Anticipating that the upcoming summer Olympics in London will significantly raise the number of requests for Olympics-inspired activities for corporate groups, teambuilding companies have been developing fresh and, in some cases, unusual programs. Here, a look at what's new for getting groups in the Olympic spirit.
Volleyball, Basketball, Soccer & More

During Windy City Fieldhouse's Olympics-inspired teambuilding activity, groups are divided into teams of 20. Teams can choose to have specific members play just one activity—such as volleyball, basketball, or soccer—or rotate team members through the different activities, allowing participants to manage how physically active they wish to be. Costs vary depending on the number of participants, which can range from 20 to 500.
Photo: Courtesy of Windy City Fieldhouse
Canoeing

Teambuilding USA offers competitive canoeing games for groups of 10 to 40 people in the Florida swamplands. Teams are given canoes, life vests, maps, GPS trackers, and a backpack of supplies before they set off to find buoy markers holding treasures and clues. Costs start from $199 per person.
Photo: Courtesy of Teambuilding USA
Trampolining

It's true—trampolining is an official Olympic sport. AirHeads Trampoline Arena opened last December, just south of downtown Orlando. The trampoline arena can accommodate 125 jumpers at a time, and the minimum for a teambuilding event is 20. The facility also has three meeting rooms and offers light food service.
Photo: Courtesy of AirHeads Trampoline Arena
Table Tennis

Not everyone is an athlete, but table tennis is a sport for many skill levels. The Broward Table Tennis Club in Dania Beach, Florida will tailor teambuilding activities based on clients’ preferences. The Olympic package includes table tennis for 12 to 60 people and offers participants team hats, T-shirts, medals, and trophies. Pricing varies, but the average cost is $35 per person. A deluxe package combines cooking classes led by chef Wayne Whittall with table tennis lessons from Olympic gold medalist Terese Terranova. The package is for 10 to 40 people and costs between $50 to $70 per person.
Photo: Courtesy of Broward Table Tennis Club
Track & Field

Staffers from Dial M Productions dress like referees and guide guests through a wide variety of games including clothespin tag, sack race, tug-of-war, soccer hockey, and tortilla toss, all played in Olympics-style tournaments. Prices vary depending on location, length of event, and how many coaches are provided; costs usually start around $1,500.
Photo: Courtesy of Dial M Productions
Racing, Cycling, and More

Based on Olympic ideals of teamwork and sportsmanship, Team Builders Plus' "Team Olympics" programs involves a series of timed, low-impact physical activities like racing, cycling, and balloon bobsledding. The tournament includes choosing team colors and names, and finishes with an award ceremony where gold, silver, and bronze medals are handed out. Group sizes can range from 40 to 200 people.
Photo: Courtesy of Team Builders Plus
Rowing

Corporate Games offers a variety of customized Olympics-inspired events, that include activities like kayak racing. Large teams of 15 to 20 people rotate between sports, and groups from 20 to 500 people can be accommodated. The program generally costs between $1,500 and $7,000.
Photo: Courtesy of Corporate Games Inc.
Soccer

Teambuilding Unlimited offers its "Wacky Mini-Olympic Games." The featured games are Olympic sports with a whimsical twist, like "soccer hockey," which involves mismatched equipment from several different sports, including hockey sticks, lacrosse sticks, and a variety of different types and sizes of balls and gloves. The activity can accommodate between 5 and 300 people; costs range from $1,500 to $7,000.
Photo: Courtesy of Teambuilding Unlimited
Weightlifting

"Weightlifting" is one of the Olympics-inspired bonding activities offered by Wildly Different. Participants blow up and stuff balloons into a chosen participant's loose sweatsuit, with the aim of increasing the weightlifter's "muscle" mass. The team to stuff in the most balloons without any of them bursting is the winner. Activities include, on average, 12 participants, and the price is fixed at $2,000 plus $45 per person.
Photo: Courtesy of Wildly Different
Relay Race

Team Bonding's outdoor Olympic-style games activity includes 10 different relay races designed for less-than-athletic groups ranging from 25 to 500 participants. The full program opens with a ceremony, complete with a torch lighting and national anthems, and closes with medals being handed to the winning team. Price varies based on the number of people participating.
Photo: Courtesy of Team Bonding