City Parks Foundation has opened registration for their free CityParks Play summer sports programs.
New York City youth can enroll in an array of sports and fitness events throughout city parks spanning across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and the Bronx. Programs include free track lessons, golf lessons, soccer lessons, youth tennis programs and more.
“CityParks Play continues to enhance the lives of kids at over 50 parks around New York City with free instructional sports programs that promote an active, healthy lifestyle,” said Mike Silverman, Director of Sports at City Parks Foundation. “We’re excited to welcome returning participants as well as newcomers with a wide array of fun outdoor activities for all to enjoy this summer, Our programs also help instill valuable life skills such as sportsmanship, teamwork, self-confidence and nutrition awareness”.
Participants in the track program will take part in morning sessions twice weekly in local parks, where they’ll receive instruction in long jump, shot put, hurdles, discus, javelin, and other track events, culminating in the CityParks Track Meet at Icahn Stadium in Randall’s Island in August. The summer golf program transforms local neighborhood ball fields into driving ranges and practice greens to introduce the basic skills of the game. Youth soccer participants will learn the basics of soccer through informal play and instruction, capped off by the Battle of the Boroughs tournament in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park at the end of the season. CityParks Tennis instructors use fun games and drills to help teach kids aged 6-17 the basics of tennis and discover a sport for life. Experienced juniors have the opportunity to compete in weekly competitions and qualify for a citywide tournament as well as the BNP Paribas Aces program, which offers continued training in the off-season when court time is more expensive and less available.
Additional programs include Everyday Play, a free, 5-day per week multi-sport program for kids aged 6-17 that features a rotating schedule of activities for six weeks, and Family Adventure Races, a parent-child race through a course of 12 activity stations open to children aged 7-13 and their parents.
For more information on sports programs, please visit: https://cityparksfoundation.org/play/.
Summer 2024 Dates
Youth Track and Field
City Parks Foundation Track and Field Program
Programs run 7/2 – 8/15
Available to youth ages 6 – 17 at the following sites
● Thomas Jefferson Park (Manhattan) – Tuesdays / Thursdays
● Detective Keith Williams Park (Queens) – Tuesdays / Thursdays
● Juniper Valley Park (Queens) – Tuesdays / Thursdays
● Betsy Head Park (Brooklyn) – Mondays / Wednesdays
● Corporal Thompson Park (Staten Island) – Mondays / Wednesdays
● Astoria Park (Queens) – Mondays / Wednesdays
● Forest Park (Queens) – Mondays / Wednesdays
CityParks Track Meet
Program Date: 8/14 at Icahn Stadium / Randall’s Island
Available to youth ages 6-17
Youth Golf
Registration Opens Monday, May 6
Programs run 7/2 – 8/15
Available to youth ages 7 – 17 at the following sites
● Beach 30th Street Playground (Queens) – Mondays (ages 7-11) or Wednesdays (ages 12-17)
● Flushing Meadows Pitch & Putt (Queens) – Mondays (ages 7-11) or Wednesdays (ages 12-17)
● Queensbridge Park (Queens) – Mondays (ages 7-11) or Wednesdays (ages 12-17)
● Silver Lake Park (Staten Island) – Tuesdays (ages 7-11) or Thursdays (ages 12-17)
● Sunset Park (Brooklyn) – Tuesdays (ages 7-11) or Thursdays (ages 12-17)
● Van Cortlandt Park (Bronx) – Tuesdays (ages 7-11) or Thursdays (ages 12-17)
Lessons at CityParks Junior Golf Center
Registration Opens June 12
Programs run from 7/1 – 8/22
Available to youth ages 6, 7-9, 10-11, 12-13, and 14+ at CityParks Junior Golf Center (Bay Ridge, Brooklyn)
● Ages 7 – 9: Tuesdays at 5:30PM, Wednesdays at 4PM,Thursdays at 4PM Sundays at 1pm
● Ages 10 – 11: Mondays at 4pm, Tuesdays at 4PM, Wednesdays at 5:30pm, Fridays at 4pm,
● Ages 12 – 13: Thursdays at 5:30pm, Sundays at 2:45pm
● Ages 14+: Mondays at 5:30pm, Fridays at 5:30pm Sundays at 9am, Saturdays at 2:45pm
Registration will open in early June.
Lessons at CityParks Junior Golf Center Annex
Registration Opens June 12
Programs run from 7/1 – 8/18
Available to youth ages 6, 7-9, 10-11, 12-13, and 14+ at CityParks Junior Golf Center Annex (Flushing Meadows, Queens)
● Ages 7 – 9: Saturdays at 9AM and Sundays at 2:30pm
● Ages 10 – 11: Saturdays at 10:30am and Sundays at 1pm
● Ages 12 – 13: Saturdays at 1pm and Sundays at 10:30am
● Ages 14+: Saturdays at 2:30pm and Sundays at 9am
Registration will open in early June.
Youth Tennis
Registration Opens May 6
City Parks Foundation Youth Tennis Program
Programs run from 7/2 – 8/15
Available to youth ages 6-17 at the following sites
● Mill Pond Park (Bronx) – Mondays / Wednesdays
● St. James Park (Bronx) – Mondays / Wednesdays
● St. Mary’s Park (Bronx) – Mondays / Wednesdays
● Van Cortlandt Park (Bronx) – Tuesdays / Thursdays
● Williamsbridge Oval (Bronx) – Tuesdays / Thursdays
● Fort Greene Park (Brooklyn) – Mondays / Wednesdays
● Highland Park (Brooklyn) – Tuesdays / Thursdays
● John J. Carty Park (Brooklyn) – Tuesdays / Thursdays
● Kelly Playground (Brooklyn) – Mondays / Wednesdays
● Leif Ericson Park (Brooklyn) – Tuesdays / Thursdays
● Lincoln Terrace (Brooklyn) – Mondays / Wednesdays
● Marine Park (Brooklyn) – Mondays / Wednesdays
● McKinley Park (Brooklyn) – Mondays / Wednesdays
● Prospect Park (Brooklyn) – Tuesdays / Thursdays
● Central Park (Manhattan) – Tuesdays / Thursdays
● Frederick Johnson Playground (Manhattan) – Mondays / Wednesdays
● Inwood Hill Park (Manhattan) – Mondays / Wednesdays
● Riverside Park (Manhattan) – Tuesdays / Thursdays
● Alley Pond Park (Queens) – Tuesdays / Thursdays
● Astoria Park (Queens) – Tuesdays / Thursdays
● Brookville Park (Queens) – Mondays / Wednesdays
● Cunningham Park (Queens) – Mondays / Wednesdays
● Flushing Meadows-Corona Park (Queens) – Mondays / Wednesdays
● Flushing Memorial Fields (Queens) – Tuesdays / Thursdays
● Forest Park (Queens) – Mondays / Wednesdays
● Juniper Valley Park (Queens) – Mondays / Wednesdays
● Kissena Park (Queens) – Tuesdays / Thursdays
● Silver Lake Park (Staten Island) – Tuesdays / Thursdays
● Greenbelt Recreation Center (Staten Island) – Mondays / Wednesdays
● Walker Park (Staten Island) – Tuesdays / Thursdays
● Wolfe’s Pond Park (Staten Island) – Mondays / Wednesdays
Youth Soccer
Registration Opens May 6
Program runs 7/2 – 8/9
Available to youth ages 6 – 12 at the following sites
● St. James Park (Bronx) – Mondays / Wednesdays
● Thomas Jefferson Park (Manhattan) – Mondays / Wednesdays
● Flushing Meadows-Corona Park (Queens) – Tuesdays / Thursdays
● Astoria Park at the Triborough Bridge Playground (Queens) – Fridays
● Beach 30th Street Playground (Queens) – Tuesdays / Thursdays
● Corporal Thompson Park (Staten Island) – Tuesdays / Thursdays
Registration Opens May 1
Program Runs 7/2 – 8/15
Available to youth ages 6 – 17 at the following sites
● Baisley Pond Park (Queens)
● Kaiser Park (Brooklyn)
● Pelham Bay (Bronx)
Additional details and registration to be shared on May 20
Tentative 2024 Dates and Locations:
● Inwood Hill Park – Saturday, June 29
● Flushing Meadows-Corona Park – Saturday, July 27
Available to youth ages 7-13 with their parents.
Register here
Generous private support for CityParks Tennis is provided by The New York Community Trust – The George and Valerie Delacorte Fund, Life Time Foundation, The Linda B. and Howard S. Stern Family Foundation, The Amazin’ Mets Foundation, The Weininger Foundation, the USTA Foundation, Women’s Tennis Association Charities, the Junior Tennis Foundation, Neuberger Berman Foundation, The Venable Foundation, USTA Eastern, and Public Housing Community Fund. Presenting program sponsor BNP Paribas and supporting program sponsor Lacoste. Generous public support is provided by the NYC Council under the leadership of Speaker Adrienne Adams, including Council Member Gale Brewer, Council Member Joseph Borelli, NYC Majority Whip Selvena Brooks-Powers, Council Member Tiffany Cabán, Council Member Kamillah Hanks, Council Member Rita Joseph, Council Member Darlene Mealy, Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, and Council Member Sandra Ung.
Generous private support for CityParks Golf is provided by The First Tee, Life Time Foundation, The Linda B. and Howard S. Stern Family Foundation, The Amazin’ Mets Foundation, L+M Development Partners, American Golf Foundation, Neuberger Berman Foundation, The Philip M. Waterman Foundation Inc, The Venable Foundation, Public Housing Community Fund, and the LPGA Foundation. Supporting program sponsor Lacoste.Supporting program sponsor of CityParks Golf is Lacoste. Generous public supported is provided by the the NYC Council under the leadership of Adrienne Adams, with special thanks to Council Member Alexa Avilés, Council Member Dinowitz, and Council Member Kamillah Hanks.
Generous private support for the Junior Golf Center is provided by The First Tee, Life Time Foundation, American Golf Foundation, The Venable Foundation, Neuberger Berman Foundation, The Philip M. Waterman Foundation Inc, and the LPGA Foundation. Supporting Sponsor Lacoste.
Generous private support for CityParks Everyday Play is provided by the Thompson Family Foundation, Life Time Foundation, The Linda B. and Howard S. Stern Family Foundation, Neuberger Berman Foundation, and The Venable Foundation. Generous public support is provided by the NYC Council under the leadership of Speaker Adrienne Adams, with special thanks to Council Member Ari Kagan and Council Member Marjorie Velázquez.
Generous private support for CityParks Track & Field is provided by the Thompson Family Foundation, Life Time Foundation, Neuberger Berman Foundation, and The Venable Foundation. Generous public support is provided by the NYC Council under the leadership of Speaker Adrienne Adams, with special thanks to Council Member Darlene Mealy and Council Member Nantasha Williams. In partnership with Life Time Foundation, Randall’s Island Park Alliance, and NYC Parks.
Generous private support for CityParks Soccer is provided by the Thompson Family Foundation, Life Time Foundation, The Amazin’ Mets Foundation, L+M Development Partners, Neuberger Berman Foundation, and The Venable Foundation. Generous public support is provided by the NYC Council under the leadership of Adrienne Adams, with special thanks to Council Member Kamillah Hanks. In partnership with NYC Parks. In partnership with L+M Development Partners at Beach 30th Street Playground.
Generous private support for CityParks Family Adventure Race is provided by Life Time Foundation, The Amazin’ Mets Foundation, Neuberger Berman Foundation, and The Venable Foundation. In partnership with Life Time Foundation, NYC Parks.
City Parks Play
Over 7,400 children ages 6 – 17 stay healthy and active in parks while learning sports they can play for life — tennis, soccer, golf, and track & field. Beginner and intermediate classes are offered around the city, while more advanced coaching and tournament training is available at the kids-only Junior Golf Center and Junior Golf Annex, and through the Lacoste Junior Tennis Academy. Fitness programs — yoga, tennis and pickleball, and fitness walking — help keep nearly 600 seniors agile and connected to their communities.
City Parks Foundation
At City Parks Foundation, we are dedicated to invigorating and transforming parks into dynamic, vibrant centers of urban life through sports, arts, community building and
education programs for all New Yorkers. Our programs — located in more than 320 parks, recreation centers and public schools across New York City — reach over 278,000 people each year. Our ethos is simple: thriving parks mean thriving communities.
Photo credit: City Parks Foundation.
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