Places of Cincinnati THE KIDS FIRST VILLAGE Years in Business: 52 Years
Jeff Metzger, Founder PHOTO CREDIT: BE•U CREATIVE
W . elcome to The Kids First Village in Sycamore Township, a wonderland of children's sports, educational opportunities, and fun! Spanning over four acres under one roof, we’ve grown into one of the largest family-owned youth sports and education operations in the world. Our humble origins trace back to Jeff Metzger, founder of the Kids First Family of Companies. As a Cincinnati Public School 5th grader, Jeff was inspired by the 1960 Rome Olympics to teach cartwheels and organize track and field meets to neighborhood children. From the neighborhood, to the basement of a church, Jeff finally opened Cincinnati's first gymnastics school, Kemper Road Center in 1973. Over the next 25 years, with steady growth and four expansions, 1998 culminated in the largest expansion yet; a rebranding and move into the new, custom-built Kids First Sports Center. But we weren’t finished. Kids First continued to expand its multi venue operation,
launching the RG Sports Academy in 2009 (new facility in 2020) and The Campus in 2013 (new facility completed in 2024). Our 15 acre corner of the world began to take on the feel of a small city, leading to the rebranding as The Kids First Village. Welcome to our Village; together, we develop Happy, Healthy, Responsible Kids. • Kids First Sports Center: Hosts a wide range of sports and educational activities under one roof for children six weeks to eighteen years old; gymnastics, swimming, dance, cheer, ninja, summer day camp and more. • RG Sports Academy: A family oriented multi sports complex dedicated to court sports- specifically offering Basketball, Volleyball, and Pickleball • The Campus at Kids First: A unique Early Education Center for active children, providing educational programs for Infants through Preschool children.
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