Kids can go to Hi-Five Sports Zone to become better athletes. They can also go to Hi-Five to become better leaders, make new friends, or develop their self-esteem. But all kids who go to Hi-Five share one thing in common: They have a ton of fun!
The state-of-the-art indoor sports center in Eden Prairie teaches children up to seventh grade how to play football, basketball, baseball, soccer and more in a safe and wholesome environment. The action is structured by career athletes and coaches, who have loved sports all their lives and want kids to share that same passion.
The Hi-Five staff certainly have the charisma to keep kids attentive. As a former member of the Harlem Globetrotters, owner Reggie Perkins appreciates both the fun and the technique which make sports so rewarding for kids. I couldn’t help but ask Reggie why his team never let the Washington Senators win a game. “Ha!” he laughed. “Well, when you’re better than them, nine times out of ten you’re going to beat them, too!”
“I don’t consider myself a star athlete, though,” said Reggie. “What I consider myself is a fortunate athlete. I was fortunate to spend so much time learning how to play basketball as a kid. I was fortunate to be able to join a team. Now I’m fortunate to offer those same incredible opportunities to any kid who wants to come play!
“It’s always amazing to see how sports can help a kid to come out of their shell. Right now we have a bunch of kids who are just finishing up our eight-week Little Ballers program, which takes ages three through six. Watching their progress from not knowing how to dribble to executing the triple threat position whenever they catch the ball – well, you can just see on their faces, how much more confident they’ve become.
“I would say self-esteem building is the biggest thing we do here. Any hesitation to participate? That’s always gone by week three at the latest.
“Leadership is an especially important value in my book. For a kid, becoming a great leader means learning how to actually listen to people. That’s how they go from taking instructions to taking action, and it’s also how they get better at communicating their own directions to their peers.
“Our other Hi-Five values are family, friendship, respect, loyalty and teamwork. When we see a kid showing those values by participating and following instructions, we reward them with a Murphy Coin. These tokens have our loveable mascot Murphy the Dog on them, and they give children an instant reward for being good athletes – and also something to spend at our Murphy Mart when the fun’s done for the day.
“This is a great time to join Hi-Five! We’re just starting our new winter classes, where we’ll be focusing on soccer, football and basketball. We’ll welcome a bunch back to Little Ballers, who are going to be eager to earn their next color wristbands. They start out with white wristbands and slowly work their way up to red, white and blue – just like a real Globetrotter wears.
“We’ve become extremely popular for birthday parties. We keep those events exhilarating by mixing up the games, playing anything from flag football to indoor soccer to freeze tag depending on what the kids get excited about. Our Parents’ Night Out Camp also offers our full experience to children on Friday nights, so their folks can finally spend a little one-on-one time together.
“At the end of the day, we’re not training kids to become pro athletes. We’re teaching them to love sports, which nine times out of ten is going to help them enjoy healthier lifestyles. But more than anything, we’re bringing people together. That’s what I love most about sports: Your race and your nationality don’t matter – only your character counts on the court. We see a lot of kids leave Hi-Five with a lot of great friendships because of that.”
Hi-Five Sports Zone is located in Eden Prairie Center. You can learn more about their many youth programs by calling (612) 405-6450 or visiting hifivesportsmn.com.
