LONG ISLAND CITY YOUTH SPORTS LEAGUE AND KIDS BASKETBALL COMING IN JANUARY

As we all know, Long Island City is a great place to live.  Yet due to its nascency, there are several crucial resources that have yet to emerge.  One of these is a locally-based youth sports program for kids over five years old.  So I have decided to form one.  It will have a very modest start this winter with a weekly basketball clinic.  Here is a rough outline:

Sundays from January through March:

Girls in grades 1-3   10am

Boys in grades 1-3   11am

For those with children in pre-K and Kindergarten, I am creating a database for future programs. Follow the instructions below to submit your information.  Also, in order for this to get off the ground and have a future, we need participants.  Please spread the word to all parents with children in pre-K thru 3rd grade.

We are hoping to hold these programs at the PS78 gym next to the QueensWest field and talks to do so are underway with the principal.

If you would like to enroll your child in the winter basketball clinic and help bring youth sports to Long Island City, we need the following:

Child’s Name, parents name(s), grade, address, email address

The 10am and 11am sessions can each take up to 20 participants.

What can you expect from the program starting in January?

The plan is to have two instructors leading the program, and parents assisting1. This will provide:

– A cost effective activity for your child during the winter months.  I anticipate $100-150 depending on turnout, private programs in Manhattan and Queens cost much more.

– Basketball & team sports teach coordination, teamwork, and if taught properly will provide them with a healthy and pleasurable endeavor that can be played for life.

– The fundamentals and confidence to play pick-up games outdoors when the weather is nice.  This is both a social benefit and an increasingly rare recreation that gets them away from a monitor or screen.

– The foundation for well organized, year round athletics here in LIC for our children

Finally, a very, very important factor in my decision to start a local program from the ground up was the desire to run separate sessions for boys and girls.  My experience witnessing youth programs, is that most of the girls felt intimidated by the aggressive nature of the boys and chose to avoid contact, and thus participation, whenever possible.  Furthermore, even without instruction and prodding, boys will gravitate toward sports.  Girls need a little push.

If you are interested in this program, send an email to me at editor@lictalk.com with the requested information listed above.  Also, feel free to contact me with any questions.

Please don’t delay, there is a lot to do and my hope is to begin on Sunday, January 11, 2015.  -Andrew Kleinberg