When it’s too cold or wet to play outdoors, what are teenagers supposed to do with their time and energy? These students have been fortunate to find indoor spaces that allow them to stay active in the winter months:
State Vaulting Champion teen gymnast Martha Vittoratos
Athletic Horizons nurtures budding gymnasts of all ages.
Athletic Horizons, Chico
Over on Otterson Drive in Chico, Athletic Horizons keeps 15,000 square feet of mats, bars, beams, springboards, trampolines and other athletic equipment for gymnasts of practically all ages.
Seventeen-year-old Martha Vittoratos started doing gymnastics when she was just a toddler and joined the Athletic Horizons team six years ago right at the start of COVID. Even though she had to practice in a mask, getting to see her friends made her feel less isolated during those uncertain times.
“[Athletic Horizons] is a great community; I love my teammates and I’m always learning new skills,” she says. Her favorite competitive event is the bars, although she notes that one of her biggest accomplishments was when she won first place on Vault at the Level three State Championships three years ago.
“Coming to practice allows me to do what I love with my friends. I have a lot of energy and if I don’t stay active then I get stressed; it’s good for my mental health.”
Long time roller hockey player HS sophomore Jarritt Alcorn.
Award-winning teen roller hockey player Logan Pierce.
Shasta Roller Hockey League players and coaches always have a blast, whether playing in their home rink or traveling to away games.
Shasta Roller Hockey League, Redding
For more than 20 years the nonprofit Shasta Roller Hockey Youth League (SRHL) has been providing in-line hockey players with a space to stay active, build their confidence and compete with other in-line roller hockey teams in a nice climate-controlled environment.
Logan Pearce (age 15, Redding Collegiate Academy) played for the Shasta Roller Hockey team as right defense for seven years and says he likes the speed of the game, that there’s less contact than ice hockey, and that you must adapt more on the rink rather than following exact preplanned plays.
“Some of my best friends were made during my time with Shasta Roller Hockey,” Logan says.
Fellow SRHL member/goalie Jarrett Alcorn (sophomore, Foothill High School) joined SRHL when he was six years old, played for two years, moved away for a bit, then came back.
“I like how nice people are. Everyone knows each other; it’s like a family,” Jarrett says.
Playing roller hockey is in itself challenging, but he says that playing against older people is really fun. His favorite place to play is his home rink, but his favorite spot to travel to is Bend, Oregon.
“It’s an amazing, beautiful place; it’s nice to see our community vastly growing.”
A veteran climber at age 14, Ethan Ortlieb enjoys climbing in the great outdoors in good weather and at Shasta Rock Club when the elements are not conducive to scaling rocky cliffs.
Shasta Rock Club, Redding
Giving the Redding community access to climbing without trying to hoist up big slick rocks in the pouring rain, Shasta Rock Club is a nice, dry indoor space filled with climbing walls and strength training areas.
Ethan Ortlieb (14, Acton Academy) has been a member of Shasta Rock Club for four years, having been climbing since even before he was born.
“I climbed a week before I had him, so Ethan did start climbing in utero,” his mom Rachel says. “But I think he started enjoying it when he was about eight. The coaches [at Shasta Rock Club] are so good,” she adds.
“I like the challenge, working on it with friends,” Ethan says about bouldering. He explains that he likes to plan out his climbing routes ahead of time so he can reach the top on his first pass. He climbs so much that he even beat all the adult climbers in the advanced division of the 2025 Summer Send Off.
Other Noteworthy NorCal Gyms That Cater to Youth in the Wintertime:
“Winter can make it a little harder to stay active, especially when the weather keeps people indoors,” says Paul Hendricks, owner, Terrain Park Climbing & Adventure Center. “That’s why having fun, engaging indoor activities is so important. Whether it’s climbing, exploring our Adventure Center or simply spending time moving together as a family, staying active through the winter supports both physical and mental health.”
Ryan Thomas, owner, Rare Air in Chico and Redding, says, “As a family-owned business, we love giving families a place to stay active, make memories, and have fun together all winter long. Let the kids climb, jump, swing, and explore on our trampolines, ropes course, rock wall, play structure, ninja course, and arcade – all while staying warm and dry.”
Posted in: Sports
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