Youth athletics and sports programs are at the core of our work to support children’s holistic health and well-being. What they learn about teamwork and persistence lasts a lifetime.

Our athletics and sports program are about much more than wins and losses. Whether it’s a game of pick-up hoops on the outdoor court at East Harlem Center or a soccer clinic at the Milbank Center, children are guaranteed to learn the values of teamwork and, most importantly, have fun. And if a young person exhibits the desire, Children’s Aid runs several competitive sports programs to feed athletic ambitions.

Basketball

Children’s Aid youth basketball programs have trained countless athletes over the years, many of whom have gone on to pursue collegiate and even professional levels of play. Teams like the Milbank Flyers and the Douglass Panthers help players develop a lifelong love of the game and give them an extended family on and off the court.

Swimming 

The Milbank Stingrays is a rigorous swim program based at the Dunlevy Milbank Center that has a strong record for turning children who have never been in a pool into confident swimmers. Available to kids of all swimming levels (ages 6-18), instruction ranges from basic water safety to competitive swimming. The Stingrays are a recognized USA Swimming team and compete in the New York City Metropolitan Swimming League.