Families
Ultimate (Frisbee)
Ultimate, or ultimate frisbee, is an exciting non-contact team sport that was developed in 1968 in New Jersey, United States. One of the reasons the sport’s now called ‘Ultimate’ is that ‘frisbee’ is trademarked by the Wham-O toy company. Ultimate frisbee is similar to many traditional sports but one thing that makes it stand out (besides the use of the frisbee) is that is a self-officiated sport, even at the professional level. This means that even during a highly competitive game, no referees are regulating or watching the game, it’s just the two teams and their sportsmanship running the game. This has been a key factor since the sport’s inception as it values its sportsmanship. Players can call their own fouls as well as dispute them without the need for a referee. Occasionally, clubs will make use of game advisors or observers in times of dispute.
Points are obtained in Ultimate when a team member catches the frisbee in the opposing team’s zone. Players are not allowed to run with the frisbee in hand. Another great feature of Ultimate is that there are both boys, girls and mixed teams and it is a non-contact sport making it attainable to many.
Where to play Ultimate Frisbee in Hong Kong?
- Hong Kong Flying Disc Federation (HKFDF) – Offering all flying disc sports including dodgedisc, guts, disc golf and of course ultimate frisbee. www.hkfdf.com
Read More: Unusual Sports For Girls – Stepping Out Of The “Safe” Zone
Skateboarding
Did you know that skateboarding is now an Olympic sport? After its debut in Tokyo, it will continue to be part of the prestigious games and we’re looking forward to seeing skateboarding at the Paris Summer Olympics. While skateboarding is popular in many Western countries, Hong Kong’s rugged, narrow and busy sidewalks don’t lend themselves well to a lot of freestyle skateboarding practice (never mind any security guards who don’t like to see kids skateboarding around building premises!). However, there are a lot of designated skateboard-friendly places to take up the sport for newbies and seasoned pros alike.
Where to do Skateboarding in Hong Kong?
- All Hong Kong Skateboards Association (AHKSA) – A Hong Kong-based skateboard community events organisation. www.ahksa.org
- Kenneth Lee – Private skateboarding lessons with safety, fun and adventure in mind. www.facebook.com/kennethleeskateboarding
- Warren Stuart – One-on-one and group class offerings. www.wzahk.com
- TKO Skateboarding – Multiple skateboarding coaches to work with. www.tkoskateboarding.com
- Elvis Lam – Try a skateboarding summer camp this year! www.kuddo.io
Read More: Hong Kong At The Paris Olympics 2024 – What To Expect This Year
Rock Climbing
This is another sport that is gaining popularity after its inclusion in the Olympics last time. There are three different categories for rock climbing in the Olympics – bouldering, speed and lead. Bouldering is when the athlete climbs a set wall without ropes, speed is about who makes it to the top of a set wall the faster, while lead is a blind climb of a 15m wall. Hong Kong is a phenomenal city for rock climbing, both indoors and out. Many great practice facilities offer courses and all the safety basics to get you or your kid started. For the seasoned rock climber, Hong Kong is home to many great outdoor spaces to practice and hone your skills as well. We have listed just a few but do read our guide to rock climbing for more options.
- Attic V – Excellent facility and challenges for all rock climbing abilities. www.atticv.com.hk
- Hong Kong Climbing Park – Different types of rock climbing and a Ninja Warrior gym. www.hkclimbingpark.com
- Just Climb – Great rock climbing facility with summer programmes on offer. www.justclimb.hk
- Keep Climbing – Climbing gym conveniently located in Sheung Wan. www.facebook.com/keepclimbinggym
- YMCA King’s Park – Highest outdoor rock climbing wall that’s the highest in Hong Kong. www.ymcahk.org.hk
Read More: Where To Take Kids Bouldering And Rock Climbing In Hong Kong
Lacrosse
If you’re Canadian, lacrosse might not seem like such an outlandish sport. Believe it or not, lacrosse, and not ice hockey, is the country’s national sport! Lacrosse is fast becoming a popular sport in the US too as more universities participate in college tournaments. Outside of North America, lacrosse is a lesser-known sport but it has picked up international popularity in recent times. Lacrosse was first played by the First Nations people of North America as early as the 12th century and is the oldest organised sport in the continent as well.
Lacrosse is a contact-team sport that slightly resembles ice hockey. Players use a lacrosse stick (long with a net at the end) to throw, catch and shoot the ball into a net that is similar in size to an ice hockey goal. There are five different variations of the game, some of which are played indoors and others outdoor. The men’s game players wear protective gear and are allowed body contact whereas the women’s game does not allow body contact but does allow stick-to-stick contact. Teams can also be mixed. Lacrosse is an exciting and fast-paced game that builds strength, endurance and determination.
Where to play lacrosse in Hong Kong?
- Hong Kong Lacrosse Association Limited (HKLAL) – Lacrosse association that regularly hosts international, regional and inter-school competitions. In fact, the World Women’s Under-20 Championship is taking place here in August. www.hklax.org
Read More: The Ultimate Guide To Applying To Universities Around The World
Water Polo
Water Polo is not a new sport (it originated in 19th century England!) but Hong Kong will see important water polo tournaments in the coming months so it’s likely to be in the news a fair bit! It is an aquatic team sport played with a ball (not horses, sorry!) intending to throw the ball into the other team’s net to score. Players must swim the entirety of the game by treading water and the ball cannot be immersed in the water and can only be thrown with one hand. While it is technically considered a non-contact team sport it is still a highly competitive and physical team sport requiring plenty of cardio endurance, teambuilding, precision and more.
Want to watch water polo to see if it’s the sport for your confident swimmers? The junior nationals water polo tournament is kicking off this weekend and The Asia Pacific Water Polo Tournament is scheduled to be held in Hong Kong from Friday, 9 to Sunday, 11 August 2024.
Where to play water polo in Hong Kong?
- Hong Kong China Swimming Association (HKGSA) – Water Polo training for kids 12 and above. www.hkgswimming.org.hk
Read More: Swimming Classes In Hong Kong For Kids & Adults
Other Trending Sports To Watch Out For
Breakdancing or Breaking
Dancing as a sport? We kid you not! Breakdancing makes its debut at the Paris Olympics this year and we expect to see a surge in its popularity.
Read More: Kids’ Dance Classes In Hong Kong – Breakdancing, Ballet, Jazz, K-Pop, Hip-Hop And More
Pétanque
Pétanque is sometimes considered the French version of lawn bowls. It’s easy to play and doesn’t require major athletic ability, other than being able to throw a ball. Given the interest in all things French currently (perhaps with the Paris Olympics and the sizeable French population), there are a number of Pétanque associations cropping up in clubs around Hong Kong.
Read More: A French Mama Shares Her Secrets And Tips About French Parenting
Tchoukball
Tchoukball or rebounder was developed as an indoor sport in Switzerland in the 1970s and in Switzerland, Singapore and Taiwan, and is fast spreading to more countries. Want to try it for yourself? Head to the Fun Sports Gala at Summerfest@Central where it will be one of the sports you can try over the weekend.
Read More: Weekend Planner – Activities And Events For Kids And Families In Hong Kong This Weekend
