There are lots of good reasons to hail the coming of spring. One we’re particularly fond of? The return to outdoor play sans coats! And it’s not only the city’s playgrounds that are bursting with spring fever. One of the happy surprises about raising kids in NYC is that there are a ton of well-run sports programs and leagues for kids—and when spring comes, our school yards, parks, green spaces, and sports fields come alive with children playing baseball, soccer, basketball, golf, and much more.
Whether you have a young child who is ready for their first foray into baseball, an older child who wants to play travel soccer, or a kid with a yearning for a less common sport like golf (less common around here, that is), there are options aplenty.
For inspiration, and to help you along with your research, we offer this tip sheet featuring a number of the city’s most popular outdoor sports programs for kids this spring, with a focus on baseball and soccer, plus some “wild cards.” We don’t have the space to go into each program’s offerings in great detail, but you can take any program’s inclusion as a sign of their good reputation. The next step is to visit their website to learn more.
Additionally, keep in mind that some programs offer classes and leagues for beginners of all ages. In other words, when children miss tee-ball at age four, it doesn’t mean that they’ve forever missed their chance at playing organized baseball! For children who want to first start playing baseball at age ten, there are programs that welcome them. In fact, it’s often the larger programs that do a good job of offering both: recreational leagues and classes for kids who want a more casual athletic experience, and travel programs and training classes for kids who want to make a bigger commitment.
Baseball
Anchored on the Upper East Side, Yorkville Youth Athletic Association is one of the largest community-based youth sports programs in the country, and baseball is their most popular offering, with every level of league and training available. Another one of the city’s premier programs, The Baseball Center NYC, is also noted for their wide variety of programs and teams at every level—not to mention their exceptional indoor facility in the heart of the Upper West Side. One more stalwart program is Manhattan Athletics/Uptown Athletic Club, which is affiliated with the local CYO’s Rec Ball League. The beloved Kids of Summer offers afterschool programs and a summer camp. The multi-sports Asphalt Green—now downtown as well as uptown—offers instructional classes and league teams. The same is true for Bulldog Ball Club—a well-regarded program on the rise—with its menu of introductory classes and more serious league play. On Deck also has a range of classes and travel teams. The impressive New York Empire Baseball focuses on travel teams and skills development classes for competitive players, as does the notable newcomer NY Sluggers (718-292-1234). The JCC in Manhattan offers Sunday baseball in Central Park, where children will practice the fundamental skills of the game including batting, fielding, throwing and base-running. Other popular programs and leagues include Downtown Little League, East Harlem Little League, Greenwich Village Little League, Harlem Little League, Harlem RBI, Inwood Manhattan Little League, Manhattan Babe Ruth League, Peter Stuyvesant Little League, and West Side Little League.
Soccer
Where there are children there is Super Soccer Stars, which has the largest instructional classes program in the city, as well as development and travel programs for more advanced players. A very popular recreational league, West Side Soccer also has travel teams affiliated with the New York Red Bulls. Manhattan Soccer Club is the largest youth travel soccer organization in the city with more than 50 teams at all levels of competition. It has also recently partnered with Simply Sports to offer recreational classes overseen by Simply Sports. The beloved SocRoc offers instructional classes around the city. Asphalt Green has offerings for all ages and abilities, from instructional classes to travel teams. Chelsea Piers has classes for beginners as well as for kids who are interested in travel-level training—in the same spirit it has its own recreational and competitive leagues. Not only does the popular Carlos Oliveira Soccer Academy have instructional classes for kids of all ages, it has also formed its own league. Serving players at all levels, Downtown United Soccer Club has skills-building classes and a big rec league, as well as travel teams. Though we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves here (summer instead of spring), but it’s such an exciting offering we wanted to flag readers anyway: this summer Arsenal FC, the 13-time English league champions, will be offering week-long soccer day camps in the city, on Randall’s Island. All coaching, drills, and scrimmages are led by official Arsenal coaches from England and are based on the very same methodology and training used by Arsenal FC. Other noteworthy soccer programs and leagues include Gotham Girls, Modern School of Soccer, Soccer By Coach Fher, and Brooklyn AYSO. And check out the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation for free clinics and listings of programs that use the parks.
Wild Cards
Golf: Chelsea Piers, The First Tee, Kate Tempesta Golf Academy
Lacrosse: Doc’s NYC Lacrosse, Yorkville Youth Athletic Association
Flag Football: Asphalt Green, Fastbreak Sports,Yorkville Youth Athletic Association
