Therapeutic yoga emphasizes breathing and focus.

Special Needs
The Schafers had operated the Schafer School of Gymnastics in Lawrence for years, but they wanted to expand to a multi-sports facility for all children – regardless of age, talent, or ability. They built a facility that offers many types of sports classes, with a focus on building kids’ self esteem and confidence. But what really makes Schafer Sports Center stand out from other centers are its offerings for special needs children. The morning my family visited the facility, students who had signed up through the Special Olympics were enjoying free soccer and gymnastics classes; in fact, the center donates its facilities and instructors to the cause. How great is that?

One room, for instance, has padded springboard floors, safe canvas swings, and dedicated equipment for helping children with sensory or physical issues partake in physical activities safely and comfortably. A dedicated gymnastics program, therapeutic family yoga classes, youth athletics classes, and even summer camps help toddlers through teens develop social, cognitive, and motor skills in a friendly and supportive environment.

I was particularly impressed with a special chair that can help children who physically cannot climb into a swimming pool descend into the water.

A low-hanging trapeze is always a hit at the Schafer Sports Center.

Gymnastics
As for other types of classes, the gymnastics program is the centerpiece of the school, boasting classes for girls and boys through level eight. Though serious students have the option to show off their skills in competitions, winning medals is not the focus of the school; rather, building confidence and character comes first. That is not to say that the facility doesn’t have every piece of equipment you’d expect to see at a competition-focused gym, from beams to vaults to high bars. My kids loved trying the ladders, tramps, and tumble track, but their favorite was a low trapeze that dropped them into a super-clean foam pit.

Another neat feature? A high bar built a few feet above gym level and over a deep pit that extended several feet underground to facilitate the safe spotting of tricks.

Swimming
Anyone who has watched as their blue-lipped child attempted to master the backstroke will love the Schafer Sports Center’s unique pool: it’s heated to 90 degrees, and the air temperature is kept in the 80s. That’s because the Schafers feel that warm-water pools are more comfortable and therefore more conducive to learning. Since the water is so warm, it’s one of few pools in NJ that can accommodate newborns as young as six weeks in free parent-child classes.

As a mom of two boys, I also appreciated the pristine co-ed family changing facilities (also warmed to 80-degree temps). While the pool is more for learning than competing (4 feet 6 inches at its deepest), it’s definitely a comfortable place for any child to learn to swim.

Indoor turf field for soccer, lacrosse, and more.

Turf Games
The Schafer Sports Center also boasts a large turf field where instructors help kids fine-tune soccer and lacrosse skills. Programs include parent-child classes, private training, team development, and summer camps for kids ages three to 18, plus special needs classes and adult pick-up leagues.

Dance
A beautiful dance room offers students a choice of classes in several genres, including ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, musical theater, and lyrical.

Parties, Camps, and Nights Out
You don't have to commit to weekly classes to enjoy Schafer Sports Center; it also offers birthday parties, summer camps, and parents’ nights out, with options for special needs kids, too. I liked the agenda of the parents’ night out programs, which include gymnastics, trapeze, trampoline, turf games, and a pizza dinner.

After a morning sampling the Schafer Sports Center's offerings, my kids were already begging for a return visit. Given the well-trained, caring staff, the beautiful facilities, and the focus on emotional well-being, I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to come back for more.

Top image: Courtesy of Schafer Sports Center. All other images by the author.