Borough President Stringer announces creation of new youth sports league serving 1,000 children across Manhattan. New initiative seeks to alleviate shortage of after school activities and athletic programs for Manhattan Youth

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer in conjunction with the New York Police Athletic League (PAL) announced the creation of the Borough President's Youth Sports League (YSL), a new borough-wide initiative that will serve more than 1,000 children in neighborhoods across Manhattan.

Borough President Stringer was joined by Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau, Chairman of the PAL Board of Directors, to make the official announcement at halftime of the New York Knicks game on the parquet of Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night. Joining Stringer and Morgenthau at the game were more than 200 children participating in the new league.

Borough President Stringer said he created the Youth Sports League to alleviate a critical shortage of safe after school activities for Manhattan's youth. Studies show that after-school programs are crucial for improving children's experiences in school, reducing obesity among children, and decreasing incidence of crimes. In New York City, the prime time for juvenile crime is between 3-6 p.m. on school days.

"Throughout Manhattan there is a real shortage of after school and athletic programs for our children," Borough President Stringer said. "I am committed to ensuring that parents and children have meaningful activities available during the crucial after school hours when too many of our young people find their ways into trouble."

The Manhattan Borough President's Youth Sports League will operate during the entire school year with basketball during the winter season, softball during the spring and flag football in the fall. The league will serve middle school and high school girls and boys.

Stringer's Youth Sports League will operate with the assistance of the City's Police Athletic League, a thriving city-wide program established in 1914 to keep young people out of trouble by channeling their energies into recreational and athletic programs.

Stringer's league will begin in late January with teams from different locations throughout Manhattan, including East Harlem, Central Harlem, Washington Heights, Upper East Side, Midtown, and the West Village. Borough President Stringer said his office will continue actively looking to expand the program into other neighborhoods in the borough.

Maibe Gonzalez-Fuentes is BP Stringer's Press Officer

Labels: Youth