Our mission

Uptown Soccer uses the power of soccer to develop healthy and engaged young people in Northern Manhattan and the Bronx

our goal

To challenge the conventional Pay-to-Play model of US soccer by recognizing sports as a fundamental right of children, rather than a privilege that benefits only the wealthy

our methods

Accessibility is at the heart of what we do. We locate our programs in convenient neighborhood spaces, allow players and families to create flexible attendance schedules, design curriculums and sessions that accommodate a range of playing abilities, and of course keep our programs free, or as low cost as possible. Our coaches are licensed soccer instructors and also trained specifically in working with lower income and immigrant families allowing us to always create a safe and welcoming environment for all aspiring players.

our results

Uptown Soccer currently serves over 1000 youth every year, and provides over 1000 hours of community programming at 11 neighborhood locations.

• 79% of our participants are from low income families and 87% are kids of color.
• 100% of participants surveyed reported feeling safe, supported and motivated at the program.
• 92% demonstrated improved capacity in at least one area of Social Emotional Learning
• 76% of players who joined the program in the Fall continued throughout the whole year

our future

Starting with just 30 players in 2009, Uptown Soccer has grown to become a community institution, with thousands of neighborhood kids joining our programs since then. The young people we serve continue to be the focus for all we do. Their joy, enthusiasm and development as players and people is our consistent source of motivation and inspiration.  As we continue to push to create a new model for the sport in NYC, Uptown Soccer will continue to be a place for young people to play the game they love, no matter their financial means, with a focus on fun, learning and community building above all else.

special thank you to our sponsors!