Clark Sports Center adventure programs director Jim DiLiberto said the experience of the gym's new state-of-the-art ropes outdoor course is almost unexplainable, but the end result is not.

"It's all about building team leadership and helping people help themselves," said DiLiberto, who joined the gym April 10. "It's not recreational and it's not designed just for thrill seekers. There's a definite end result people will have after participating."

DiLiberto said the course, which opened May 26, can be designed for people of all physical abilities.

"It's so well designed, we can tailor it to almost anyone's needs," he said.

On the upper level of the course, a continuous Balay is featured. The Balay is one of only four like it in the country, DiLiberto said.

Other features include walking bridges, a magic carpet, and a loop bridge among others.

"This ropes course really puts us on the cutting edge," DiLiberto said.

The Cooperstown football team will be spending time on the course in August as a way to teach them how to work together, DiLiberto said. The volleyball team may also take a turn.

"It's a great way to learn how to deal with problems in a way other than getting frustrated or giving up," DiLiberto said. "When they run into problems on the field or with each other during the season they can draw on their experiences on the course."

The course is open to individuals by signing up for a monthly community ropes course at the gym, or to groups of 10-15 at a cost of $25 per person.

Groups of Dreams Park baseball players will be using the course beginning July 19.

"They will be doing more self-coaching, which means it's geared more toward individual confidence levels than group awareness," said the gym's Jennifer Andrews.

DiLiberto said the indoor ropes course located above the pool inside the Sports Center garnered the gym national attention among corporate groups.

"This course will do even more to put us on the map," he said.