Hundreds of screaming children, thick gym mats, gymnastics blocks and music. These are the ingredients of the Dutch Monkey Cage Championships in Oss. Created as a reaction to school football tournaments and because children hardly move during the Christmas holidays. “Not everyone likes football, but everyone likes monkey cages,” says organizer Jeroen de Pol.
It was chaos in the De Rusheuvel sports hall for two days. “An organized chaos with four playing fields,” Jeroen explains. “Two days of competitions for primary school students, teenagers and adults.”
Sit still
The Apenkooi Championships are being organized by the Turnoss gymnastics club for the eleventh time. “Monkey cages are the best thing there is. We started it as a counterpart to the school football tournament. Not everyone likes football, but everyone likes monkey cages,” says Jeroen. “It has now grown into a mega event with almost a thousand participants.”
The monkey cage is deliberately held at the beginning of the new year. “The Christmas holidays are a holiday in which you spend a lot of time at the table, during Christmas and New Year’s Eve. You sit still a lot, the weather is bad. This is the ideal way to let loose and move. If we can teach them fun, they will exercise more outside.”
Tired of children
A grandmother who is watching notices that her grandchildren are not moving enough. “Yes, I notice that, they are really ready for school again. My daughter is tired of them too.” Julia (8) is happy that she is participating: “During the holidays I often went bowling and watched videos. Now I can run and play.”
“This is super fun,” says a father as his daughters join in. “We have been doing this for three years, playing during the holidays. My children get enough exercise during the holidays, but now they enjoy spending time with their friends.”
It’s really about something. It’s not just running around and screaming. Referee Bart keeps a close eye on the participants: “I pay attention to the red ribbon. It is monkey cage and then the taggers with the red ribbon have to tag the players with the blue and yellow ribbons.”
Original Championships
“I’m playing on the bouncy castles because it’s a monkey cage. If you get tagged, you have to sit on the couch and wait your turn,” says 5-year-old Noah while he is out of breath. The toddlers mainly enjoy running around, the rules of the game are less important.
Mother Linda stands proudly looking at her daughter. “It’s not for me, I just watch,” she laughs. The best thing according to her daughter Julia: “Climbing and running away.” And for that she, like all other toddlers, receives a medal.
For the other participants, from group three onwards, there is a points count with podium places. “A real championship, we call it the Dutch Championships. There are several, but we are the original,” says Jeroen van de Pol.