Serving up free summer sports for Brooklyn kids

Brooklyn’s youth will be jumping hurdles, serving aces, and perfecting their backswings at the 2014 Summer Sports Program hosted by City Parks Foundation.Starting July 1, children from ages five to 16 years old will have the opportunity to receive free instruction in track and field, tennis and golf, including the use of free equipment, right here in Brooklyn as well as in the other boroughs.“We have two objectives to maintain with the kids, the first being able to spark interest in new sports that they never played,” says Mike Silverman, director of sports for City Parks Foundation. “The second objective is to provide a healthy activity for kids once summer starts and they are out of school.”For 22 years, the City Parks Foundation has been providing communities with programs that promote healthier lifestyles for both children and seniors including tennis lessons, fitness walks, and yoga instruction.The summer sports programs allow children to learn basic skills while building self-esteem, self-confidence, discipline and sportsmanship. At the end of the program, children have a chance to showcase everything they have learned in an exciting and friendly competition alongside peers at facilities such as Flushing Meadows Tennis Center and Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island.Programs will take place around the borough in Bensonhurst Park, Fort Greene Park, Highland Park, Jackie Robinson Playground, Kaiser Park, Kelly Playground, Leif Ericson Park, Lincoln Terrace Park, McCarren Park, McKinley Park, Prospect Park, Herbert Von King Park, and Marine Park.The tennis program will be held at Leif Ericson Park on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. It will take place at McKinley Park on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1 to 4 p.m., as well as Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 4 p.m. (for intermediate players). In Bensonhurst Park, it will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 4 p.m.Over 14,000 children register for the summer sports program every year for a healthy and empowering experience.For registration and more information on the City Parks Foundation’s programs, please visit www.cityparksfoundation.org or call 718-760-6999.

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