Get Active At Pendleton’s Community Sports & Wellness
Depending on where you live, Community Sports & Wellness in Pendleton (395 S. Heritage Way, communitysw.com) might not be exactly close. But the combination of the massive new center’s energized programming, high-end equipment, and easy access from I-69 beckon to anyone who likes to play (or pray). Here are five standout offerings:
Adult gymnastics. One room dedicated to gymnastics and ninja-style obstacle training for kids has a square springy floor section and two long “tumbling tracks,” which are like trampoline runways leading to a foam pit that you can Superman or somersault into. Grown-ups can use these—as well as the balance beam and warped walls.
Praise ride. The leadership team at CSW isn’t shy about their Christian faith. “At my age, I’ve never been bolder about it,” says Kris Farrar, a spinning instructor with 20 years of experience. She developed a Sunday class around worship music and Bible passages that match the week’s theme, like endurance. Farrar says some attendees turned to the class while churches were closed during the pandemic and have kept coming.
Sensory equipment. In the childcare center, CSW attendants are sensory-certified to recognize the needs of kids on the spectrum and offer tents and weighted blankets to comfort an overstimulated one. And the center plans to keep investing in those families. “We know we need more classes,” says director Jini Morgan.
Tennis and pickleball. CSW’s indoor courts are the only ones in the area wired with a camera system called PlaySight. You can easily record play on any court and access the video free online. And if you book a court outfitted with the full system, you can tinker with pre-programmed drills and pro-level analytics like the RPM of your topspin. If you want to try pickleball, borrow a loaner paddle. They’re top quality.
Rock Steady Boxing. In 2006, former Marion County Prosecutor Scott Newman, who is living with Parkinson’s, opened a gym billed as the first in the country dedicated to those with the disease. Rock Steady developed its own workout based on non-contact boxing drills to slow the progression of Parkinson’s, and it’s now taught around the world. A second location is opening at CSW.
