Sports and Recreational Opportunities in and around our area
The Garden City Athletic Association Challenger Division offers various sports which are specifically geared to the special needs community. Boys and girls ages 5 - 18 (or 21 if still in school) can join any or all of the below teams. This is a FREE program open to all special needs players, you do not have to be a Garden City resident. If you do not have equipment, they have extra equipment you can borrow. They welcome all levels from beginner to star athlete. So if you have never played before or just love the game and cannot get enough of it, come join in for a good time and make some new friends. All programs are not competitive, come when you can, stay as long as you want. The goal is to have fun!
They also offer volunteer opportunities open to all ages, you do not have to be a resident of Garden City or have any experience. This is a great opportunity to earn community service hours. Most of the volunteers are a buddy to one of our players but we also have opportunities for some behind the scenes work too.
Challenger Sports:
GOLF - SPRING / SUMMER - Golf will begin on Thursday, June 20, 2024 from 6pm to 7pm at the Eisenhower Park Driving Range. They will meet each Thursday thru July 25 (no golf on July 4), 6pm to 7pm. Come join them for this great sport. Clubs and balls are supplied, no special attire is required, just bring a smile! Golf Pros from the Garden City Country Club volunteer their time to help our players develop their swing.
TENNIS - SPRING / SUMMER - Start date: Summer Tennis starts Tuesday, July 30, 2024; 5pm to 6pm. Tennis meets inside the “white bubble” (behind the pool) at the Garden City Community Park (address is 52 Cherry Valley Road / corner of Cambridge Ave). The easiest access to the tennis bubble is to park in the rear parking lot. When you enter the parking lot, stay to the right and go to the parking lot behind the pool. walk past the baseball fields and you will see the white Tennis building in front of you. Entrance to the tennis building is across from the office building just past the playground. Loaner equipment is available.
BASEBALL - Garden City Challenger Baseball - FALL / SPRING - FALL Start Date: Saturday, September 7, 2024 from 9:30 am to 11:00 am. Meets at the Garden City Community Park (address is 52 Cherry Valley Road / corner of Cambridge Ave). Using the corner field next to the rear parking lot. (Enter the park, stay to the right and there is another parking lot behind the pool.) If you have your own equipment, please bring it. If not, we have loaner equipment. As with all our sports, we are not competitive, so everyone gets up to bat, everyone gets a hit, everyone gets to score a run!
LACROSSE - Garden City Challenger Lacrosse - FALL / SPRING - Start date: Sunday, April 7, 2024 at 2:00pm - 3:30pm. They meet at St Paul’s Recreation Center (the address is 351 Stewart Ave Garden City) The field they use is behind the school building (known as the corral field). Please use the entrance on Rockaway Ave (east of the building) so you are closer to the field. If you do not have equipment, we have loaners available. (They will not play on Mother’s Day).
PLATFORM (PADDLE) TENNIS - Monday, February 12, 2024 - Monday, March 18, 2024, 5:30PM at the Garden City Country Club (206 Stewart Avenue). We are lucky to have the club's tennis pros volunteer their time to teach this sport! The best access to the paddle tennis courts is to use the driveway just south of the train trestle on Edgemere Road (west of the main building). Follow this driveway to the end and you will see the tennis area. We have the loaner equipment so just bring a smile! As always, you do not have to commit to every session, come when you can. You do not have to be a resident of Garden City to play or volunteer with our league.
BASKETBALL - Start date: Saturday, January 20, 2024 (thru March 2nd) .
Session 1 is 12:30pm to 2pm (mostly elementary players), Session 2 is 2pm to 3:30pm (middle school age and up). Both held at the Garden City Middle School (use the back entrance). Please use the Stewart Ave parking lot entrance across from St. Paul’s / Cross street is Rockaway Ave. This program is open to all, you do not have to be a resident of Garden City to join. If you cannot come every week that is ok - come when you can - non-competitive league - all about having fun!
VOLLEYBALL - NEWLY ADDED TO OUR LINEUP! Start date: Thursday, July 6, 2023. Sessions will meet on Thursdays starting on July 6 from 5pm to 7pm at the Cluette Hall building within the St Paul Recreation complex on Stewart Ave in Garden City (across from the Garden City Middle School field) and will run until August 10th. It is indoors so we will meet rain or shine!
To get more information and to register for any of the above Challenger sports, please email jane.gcaa.challenger@gmail.com.
Buddies are always needed!
We can always use volunteers, this is a great way to earn community service hours if needed. You do not need to have any knowledge or experience of the sport. Our volunteers are a “buddy” to a special needs player helping the player stay focused, offer encouragement, friendship and help out the coaches with organization. Come on down and join us for a fun time. No commitment to come each week, just show up when available.
FORMS NEEDED FOR CHALLENGER PROGRAM
FORMS NEED TO BE SUBMITTED ONCE A YEAR FOR BOTH PLAYERS AS WELL AS VOLUNTEERS.
REGISTRATION FORM GCAA COVID WAIVER
Here are some other local popular sports programs:
TOPSoccer - Garden City TOPSoccer's 2021 FALL season starts* Saturday, September 25th from 11:30am - 1pm at Tullamore Park in Garden City. The program is open to pre-k through 12th grade and both Garden City residents and non-residents are welcome. There is no cost to play and uniform shirts and soccer balls are provided. Soccer shoes and shorts are recommended. Players must wear shin guards. No soccer experience is necessary. If you have any questions or need directions to Tullamore Park please contact Andy Garger at ajgarger@verizon.net or 516-775-8058. To Register click here.
Challenger Athletics Inc. (Challenger Lacrosse - South Shore) - For details, please visit their website at www.challengersports.org.
More Recreational Opportunities
AMC Theaters Sensory Friendly Films This program provides a special opportunity for families to enjoy their favorite films in a safe and accepting environment. The auditoriums dedicated to the program have their lights up, the sound turned down and audience members are invited to get up and dance, walk, shout or sing!
Autism Theatre Initiative - Making Theatre Accessible to Autistic Children and Adults - Each show is performed in a friendly, supportive environment for an audience of families and friends with children or adults who are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder or other sensitivity issues. Slight adjustments to the production are made, including the reduction of any jarring sounds or strobe lights focused into the audience. Plus, in the theatre lobby there are quiet and activity areas, staffed with autism specialists, for those who need to leave their seats during the performance.
Ballet For All Kids - an all inclusive program that teaches classical ballet using a wide variety of teaching methods to accommodate all styles of learning including: visual learning, auditory learning, vestibular learning, and emotional intelligence. This method has been very successful in teaching children within the Autism Spectrum, children with Learning and Developmental Disabilities, children with Anxiety Disorders, Behavioral issues, ADHD and neuro-typical children. Free Trial class offered! Registration is on-going and class tuition is $80.00 a month. Classes will take place Wednesdays 4:00pm at You Should Be Dancing! (412 8th Ave. New York, NY 10001). New Sunday classes at 10:00am are being held at the Long Island City School of Ballet (44-02 23rd St. Floor 2, New York, NY 11101).
Be the Best Sport - Be the Best Sport is focused on the athletic development of children with Special Needs. Our mission is to create and provide fun and exciting programs for children with special needs ages 18 and younger; such programs will offer recreational sports for the children and their families. To Register please Call 516.453.0990
Kayo Boxing - At Kayo Boxing, we teach our students the fundamentals of Boxing, Kickboxing, and Muay Thai. Everyone gets a full, fighter workout experience and beginners are always welcome. We have classes for men, women, and children.
Dancing Dreams - Dancing Dreams, a non-profit, offers adaptive dance classes and performance opportunities to children with physical and medical challenges Boys and girls ages 3-18 with physical and/or medical challenges are welcome to join our program. Weekly classes are held in Upper Eastside, Manhattan, Bayside, Queens, and Plainview, Long Island. Classes are taught by physical therapists and each child is paired with a 1:1 Helper. Participants are exposed to various genres of dance including ballet, tap, modern and hip-hop. A full-scale onstage performance every spring culminates the year. While there is a suggested donation for participating in the Dancing Dreams program, we do offer full scholarships. No one is ever turned away for an inability to pay. To enroll or for information call: 516-659-3319 or email: dancer@dancingdreams.org.
The Family Center for Autism - The Family Center for Autism is Long Island's first venue that will provide a lifespan of services to children on the Spectrum and a lifeline of support to families who love them. Located in Garden City, their four-story building complete with recreational center (Sporting opportunities taught by Be The Best Sport), Internet cafe and parking offers a full range of therapeutic, educational, social, recreational and vocational programming for the person with Autism and a wealth of support, informational, respite and social opportunities to their parents, siblings and other family members. In addition to the services, they also create family friendly events. Questions? Contact Tina Moreno at 516-741-9000 Ext. 484.
Field Hockey 4 ALL (The first disability inclusive Field hockey program recognized by USA FIELD HOCKEY) NO experience necessary. They provide all equipment. Age range is 5 and up!
Hope Fitness Making fitness accessible for ALL abilities
HorseAbility Therapeutic Riding Program, Hippotherapy Program, and Summer Day Camp offers a wide range of horse-related programs to children, adults, and families with special needs to promote the physical, psychological, emotional, social, and spiritual well being of its participants.
i Can Bike Hosted by the Down Syndrome Advocacy Foundation. Held at Pratt Recreation Center -Post Campus of Long Island University, 720 Northern Blvd. Brockville, NY 11548. For information or questions about this bike camp please e-mail Susan at dsaf03@gmail.com, call 516-928-7008 or visit their website. You can also download a rider application and/or volunteer application here!
Infiniti Elite Gymnastics - Special Needs Class for Boys and girls, Ages 4 - 11 years. The classes are with parent participation to encourage their child both physically and socially. Students will begin to learn basic gymnastic skills in a fun and positive environment. Class time is one hour in duration.
Kids Learning Loft - a private facility in Nassau county providing various unique education and behavior intervention services to school aged children. KLL specializes in children with developmental disabilities, specifically autism spectrum. They have also expanded their strategies in working with individuals with ADD/ADHD and typically developing children with social or academic difficulties. They offer classes in yoga, art, cooking, music and social skills.
Kids Plus Inc. - Organization dedicated to researching, creating and providing therapeutic recreation programs which include developmental sports programs and structured recreational activities that promote, through participation, the physical, social and emotional well-being of children with developmental disabilities; as well as respite for their families.
Kombative Edge Kids Martial Arts - Martial Arts for Students with Learning Disabilities - contact SIFU Justin (516) 782-9625 or SIFUJUSTIN56@gmail.com. Kombative Edge Kids, Learning Disabled Program with experienced martial arts instructor who has spent 10 years teaching how to apply martial arts to children with learning disabilities.
The League of Yes - The League of Yes' mission is to establish and sustain baseball programs for people (of all ages) with disabilities. Their objective is to provide an opportunity for those individuals to experience the joy and benefits that come from playing our national pastime. The aim is to help the league's players develop social skills and increase self esteem, while promoting community support and sponsorship for the league.
Long Island Field Hockey For All - Offers a training program for para-field hockey players with disabilities. Training alongside typical peers in the Long Island Field Hockey program. Training and game standards are held by FIH Para-Hockey Standards.
Long Island Blues Special Hockey for girls and boys (ages 5 - 18) For questions, contact Laura Russo at 631-255-3305 or at longislandblues@optonline.net
Manhasset Soccer Adaptive Soccer Program - Register online under the adaptive team for special needs sidebar.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art - The Museum offers a variety of workshops that welcome kids and adults with a range of abilities and learning styles, together with family and friends.
Mid-Island Gymnastics - Their classes offer kids the opportunity to experience the wonderful world of gymnastics in a fun and relaxed environment. Visit their website or call (516) 935-9804
More than A Gym Therapeutic alternatives developmental gym. They offer a variety of classes for children with special needs and developmental delays. 82 Rushmore St. Westbury, NY 11590 516-761-1239
Mosaic Organic Gardening/Healthy Lifestyle Community Classes - Courses Include: Outdoor safety, horticulture/organic gardening, cooking, art, exercise, nutrition, use of herbs, food safety, marketing/sale of organic produce, on the job social skills and responsibilities, ADL skills and more. Open to all 16 years of age and over. Call 631-617-6333 for more information. (Brentwood NY)
Nassau County Empire State Games for the Physically Challenged (Victory Challenge) - brings together athletes from across New York to compete in a weekend-long sporting event. Athletes compete in Track and Field, slalom, archery, swimming, wheelchair basketball and table tennis. These events offer physically challenged children who are between the ages of five and 21 years old opportunities to participate in sports and recreational activities which are adapted to best suit their unique abilities. The participants consist of some 1,200 young athletes who are physically disabled, visually impaired, or blind, hearing impaired or deaf, and those with cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries or Les Autres, which include arthritis and muscular dystrophy. Contact your school for details about participating.
Nassau County Police Athletic League (PAL), Special Needs Unit
The New York Equestrian Center -Located in West Hempstead, NY, next to the 775-acre Hempstead Lake State Park, has been providing services at their facility for over 90 years. For information on their special needs riding program contact their director, Jeannine Mahoney at 631-121-9544.
The New Victory - At The New Victory, they believe the performing arts should be for everyone. They committed to being a cultural home for New York families and are excited to again have four events in our season that are accessible to individuals with ASD or sensory sensitivity. Learn more about the specific accommodations, support resources and the productions themselves here.
Pal-O-Mine Their mission is to provide a comprehensive therapeutic equine program that uses horses to facilitate growth, learning and healing.
Port Rowing Where everyone has a seat. That holds true for teens with special needs. Our Inclusion Rowing Program is a mix of mentors from the varsity teams and rowers with special needs joining together as one squad.
POWER PALS Power Pals is running a program called Meet Me At the Gym, that teaches tweens and teens how to navigate the fitness gym. This program will focus on fitness and the importance of being healthy. Contact them at powerpals1@gmail.com.
The Rebecca Center for Music Therapy at Molloy College Programs are individualized and specifically designed for children, adolescents, and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), Asperger's Syndrome, Down's syndrome, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), learning disabilities and other developmental or emotional challenges.
Rolling Thunder Special Needs Program - organization dedicated to providing challenged individuals with the opportunity to successfully participate in all levels of mainstream running, walking or wheelchair racing year round.
Sensational Development - Occupational Therapy
Shine (Special Horses Instructing Nobel Equestrians - is an equine program serving individuals with special needs since 2006. They accommodate individuals from 3-103 years old and work with a variety of special needs from developmental to various physical disabilities. Their goal is to introduce riders to the special bond they can have with horses.
Smuggler's Notch Adaptive Program (SNAP) in VERMONT - dedicated to providing therapeutic recreation for children and adults of all abilities in a supportive environment. Experiences are tailored to meet the needs and goals of each individual. The ratio of counselor to program guest is based on the individual needs of each person.
Special Olympics runs MANY sports programs on Long Island a contact tflynn@nyso.org or visit their website
The Starry Night Cafe - a unique experience that caters to the creative talents of adults with disabilities by providing a safe and stimulating environment where individuals can socialize and express themselves through poetry readings, musical and vocal performance and by actually running the cafe themselves.
Surfers Healing seeks to enrich the lives of children with autism and the lives of their families by exposing them to the unique experience of surfing. Registration for summer session dates opens in May. All registration takes place through the Surfer's Healing Website.
Surfer's Way is a non-profit organization designed to offer children with special needs the opportunity to experience the exhilaration and liberation of surfing. They offer free surf outings during the summer at Riverside Beach in Long Beach, NY. Visit their website for further details and dates.
SWIMtasticnyc - offers a fun, nurturing and loving environment for all students to learn to swim.
Team Heroes Sports is a non-profit organization on Long Island that provides families of children with autism the opportunity to participate in sports in an integrated setting, and provides materials/supplies they need in order to educate their child.
Team Extreme X Training is a mobile personal training facility. Owner, Laura Ciliotta brings the equipment to you. They are certified and vaccinated and take Self Direction. Contact by phone 917-771-7389 or email.
WayFinder T.R.I.B.E - Certified personal training, art and music classes available. Small intimate class sizes or individualized 1:1 sessions to accommodate individualized needs of each and every client.
