Sports and Recreation

Sports & Recreation

Water Sports

Caymanian waters are renowned for their clarity, underwater scenery and wealth of easily accessible diving sites, and diving is a popular recreational activity. Cayman Brac and Little Cayman continue to be rated among the world’s top SCUBA diving destinations.

Swimming, snorkeling, sailing, kayaking, fishing, wind surfing – all these and more take place in Cayman’s waters.

Sports

The most popular team sports are football (soccer), netball, cricket, basketball, rugby, tennis, squash, softball and volleyball. Many of these have active associations that run leagues (both competitive and recreational) and field teams that travel internationally to compete. Track and field, swimming, sailing, cycling and boxing are popular and Caymanians have competed in world class events in these disciplines. Several of the martial arts are taught and practiced and golf has gained in popularity.

Many more sports have a following. A small group of equestrians shows and jumps horses in regional junior competitions. Other groups play 4-man pond hockey, street and ball hockey and field hockey. Racing fans organize stock car and other vehicle races.

Darts and dominoes are popular pastimes and there are groups playing bridge and Scrabble.

Sports Facilities

Facilities at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex include grandstands with a capacity to seat 3,000, an Olympic-standard athletic track, and an international-standard football field. Netball courts are adjacent to the complex, which has hosted a number of international competitions since its opening.

Another public facility, the Ed Bush Sports Complex in West Bay, features grandstands seating 1,300, and an international-standard football field. Further sports facilities in the area include a cricket pitch, a softball diamond, and facilities for a public park.

Amenities have also been provided in other districts, including playing fields in Bodden Town, East End and Breakers. Most of these facilities include a grassed field and hard courts suitable for football, basketball, and netball.

In Cayman Brac, a community park is being developed which will include various sporting facilities such as a walking track and basketball courts.

Public amenities complement facilities developed by the private sector. These include two golf courses: The Links at SafeHaven, the Islands' first championship 18-hole golf course completed in 1993, and the three-in-one Britannia Golf Club designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened in 1985. Off the regulation tees, Britannia plays as a par-35, nine-hole course. Play the additional nine greens and tees, and it's a par-57, 18-hole executive course. Use the restricted-flight "Cayman Ball" and play a par-71, 18-hole round. The Ritz-Carlton will soon open a course designed by Greg Norman.

Three sporting organizations, the Cayman Rugby Football Club, the Cayman Islands Tennis Club, and the Cayman Islands Squash Club, have clubhouse facilities on adjacent sites at South Sound, Grand Cayman. The Cayman Islands Sailing Club has a clubhouse and docking facilities in Red Bay, Grand Cayman. The Cayman Islands Little League Association has developed its own baseball complex in the George Town area.

The Lions Centre, which has grandstands to seat 3,500 to 4,000, is often used as a venue for sporting events such as volleyball, basketball, and the martial arts.

Black Pearl Skate and Surf operates a skateboard park and wave tank at Grand Harbour.

The Islands also boast a number of health clubs offering facilities for weight-training and cardiovascular fitness.

Sports Programmes

The government Sports Office employs coaches and runs programmes for children, teens, and in some cases young adults, in swimming, football, netball, basketball, and track & field.

Volunteer Work

Volunteer work is a long standing tradition in the Cayman Islands. A proud list of achievements for charitable causes has been assembled over the years by service clubs and other organizations.