THE WILDWOODS — Youth sports are a family affair. The child competes, one parent coaches and the other conducts fundraisers, transports the team and cheers from the sidelines. The Wildwoods have become a mecca for this great American pastime during the fall and winter months.
Every year, thousands of competitors and spectators make their way to the Wildwoods for regional and national competitions and tournaments providing an economic boon to the shore destination, booking hotel rooms, crowding restaurants and filling the Convention Center with lively activity transforming it into a prime facility for youth sports.
During the winter months, the Wildwoods Convention Center bustles with just as much activity as in the summer – thanks in part to the variety of youth competition events taking place during the colder months including the National Cheer Tech Cheerleading Competition, Boardwalk Basketball Classic, youth wrestling duals, indoor soccer tournaments and more. The Wildwoods Convention Center has become one of the most popular venues for youth events, with its spacious well-lit arena overlooking the beach and ocean, as well as its large ballroom space and 10 meeting rooms. The Convention Center can accommodate events up to 5,000 competitors with ease. Add to that a large number of hotel/motel rooms available at attractive off-season rates, plenty of great family restaurants and fun things to do and you have the perfect family location for youth events.
Here are some of the great youth events planned for the coming months at the Wildwoods Convention Center:
Cheer Tech – Nov. 16, and Dec. 6 and 7:
Cheer Tech will be at the Wildwoods Convention Center on Nov. 16 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and again on Dec. 6 and 7 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Hundreds of cheerleading teams will bring their dance moves, pom-poms and spirit to compete for a winning title.
All teams from each competition will compete on a 54’ by 42’ spring floor trying to impress the crowd and win the judges’ votes. All performances will be choreographed to music and sound effects, and winning teams will be awarded prizes.
For additional information about Cheer Tech events, call 866-52-CHEER or visit www.SpiritBrands.org.
‘Battle at the Boards’ Basketball Tournament – Dec. 23:
Crest Savings Bank presents “Battle at the Boards” Dec. 23, beginning at 1:30 p.m. This special one-day basketball tournament will feature a handful of local and out-of-area boys and girls teams competing in showcase games. Included in the Battle at the Boards are the popular Andrew Alameno Memorial boys and girls island championship games between Wildwood and Wildwood Catholic high schools.
For additional information please visit www.bbclassic.com.
Boardwalk Basketball Classic – Dec. 26 – December 30:
The Boardwalk Basketball Classic will take place from Dec. 26 through Dec. 30, 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily inside the Wildwoods Convention Center’s Oceanfront Arena.
The Boardwalk Basketball Classic Tournament was founded in 1998 and continues to be the largest single-venue coed high school holiday basketball tournament in the United States. This five-day tournament helps to raise college scholarship money for graduating seniors for the two high schools that host the tournament, Wildwood and Wildwood Catholic. The event is made up of brackets named in memory of residents from the area. The 2013 tournament hosted over 70+ different girls’ and boys’ high school basketball teams from New Jersey and other surrounding states. The Boardwalk Basketball Classic is strictly a not-for-profit event and has raised over $275,000 in scholarship money since its inception.
For additional information on the Boardwalk Basketball Classic visit www.bbclassic.com.
USAW Middle School National Challenge Wrestling Duals – Feb. 6 – Feb. 8:
The USAW Middle School National Challenge Wrestling Duals will take place on Friday, February 6 through Sunday, February 8 at the Wildwoods Convention Center’s Oceanfront Arena. This three-day event will feature more than 40 youth wrestling teams from all over the country, competing in one of the most challenging team dual tournaments in the East. The South Jersey Wrestling Association hosts an elementary and middle school wrestling tournament for grades 2 through 8. Matches take place on Feb. 6 from 2 – 11 p.m., Feb. 7 from 8:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. and Feb. 8 from 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
For additional information on the USAW Middle School National Challenge Wrestling Duals, visit www.sjwrestling.com.
N. E. FUTSAL Regional Indoor Soccer Championships – Feb. 14 – Feb. 16:
The United States Futsal Federation will host the Northeast Futsal Regional Championship from Saturday through Monday, February 14-16 in the Wildwoods Convention Center’s Oceanfront Arena. Games will be held from 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. on Feb. 14-15 and from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Feb. 16 (times are subject to change depending on number of teams). Futsal is a fast-paced, exciting variant of soccer that is played on a smaller area, mainly indoors. Teams consist of various age brackets and include a total of over 5,000 players from around the world. Prizes will be awarded to winning teams and top players as well.
For additional information about the Futsal Championship, please call 510-836-USFF or visit www.futsal.com.
Youth sports continue into 2015 with a packed calendar of wrestling, soccer, gymnastics and more. Whether you are a parent, participant, or spectator, the Wildwoods Convention Center has something for every youth sports enthusiast.
Nov. 16 – Cheer Tech American Recreation & School Championships
Dec. 6-7 – Cheer Tech Spirit National Championships
Dec. 23 – “Battle at the Boards” Basketball Tournament
Dec. 26-30 – Boardwalk Basketball Classic
Feb. 6-8 – USAW Middle School National Challenge Wrestling Duals
Feb. 14-16 – N. E. FUTSAL Regional Indoor Soccer Championships
March 1 – Cheer Tech National Recreation & School Cheerleading Championships
March 7-8 – Cheer Tech National Cheerleading & Dance Championships
March 28-29 – Special Olympics NJ Spring Sports Festival Basketball Finals
April 3-4 – S. Jersey Wrestling Assoc. War at the Jersey Shore Youth Wrestling Tournament
April 11 – Cheer Tech ECC Shore Showdown Cheerleading Championships
April 12 – Cheer Tech Beast of the East Cheerleading Championships
May 8-10 – U.S. Assoc. of Independent Gymnastics Clubs New Jersey State Gymnastics Championships
May 22-24 – U.S. Assoc. of Independent Gymnastics Clubs Regional Gymnastics Championships
July 5-11 – Dance Xplosion Dance Competition
July 19-24 – Sophisticated Productions National Dance Competition
Aug. 7-9 – North American Grappling Assoc. Battle at the Beach Grappling Tournament
*Please note that the information and dates above are subject to change.
For additional information about the events listed here and about the Wildwoods, visit www.WildwoodsNJ.com or call 800-992-9732.
For information about event bookings, please contact sales@WildwoodsNJ.com or call 800-992-9732.
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