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CHANHASSEN, Minn., March 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- As one in five Americans turns their eyes toward their TVs for the largest college basketball tournament of the year, Life Time, the premier healthy lifestyle brand, is scaling its Ultimate Hoops adult leagues and junior training programs to meet the sport's popularity, which recently surpassed baseball as the second most watched sport in America, according to a 2018 Gallup poll.
"Basketball, in large part to becoming a global sport, has continued to grow in popularity over the years, but recently we've hit a tipping point relative to participation," says Alan Arlt, founder of Ultimate Hoops at Life Time. "The problem is the opportunities to play the game in a group continue to dwindle as you get older. But basketball is truly an all-ages sport, which is where Ultimate Hoops comes in."
Ultimate Hoops combines recreational leagues with training programs, camps and an interactive statistical website for a state-of-the art basketball experience. With its "never retire" mission, Ultimate Hoops is committed to delivering a better basketball experience to players of all ages with offerings designed to inspire them to continue playing their entire lives and turn average joes into pros.
In keeping with its mission and to reach more players, Ultimate Hoops will grow both its adult leagues and junior training programs in 2019. There are currently 45 adult leagues at Life Time destinations across the country with plans to scale to 55 by the end of the year. Ultimate Hoops revolutionized adult leagues by treating its players like professionals through premium courts and with real-time stats on its website uhlife.com. Since joining Life Time in 2008, it's grown into the largest recreational basketball league in America with more than 2,600 players.
To get more kids playing, Ultimate Hoops will also grow its junior training programs into all 113 Life Time destinations with basketball courts. Currently offered at 75 locations, the weekly basketball classes for ages 6 to 15 focus on building a passion for the game through competitive fun. All camps and clinics are open to members and non-members of Life Time.
"The youth sports market is often too structured and kids are quitting sports at a young age. In fact, a recent poll shows 70 percent of kids stop playing sports by 13 and never play again," says Arlt. "Ultimate Hoops and Life Time want to be the place where kids and adults can continue to play basketball for their entire lives."
Ultimate Hoops is headlined by its professional-size indoor court at Life Time at Sky in Manhattan, New York. The court was designed in collaboration with NBA All Star Carmelo Anthony. NBA superstars Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James, James Harden, J.R. Smith, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook and others have frequented the court for pick up play since it opened in 2016. Ultimate Hoops also offers two national tournaments that draw in hundreds of players from across the country, at Life Time at Sky in Manhattan and in Las Vegas at Life Time Green Valley.
Ultimate Hoops currently offers programming at 200 courts across 113 Life Time destinations in 24 markets. It also employs more than 90 instructors. For more information, visit www.uhlife.com
About Life Time® – Healthy Way of Life
Life Time champions a healthy and happy life for its members across 143 destinations in 39 major markets in the U.S. and Canada. As the nation's premier healthy lifestyle brand, Life Time delivers an unmatched athletic resort experience and provides a comprehensive healthy living, healthy aging and healthy entertainment experience that goes well beyond fitness to encompass the entire spectrum of daily life for individuals, couples and families of all ages. For more information visit www.lifetime.life.
SOURCE Life Time®--Healthy Way of Life
