The coming of spring means it’s time for little sluggers to batter up for the start of baseball and softball season. Whether you have a little one getting ready for their first year of urban t-ball, or a more advanced ball-player, we’ve got all the bases covered when it comes to hitting a home run for fun as the weather (finally) starts to warm up!
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.
Also in Yorkville neighborhood is the Yorkville Softball League for Girls (for ages 7 -16). This league is affiliated with Little League and offers a softball season that runs from April through June and uses fields located on the Upper East Side and in Central Park. They also host All-Star teams that compete in Little League tournaments during the summer months, travel teams during the fall where girls compete against teams from around the five boroughs, and indoor pitching clinics and workouts during the winter months.
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.
Other stalwart programs include Manhattan Athletics/Uptown Athletic Club (which is affiliated with the local CYO’s Rec Ball League), the beloved Kids of Summer (which offers afterschool programs and a summer camp), The Baseball Center NYC (which 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), and The JCC in Manhattan (which offers Sunday baseball in Central Park, where children will practice the fundamental skills of the game including batting, fielding, throwing and base-running).
And if your child likes baseball but want to explore other sports too, many city programs offer great options in varied athletics. The multi-sport 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. Additionally, Kids in Sports’ upcoming summer camp for ages 2.5-3 years, is an indoor only, drop-off program with a multi-sport focus (including baseball). So if you have a young athlete who also wants to experience volleyball, football, and more–this program is perfect.
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, New York Empire Baseball, and West Side Little League.
