Sports Programs & Instructional Clinics
Parks & Recreation offers a wide array of sports for children ages eight and up. All programs are free. All participants must be registered members of a recreation center. Check with your local recreation center for more details.
Sports Programs
| Citywide Sports | Indoor Soccer League | Softball League |
| Hoops & Leaders Basketball Camp | Parks Summer Classic | International Youth Day |
| Flag Football | U.S. Youth Games | Hershey's Track & Field |
Citywide Sports
Parks & Recreation offers a wide array of sports for children ages 8 and up. All programs are free. All participants must be registered members of a recreation center where membership is free for children under 18 years of age. Check with your local recreation center for further details.
Indoor Soccer League (March - May)
2006 marked the ninth and most popular year of the Parks Indoor Soccer League. The eight-week league focuses on developing offensive and defensive skills like dribbling, shooting, heading, trapping, team attack, and defense. Weekend games provided the opportunity for twenty-six teams of over 250 children to showcase their skills while building individual self-confidence and team unity.
The top team in each borough is given a chance to prove themselves at the league championships. Last year’s championships were held at Roy Wilkins Recreation Center on Saturday, May 6. The top two teams are rewarded for their hard work and competitive play with trophies and all teams receive prizes and certificates while enjoying refreshments. Plans to expand the age groups for the league for 2007 are in the works.
Congratulations to Cromwell & Sorrentino Recreation Centers for their efforts and a great game that ended with Sorrentino winning in a “shoot-out” (Sorrentino Pictured above).
For further information, please contact Cory Shaw at (212) 360-3302.
Citywide Softball League (May - June)
The Citywide Softball program, sponsored by the City Parks Foundation, The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation, New York Fast Pitch Softball League and The Police Athletic League (PAL), provides competitive games for boys and girls, ages 12 & under. Teams compete at the borough level before the top teams advance to compete for the citywide title. In 2004 fifty-eight teams participated with over 900 children involved across New York City.
For further information, please contact Cory Shaw at (212) 360-3302.
Hoops & Leaders Basketball Camp (June - July)
"Basketball is an important part of many people's lives, both as a pursuit and as a past time. It can influence people in subtle ways, helping shape their ideas about how life works and what is acceptable behavior. Once you've seen broad-based leadership in basketball, you can better appreciate the value of giving a cross section of people in any organization or community the opportunity to assume responsibility. You learn that within each of us the ability to excel and lead."
- Senator Bill Bradley, from his book Values of the Game
The Hoops & Leaders Basketball Camp (HLBC) is a free, intensive, two-week youth leadership and mentoring program designed in response to the shortage of male mentors throughout New York City. HLBC leverages the game and joy of basketball as a means of teaching leadership skills to 40 teenage boys while recruiting 40 college-educated young men to mentor these teens during the upcoming school year.
From July 17-29, 2006, HLBC, sponsored by the Big Brothers, Big Sisters of NYC, took place at the Tony Dapolito Recreation Center in lower Manhattan. The camp met on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings from 5:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. and held a community service project and banquet on Saturday, July 29th, 2006. The community service project for this year was to put together bags of toiletries that were eventually donated to the Bowery Mission.
Through nightly themes, basketball drills, tournament, games, off court activities, and guest speakers, HLBC participants learn leadership values and skills such as Discipline, Responsibility and Resilience, Team-Building, Strategic Planning, and Public Speaking. Past guest speakers include Seattle Supersonics Coach Head Coach Bob Hill, NJ Nets General Manager Rod Thorn, NBA Hall of Fame player Nate “Tiny” Archibald, NY Knicks Field Marketing Coordinator Troy Bowers, and NY Knicks Wheelchair Basketball Team Captain Dave Snowden.
| A Typical Day at HLBC | |
| 4:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Campers arrive and register at Tony Dapolito Recreation Center |
| 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. | Theme introduction, icebreakers, and basketball drills |
| 6:30 p.m. | Mentors arrive |
| 6:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. | Dinner for mentors and mentees |
| 7:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. | Guest speaker |
| 7:30 p.m. -.9:30 p.m. | Basketball games and off-court activities |
| 9:30 p.m. | Wrap up, dessert, and go home |
| HLBC Mentors Must be… | |
| College educated males over 21 and working within the five boroughs of New York City who enjoy playing basketball and are able to work in a team/group environment. Committed to a one-year mentoring relationship with a camper. Available to attend every session. |
| HLBC Campers will be… | |
| Males, aged 14-16, interested in having a mentor for the upcoming school year. Enjoy playing basketball and able to work in a team/group environment. Possess leadership ability and potential. Available to attend every session. |
For further information, please contact Cory Shaw at (212) 360-3302.
Parks Summer Classic (July – August 12)
In 2006, the Parks Summer Classic Basketball Tournament made its big return to the Parks Department. The Parks Summer Classic is a double elimination basketball tournament. Each borough has its own site and the winners of each borough face off in the Playoff round, until two teams are left. The two remaining teams play in the championship game. The 2006 Championship game was played at Robert Moses Playground as a part of the International Youth Day.
For further information, please contact Cory Shaw at (212) 360-3302.
International Youth Day (August 12)
August 12 was designated International Youth Day by the United Nations General Assembly in December of 1999.
International Youth Day is a day for youth from all over the world to come together and showcase their talents.
Flag Football (September - November)
The City of New York Parks & Recreation is gearing up for its annual Flag Football League. Our Flag Football league is co-sponsored by the NFL & PAL. This citywide league for children ages 8-14 has been going on for more than ten years. Last year’s league accommodated roughly 27 teams in the 8-11 division and 25 teams in the 12-14 division. A total of 620+ children participated. The Citywide Championships were held at East River Park on Saturday, November 19, 2005.
Check with your local Recreation Center for game schedules and locations.
U.S. Youth Games
The United States Youth Games, first held in the summer of 1967 in New York City, were designed as a showcase for inner-city youth, offering the opportunity for youth to test their skills against their peers from across the country. The first games began with New York, Washington D.C., Boston and Newark and have expanded over the years to include cities such as Atlanta, Birmingham, Baltimore, Columbia, SC, Los Angeles, Houston, Milwaukee, New Haven, San Francisco, Seattle, and the Virgin Islands. The initial sports of basketball, track & field, and swimming have grown to include volleyball, tennis, bowling, golf, soccer, double dutch, flag football, and chess. Parks’ youth will not take part in this year’s Youth Games, but we are currently preparing for next year’s games.
For further information, please contact Cory Shaw at (212) 360-3302.
Hershey’s Track & Field Games
The Hershey Company sponsors this exciting and memorable track & field program, now in its 30th year. Children ages 9 to 14 have the opportunity to compete in the following events: 50 meter, 100 meter, 200 meter, 400 meter, 800 meter, 1600 meter, 4x100 meter relay, standing long jump, and softball throw. Participants compete against other children from their local area and have the opportunity to advance to state and regional competitions and ultimately qualify for the North American Finals in Hershey, PA. Finalist enjoy a fun-filled weekend that includes a tour of the Hershey Chocolate Factory and a day at Hershey Park.
Instructional Clinics
Learn to Play Basketball
Learn to Play Basketball is a program that the Parks Department felt was necessary to teach our up-and-coming young players the fundamentals of the game. Learn to Play Basketball varies from borough to borough. Contact your borough recreation office for more information: Manhattan – (212) 408-0103; Brooklyn – (718) 963-8938; Bronx – (718) 430-1825; Queens – (718) 520-5916; Staten Island – (718) 390-8020.
Learn to Play Soccer (January - March)
Learn to Play Soccer is an eight-week instructional program for children ages 6-13 that takes place in all 5 boroughs. Our recreation staff and soccer coaches put together a curriculum suitable for this age group and gather all the necessary tools to run this program. Learn to Play Soccer is one of Parks' most successful programs; year after year it draws an average of 160 participants per borough for a total of 800+ participants. This year’s Learn to Play Soccer program will begin on Saturday, January 13, 2007.
For further information, please contact Cory Shaw at (212) 360-3302.
Instructional Baseball Clinics (Turn 2 Foundation)
The Turn 2 Foundation, in collaboration with Parks & Recreation, provides basic instruction in hitting, fielding, and throwing for boys & girls ages 7 to 13 from April through June. Lunch and T-shirts are provided for all participants. Contact Wanda Mojica, Turn 2 Program Supervisor, at 212-360-3308 for more information.
For dates and locations, view our Turn 2 page or visit http://www.derekjeter.com.