Greater Cleveland Sports Commission

Urban Youth Initiative

GCSC’s Urban Youth Initiative: Providing Cleveland’s underserved youth with experiences that illustrate how sports empower and prepare people for success in life. The Greater Cleveland Sports Commission has a robust history of developing community impact programs to maximize the benefit of hosting amateur and collegiate sporting events in Cleveland. Over 12,000 Cleveland residents have participated in such programs since the GCSC was re-founded in 2000. Funding for these programs comes from a variety of sources including grants from the City of Cleveland, private foundations, and corporate donations. The Urban Youth Initiative, presented by University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital will serve as the umbrella under which all GCSC-run youth outreach programs will fall in 2015 and beyond. Additional funding has been provided by the City of Cleveland Neighborhood Equity Fund and the Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation. Children from the City of Cleveland’s 21 Recreation Centers are the primary beneficiaries of Urban Youth Initiative programming.  Programs are by invitation only.

For more information, please contact Rachael Stentz-Baugher at [email protected].

What's In Store

Saturday, May 23, 2015, time TBD

MAC Baseball Championships, All-Pro Freight Stadium, Lorain

Children will watch one of the Mid-American Conference championship baseball games, enjoy an on-field experience, and participate in a Q&A session with players and/or coaches. Lunch will be provided.

Friday & Saturday, July 2-3, 2015

Continental Cup International Youth Sports Festival, Various Locations

Children will participate in one of three youth sports clinics. Each clinic will include on-field/court instruction from local coaches, opportunity to watch international competition and meet international athletes, and a meal. Participants will also be invited to attend the Continental Cup Opening Ceremony and participate as flag bearers in the free Olympic-style parade of athletes on Thursday, July 2 at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea.

Thursday, July 2, 2015 – Baseball at Victory Park Sports Complex, North Ridgeville
Thursday, July 2, 2015 – Basketball at Baldwin Wallace University, Berea
Friday, July 3, 2015 - Soccer at Northeast Ohio Premier Soccer Complex, Lodi

 August 6, 2015

US Masters Swimming National Championships, SPIRE Institute, Geneva

August 10 - September 12, 2015 

NEOCYCLE PARTNERS WITH URBAN YOUTH INITIATIVE

Year two of the NEOCycle Urban Youth Initiative will include many of the same elements as in year one, but will serve 40% more children. 10 children from each City of Cleveland Recreation Center will be invited to participate in a field day style kickoff, and complete two weeks of activities and benchmarks. The top finishers in the program – up to 150 children total, will receive a new bicycle, helmet, and lock, as well as on-bike cycle safety training and riding instruction. These children will be invited to also participate in the NEOCycle Kids Cruise, a free kids ride at The Hub at Edgewater Park during NEOCycle.

Saturday, November 14, 2015

Location TBD, Cleveland

Children will participate in a youth boxing clinic on with collegiate athletes and coaches that competed the night before in the Cleveland Boxing Invitational. Children will have the opportunity to receive ringside instruction from athletes and coaches from around the region. This will be a NO CONTACT program. Breakfast will be provided for all participants.