Kids today are spending an unhealthy amount of time in front of TVs and computers, contributing to the fact that 20 percent of children in the U.S. are overweight. Yet, as a parent, it can be difficult to find ways to encourage children to replace tube time with staying fit.

The athlete stands poised in front of the basket, ball in hand, eyes focused. Someone in the background calls out her name, which is emblazoned, along with the team name, "Rookies," on the back of her shirt. She releases the ball and for one tense moment it seems to linger in the air before hitting the rim and falling to the floor.

A mid the warehouse-sized facilities that make up Chelsea Piers is the Field House, which looms over the newly renovated Hudson River Park. This indoor athletic arena and its programs are best known for nurturing sports lovers, ranging from budding soccer players to nationally competitive gymnasts.