The Athlete's Playground
4.7(63)4.7 out of 5 stars, 63 reviews Albuquerque, NM
About The Athlete's Playground
The Athlete's Playground uniquely positions itself as a family-centric fitness facility with a strong emphasis on youth sports training, offering a range of services from individual coaching to group classes for all ages. It's often praised for its welcoming community feel, modern equipment, and generally uncrowded environment, making it appealing for families seeking to pursue fitness together. However, prospective families should be aware of serious concerns regarding staff conduct, perceived discrimination, and membership value.
What parents should know
Summarized from real visitor reviews.
Best for: Families seeking a venue where parents and children can engage in fitness activities simultaneously.Parents looking for dedicated, high-quality sports-specific training and off-season conditioning for their school-aged children or teens.Individuals and families who value a strong, motivating community atmosphere in their fitness routine.Those who prefer a gym environment that is generally not crowded.**School-aged Children & Teens (approx. 8-18+):** Highly suitable for youth sports-specific training, off-season conditioning, and general fitness programs. A 16-year-old daughter was observed participating.
Why families love it
- Strong emphasis on youth programs and sport-specific training for children and young athletes.
- Opportunities for entire families (parents, kids, siblings, spouses) to train together, sometimes simultaneously in different programs.
- Welcoming, modern, clean, and inviting facility equipped with high-quality equipment.
- Knowledgeable, creative, and inspiring coaches (Brandon, Liz, Owen mentioned by name).
- Fosters a strong sense of community and mutual motivation among members of various ages.
- Generally uncrowded, allowing for a more comfortable and personal workout experience.
Insider tips
- **Clarify Facility Rules Upfront:** Specifically inquire about rules regarding practice areas and usage of equipment/spaces, especially for children on trial, to avoid misunderstandings and potential negative interactions with staff.
- **Utilize Trial Periods Thoroughly:** Use the offered trial (e.g., 5-day trial) not just for evaluating equipment and programs, but critically for assessing staff demeanor, customer service, and overall atmosphere before committing to a membership.
- **Inquire About Youth Program Schedules:** If bringing children for specific training, obtain detailed schedules to ensure they align with family needs and coordinate with adult workout times.
- **Budget Appropriately:** Be aware that individual memberships are cited as "extremely expensive," and assess if the value aligns with your budget and anticipated usage, given reports of restricted hours and closures.
Good to know before you go
- If you require highly flexible operating hours or an open-ended schedule, as hours are reported as restricted and the facility can be closed frequently.
- If you are highly sensitive to perceived social elitism or value consistent, polite customer service from all staff, including owners.
- If budget is a primary concern for an individual membership, as it is described as "extremely expensive."
- If your children tend to explore different areas of a facility freely, without clear communication on boundaries, as this could lead to negative interactions with staff.
- One owner (a woman in a TAP shirt) was reported to be rude and dismissive towards a 16-year-old daughter during a trial, explicitly telling her she couldn't practice in an area, and allegedly mocked the children.
- Crowds
- Generally described as "rarely ever crowded," allowing for a more pleasant workout experience.
- Value
- Individual memberships are described as "extremely expensive." The value for this cost is questioned by some members due to restricted operating hours and frequent closures. Free trials (e.g., a 5-day trial) are offered, which can help assess fit before commitment.
- Food
- No specific food and drink rules are mentioned in the reviews.
- Accessibility
- No specific accommodations for special needs are mentioned in the reviews.
- Safety
- High-quality equipment and a clean, modern facility contribute to a safe physical environment.
What parents say
"We originally went to TAP to get our daughter some off season training. We were so impressed that the rest of the family started working out at TAP too. Liz and Brandon have built a welcoming facility with high quality equipment. They provide a wide variety of services that range from youth and adult group training, to individual personal training options, to the standard memberships for independent training. What sets TAP apart from other gyms? It’s a local business owned by a family who sincerely cares about fostering the health and well-being of athletes of all ages. We’ve been members for"
2 months ago
"Great coaches. Great facility. Love how they emphasize on the programs for kids. We typically go as a family - kids go to their workout class and my husband and I get to work out together. And it's rarely ever crowded."
a month ago
"Let me explain why the 1 star. Me and my kids were there on our 2nd day of the 5 day trial. I told my 16 year old daughter asked that looks like the owner(wearing TAP shirt) if she can play volleyball with them since they were practicing there anyway, she just replied to her NO! So my daughter proceeded just to practice by herself (no harm) but about a minute later the owner approach my daughter and rudely told her that YOU CANNOT PRACTICE HERE AND YOURE SUPPOSED TO PLAY WHERE THE CAGE AT OR INSIDE!, while I understand why but I'm sure you don't act towards a customer like that (mind that they"
6 months ago
Reviews sourced from public Google data.
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