Project Play Ball!

Registration is now open for FREE softball, baseball & T-ball leagues and clinics in the city of Buffalo.

Register Today

Project Play Swim

Announcing Project Play WNY’s newest initiative! Project Play Swim funds programs that open access to swimming in the city of Buffalo.

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Project Play 63X30

The U.S. has set a national target for youth sports participation: 63% by the year 2030.

Learn how Project Play supports this important goal!

Read the press release

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Project Play Western New York

Sport for all. Play for life.

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Project Play WNY is a trusted resource for families and youth sport organizations to keep kids active and engaged through play and sport. Project Play believes a quality youth sports experience can create happier children, healthier families and stronger communities.

Project Play is driven and funded by the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation’s Youth Sports & Recreation focus area in partnership with the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo and the Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program. Project Play works collaboratively with organizations across the eight counties of Western New York to provide children opportunities for an active, healthy and fun lifestyle.

Building
Healthy
Communities

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Building
Healthy
Communities

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The Importance of Youth Sports

The CDC recommends 1 hour of daily activity!

%

Only 16% of youth reach the recommended daily activity level.

Youth play an average of 1.8 team sports per year.

Raising the number of children who stay active into adulthood to 25% would result in 7,500 fewer overweight and obese youth.

And $262 million saved in medical costs and productivity losses in our region.

Partners

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Our Initiatives

Train All Coaches

Coach training is critical to the youth sports experience, and we work together to make it more accessible to every coach.

Encourage Sports Sampling

We work to convene and fund organizations that offer different sports to provide kids with a chance to try them.

Reintroduce Free Play

We provide funds to organizations in the region to host Free Play Zones.

Capacity Building

Support to youth sports organizations that seek to play a larger programmatic role in the WNY region, but cannot do so in a sustainable manner.

Revitalizing In-House Leagues

Provide access and opportunity for youth in the city of Buffalo to learn and play softball and baseball at no cost.

Engaging Rural Communities

Project Play aims to expand access to youth sports in rural communities, where opportunities can be limited.

Increase Access to Swimming

A collective impact strategy to address the lack of swim programming and the lifeguard shortage issue.

Grant Opportunities

As part of its mission to give children the opportunity to lead active, healthy and fun lifestyles, Project Play WNY awards grants to organizations providing youth sports and “Free Play” programming, and celebrates the contributions of coaches.

Apply for Legacy Grant
Apply for Summer Free Play
Apply for Winter Free Play

Resources

We want to empower you to make a difference for our children through sport. Below, you will find materials and resources to aid you or your organization in improving the state of youth sports in Western New York.

For Coaches

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For Coaches

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For Families

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For Families

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For Youth Sports
Organizations

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For Youth Sports
Organizations

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Events & News

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