Olympic-Inspired Off-sites for Gold Medal Teams

It’s time to break out the stars and stripes, brush up on your national anthem lyrics and start cheering for athletes playing sports you don’t totally understand – yes, it’s time for the Winter Olympics! And while your gold medal fervor is in full swing, here are five Olympic-inspired off sites that will be a blast for you and your team. Team building not only increases motivation and trust, but it also results in higher productivity once you get back in the office. It’s a win-win.

Curling: Perfect for teams who love sweeping their sales goals

Believe it or not, the icy sport of curling is sweeping the U.S. (or is it?). But seriously, most skating rinks will host corporate events and set up an office curling match. So bust out the brooms and get ready to slide some stones, because curling is a fun and unique way to build teamwork.

Go-Karting: Perfect for teams who prefer a fast-paced work environment

Okay, so racing cars isn’t exactly an Olympic sport, but it is a fun way to create unforgettable experiences for your team. And, at nearly 40 mph, go-karting is a great way to let out any pent up aggression when you *accidentally* cut off Greg, your friendly competitor from the sales team. Sorry, Greg. There are other indoor go-kart facilities that offer group events or you can create Go-Karting in the office.

Rowing: Perfect for teams who want to go with the flow

Who knew putting a group of work acquaintances in a narrow boat and telling them to row could be a fun team-building activity? In fact, there are canoe and kayak groups all over the place. So put on your life vest and row, row, row your boat gently down the team building stream.

Axe Throwing: Perfect for teams with an axe to grind

This is certainly not an Olympic sport… yet. Axe throwing is kind of like the brussel sprouts of team building activities – all the cool kids are doing it now. So book your event before it becomes mainstream and basic. Groups like Urban Axes host corporate teams and promise axe-citing team building activities.

Trampoline: Perfect for teams who need to get the spring back in their step

Did you know trampoline is a real sport in the Summer Olympics? It’s true. The acrobatic gymnastics sport got its start at the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney. Places like SkyZone (or your favorite local trampoline facility) aren’t just for first-grade birthday parties; they also host groups of grown adults where you can propel your team to the next level. They offer dodgeball, basketball, and diving into pits full of foam pieces.

Archery Tag: Perfect for teams who want to try something new

Archery is an Olympic sport. However, the combination of bows, arrows and shooting them at your co-workers is NOT. Archery tag is exactly what it sounds like and venues are popping up all over the country. Archery tag provides a relatively safe way to challenge your friends and co-workers to a competition that is part dodgeball and part shooting foam-tipped arrows at high velocities. I don’t know if it’s too late to add this to the 2020 Summer Olympics, but this should definitely be in on a trial basis.

Closing Ceremonies 

Whether you pick a fun team-building offsite from this list or are inspired to find a different Olympic-themed group outing, your team will love you for it, and they’ll never forget it. It’s time you thought out of the box (and into the Olympic rings) for your next offsite. Just make sure everyone signs a liability waiver.