Indoor Sports Facility Opens in Glen Cove

With the opening of an indoor sporting facility in Glen Cove, local parents may no longer have to ask themselves: “where should I send my kids to play?”

Next Level Sports Facility, LLC, which opened Nov. 3 on Carney Street, is a unique addition to the area. It is currently the only one of its kind on the North Shore.

The idea behind creating the sports center stemmed from the urge to provide local youngsters with a fun and healthy place to hang out, according to Co-owner Robert Kleinwaks.

"I see what kids have to do on…a Friday night and it's not much, especially with the closing of the bowling alley," he said. "With children as successful athletes, I think it's proof that if you work hard and do something enough - whether it's tennis, baseball, soccer, or any other sport - you can be successful, and we want to give our youth a chance to develop their skills."

The 10,000 square-foot facility, referred to as “the home of Cove Baseball Academy,” boasts six batting cages, two pitching mounds (one for baseball, the other for softball) and a high-density indoor turf field. It is designed specifically for the practice (or play) of soccer, lacrosse and field hockey, and can also be used to conduct baseball and softball workouts.

The field also features "non-infill" turf, which does not contain potentially dangerous rubber granules, and is twice the amount of density of the average turf, according to Kleinwaks.

Among the center's experienced instructors are Rob Gates, John Givardgidze, Dom Gatti and Al Watson, former professional starting pitcher who played for both the Mets and Yankees.

Kleinwaks' passion for athletics has been the driving force behind his nationally ranked tennis career. He has also received a degree from the New York Chiropractic College. 

Athleticism runs in the family, as well. His son is a Cal Ripken Home Run Derby champion, and his daughters are soccer players.

Barbara Marder, Kleinwaks' mother-in-law, stressed the local need for the facility.

"As a former teacher, I know how important it is for kids to be involved, busy, active and healthy," she said.

Kleinwaks said the facility is open to recreational athletes, in addition to serious ones, and hopes that its accessibility will allow more local youths to experience the wide world of sports.

"We hope to host free clinics where children, who might not otherwise have the means to take up a sport, will be able to," he said.

To learn more about Next Level Sports Facility, LLC, visit their Web site or call 516-280-2373.