Girls Who Move, Move the World: The Brooklyn Nets and Nike Team Up to Encourage Teen Girls to Play Sports

Did you know that by age 14, girls are dropping out of sports at twice the rate of boys? According to a 2018 study from the Women’s Sports Foundation, nearly 40 percent of girls don’t participate in sport, versus 25 percent of boys. As the number of coronavirus cases spike across the U.S and right here in our city of NY, I'm sure the number is significantly higher as participation in sports programs has decreased or ceased completely due to closures.

Over Three Thousand NYC Youth Play Flag Football at No Cost Thanks to the NFL and New York Jets

Disclosure: We attended the clinic as media but please note this event is normally not attended by parents of the players.  All photos of the players at the Jets training center have been provided courtesy of the NFL.

Gen Z kids just aren't moving their bodies enough these days and as parents and former athletes, Mike and I are advocates for encouraging a healthy balance between screentime, unplugged fun & physical play. Once Track and field ended for the summer with the city parks program I started researching other ways to keep our active boys busy while saving a coin or two. Let's be honest all of our kid's interests and activities can quickly add up, especially if you have more than one child. If you're looking for a free or inexpensive program promoting physical activity, we'd really recommend that you look into offerings from your local parks programs and recreation centers.

Through the NYC Parks and Recreation NFL Flag Football programs boys and girls ages 5-17 can join participate in the instructional series which includes fundamental instructional drills & strategies and all equipment is provided: Official NFL league jerseys, flags, and footballs. The NYC Parks Flag Football League is open for girls and boys ages 9 to 17 for league play, which includes Borough, City and Regional championships before heading to Florida for the NFL Flag Championships during the Pro Bowl. 

Building Self Esteem with City Parks Foundation Summer Sports Program #LilMonstersinNYC

It's the summer Tristan has been waiting for! He's six and a half and finally old enough to participate in the free sports programs hosted by the City Parks Foundation in local playgrounds around the 5 boroughs of New York. Every summer for the last six years he's been watching his big brother CJ leap hurdles during Track and Field at Juniper Park  and practice his tennis swing at Cunningham Park and he's always wanted to step off the sidelines to show his ever growing grit on the field and courts. For the first year ever, the city introduced soccer to the roster which has always been a sport he's wanted to play, so this FREE program was a definite must to add to our Mommy Camp schedule.  

America Vs. The World: Grab 20% off Tickets to the BNP Paribas Showdown #ad

Looking for an epic night out with legendary tennis players that are sure to keep you on your toes in excitement? If you're in New York and a big tennis fan, grab your sweetie for a date night or the entire family for an evening at Madison Square Garden for an unforgettable evening at the BNP Paribas 10th anniversary. You'll get the chance to watch Tennis icon Venus Williams take on French Open Champion Garbine Muguruza, fan favorite Juan Martin del Potro play Japan's Kei Nishikori & top ranked American Jack Sock battles Australian up start Nick Kyrgios.  American tennis legend and Grand Slam champ Andy Roddick will match up against Australia's former world number one player, Lleyton Hewitt and it's surely going to be a fun night for Tennis lovers. Having only ever watched on television, I know I'm looking forward to seeing it all live in action, especially some Black Girl Magic from Venus Williams! 

Disclosure: Opinions expressed are 100% our own, we received tickets to attend the event.

The Original Harlem Globetrotters Debut Basketball's First 4-point Line & 25% off Tickets #ad

Every Saturday morning my dad would lace up and grab his basketball and meet our cousin for a couple of games in a park nearby and if us kids were lucky he'd take us a long too. At the end of the game I'd beg them to teach me how to spin a basketball on my finger and made them watch me two or three times while I attempted to dribble the ball in between my legs and behind my back. As I type this, I'm all of a sudden humming "Sweet Georgia Brown" and remembering running to the television every time the infamous Harlem Globetrotters were on. Talk about skill! Not only could they play the game, but they managed to dazzle the multi-generational crowd with every twirl & dunk that had everyone up on their feet in excitement. Growing up in Lefrak City in Queens we had a lot of great players on our community courts, and one of our neighbor's kids "Bones Millien"  even went on to fulfill his dream of playing for the Globetrotters.

If you're here in NYC, don’t miss The Original Harlem Globetrotters at Madison Square Garden February 19^th & 20^th with THREE amazing games! 

Put Down the Gadgets and Get Outdoors for Nickelodeon's WorldWide Day of Play

Our apartment walls are paper thin, so I know my neighbors must think I'm some crazed maniac as I scream at the boys for running from room to room as if we lived in a space the size of a football field opposed to the over-stuffed, over-rated NYC rental we live in. Over the summer we were very laid back about our day to day plans, with so many family passing's and life altering changes we tried not to over extend ourselves too much and wanted the kids to just enjoy relaxing - which if left to them to decide meant the involvement of some sort of gadget or gizmo or them imitating their favorite wrestling moves on our furniture. Every year right before we bid summer farewell we look forward to shutting off the television and the tablets to head outdoors for one awesome day of fun & fitness.  

On Saturday, Sept. 17, Nickelodeon celebrated its 13th annual Worldwide Day of Play in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. The slime-filled event featured Nickelodeon-themed games and fitness-themed activities hosted by Nick’s long-standing local partners, including the Art of Stepping, Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City, Canine Companions for Independence, Major League Baseball’s PLAY BALL and World Baseball Classic, NBA Fit, New York Road Runners (NYRR), NFL PLAY 60, Playworks, Special Olympics, Street Soccer USA and USA BMX.

NY Liberty Back to School Game & Performance from Disney's Laura Marano #Showup #NYLiberty

The countdown is on! Summer vacation here in the city is winding down and in less than a week the kids will be heading back to school and what better way to celebrate conquering a new school year than with a Back to School NY Liberty Game at Madison Square Garden? The Liberty is one of New York’s most successful teams and are even making a run to qualify for the WNBA playoffs and they are part of one of the most entertaining sporting events we've ever attended! On Friday September 9th, they'll be playing against the Connecticut Sun and making a run for the playoffs! And they need you to #Showup and cheer them on! 

As part of the fun-filled night they have an amazing half time show planned with a performance from Laura Marano of the Disney Show Austin & Ally who'll be singing her hit "Boom Box" and new song "Lala". Here's the details: