About
Police Athletic League Sports and Recreation – Soccer is part of a larger sports program that includes activities such as Baseball, Softball, Basketball, Volleyball, Soccer, Track and Field, Flag Football, Rugby, Floor Hockey, Double-Dutch, Jump Rope, Kickball, Karate, Dance and Step, Aquatics, and Board Games. The Sports and Recreation Department provides a model sports curriculum for all Police Athletic League centers and organizes leagues, tournaments, and special events for over 13,000 youth each year.
• Ages: 6–18 years old
The Police Athletic League has a century long history of bringing together the police and the community through friendly sports competition. Its mission, together with the NYPD and the law enforcement community, is to support and inspire New York City youths to realize their full individual potential as productive members of society. NYPD Community Affairs officers and volunteer police officers from around the city work with the Police Athletic League to coach, mentor, and compete in athletic contests with community youth, and various sports leagues are run in partnership with the NYC Parks Department. The PAL Cops & Kids Flag Football program is run in partnership with the New York Jets and USA Football.
PAL’s sports and recreation programs keep young people engaged in positive youth development activities and reinforce the concepts of discipline, leadership, teamwork, and sportsmanship. PAL sports programs strive to increase the physical activity of young people while decreasing risk-taking behaviors by providing opportunities for youth and teens from low-income areas to play in well equipped, organized sports leagues. Cops and Kids leagues serve boys and girls throughout the year in sports including Softball, Soccer, Basketball, Volleyball, and Flag Football for ages 14–19. Competitive and recreational sports for children of all ages is a cornerstone of PAL’s youth development strategy, and PAL centers are described as a home away from home for young people in need of safe, supportive environments. PAL’s philosophy is grounded in the belief that young people’s individual strengths and capabilities can guide them to mature, productive adulthoods with PAL’s encouragement and commitment, and PAL is committed to training staff in current youth development practices and works towards ensuring that all youth have a voice and an opportunity to succeed. PAL is New York City’s largest independent youth development not-for-profit organization, and the Police Athletic League is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Program.
Last updated April 17, 2026.
• Ages: 6–18 years old
The Police Athletic League has a century long history of bringing together the police and the community through friendly sports competition. Its mission, together with the NYPD and the law enforcement community, is to support and inspire New York City youths to realize their full individual potential as productive members of society. NYPD Community Affairs officers and volunteer police officers from around the city work with the Police Athletic League to coach, mentor, and compete in athletic contests with community youth, and various sports leagues are run in partnership with the NYC Parks Department. The PAL Cops & Kids Flag Football program is run in partnership with the New York Jets and USA Football.
PAL’s sports and recreation programs keep young people engaged in positive youth development activities and reinforce the concepts of discipline, leadership, teamwork, and sportsmanship. PAL sports programs strive to increase the physical activity of young people while decreasing risk-taking behaviors by providing opportunities for youth and teens from low-income areas to play in well equipped, organized sports leagues. Cops and Kids leagues serve boys and girls throughout the year in sports including Softball, Soccer, Basketball, Volleyball, and Flag Football for ages 14–19. Competitive and recreational sports for children of all ages is a cornerstone of PAL’s youth development strategy, and PAL centers are described as a home away from home for young people in need of safe, supportive environments. PAL’s philosophy is grounded in the belief that young people’s individual strengths and capabilities can guide them to mature, productive adulthoods with PAL’s encouragement and commitment, and PAL is committed to training staff in current youth development practices and works towards ensuring that all youth have a voice and an opportunity to succeed. PAL is New York City’s largest independent youth development not-for-profit organization, and the Police Athletic League is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Program.
Last updated April 17, 2026.
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