Young Athlete's mission is to help disadvantaged children in New York avoid the detrimental influences of poverty and achieve their full potential. In collaboration with parents and schools, Young Athletes accomplishes its mission by providing comprehensive out of school time programs for children ages eight to 18.

Description and/or History:
Young Athletes, Inc. is a nonsectarian, 501(c)3 youth development agency that provides out of school time services to urban youth and their families in New York City. Founded in 1997 to create venues for the amateur sports competition of youth, ages 8 - 18, YAI gained notoriety in New York City’s youth basketball circuit with the Rod Strickland/Tiny Archibald Summer Basketball League, the Steve Burtt Jamfest, a winter Junior High School Basketball League and an Instructional League. We committed to including the oft-ignored female athletes in our programming. In our leagues, we mandated educational remediation classes or group counseling sessions prior to play. In 2003, we assessed the needs of our 1,000+ participants citywide and decided we needed to grow to provide services to address needs of the whole child. We wanted to be more active in their development rather than a weekend program, providing more quality services to fewer quantities of participants.

YAI opened a New York City Department of Youth and Community Development contracted Out of School Time Program in the Elijah D. Clark Educational Complex in 2005 in order to provide more direct diverse services to neighborhood residents of the Mott Haven neighborhood of the South Bronx.

Contact person: Cassandra Dixon-Bowen, Assistant Director, (718) 401-2412, (email)

Address:

MS 223 360 East 145 Street Bronx, NY 10454 (See a map)

Directions:

We are located in a school building at 145th and Third Avenue in the South Bronx. To reach us by car, take the Major Deegan to exit 2, Willis Avenue. Make a left on 145th Street. You can also take the Willis Avenue Bridge from the FDR and follow the same directions.   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: 149th and Third Avenue,   Walk distance (in minutes): 5   Nearest Bus Stop: BX 15, 1 minute walk