Last year the Pittsburgh Flag Football League (PFFL) introduced its Youth League for children ages 7-11. Since then the PFFL has executed two successful youth seasons. While we certainly want you to sign your kids up for the upcoming spring season, the league also wants you to pursue alternative recreational activities for your young athletes.

First, the Pittsburgh Indoor Sports Arena (PISA) offers indoor soccer skill classes for children ages 6-10 on Thursdays at 5 pm. The program, named PISA Premier, “focuses on the improvement of the player’s dribbling and shooting ability which enhances the creativity of the player.” Moreover, your kids will be privileged with learning the game from PISA’s nationally licensed coach. For more information, visit http://pisausa.com/premier.html.

If you’re raising young hoop stars you’ll definitely want to look into the Jewish Community Center (JCC) of Greater Pittsburgh. While JCC was established on Jewish values, the center “welcomes individuals of all backgrounds, embracing their uniqueness and diversity under our communal tent.” With two gyms in Squirrel Hill and one in the South Hills, JCC offers youth basketball leagues for children from grades K-12. Visit http://www.jccpgh.org/ for more details.

Perhaps soccer and basketball are not your child’s favorite sports. If so then you should sign them up to participate in America’s favorite pastime—baseball. Now I know that the Pirates aren’t necessarily the best ambassadors for Pittsburgh baseball. That being said, the Steel City offers several leagues that will teach your kids the fundamentals of a classic sport. You can learn more about your options for youth baseball in the Greater Pittsburgh Region at http://greaterpittsburgh.com/html/sgp71.html.

These are only a few options that are available for your children. Pittsburgh has a lot to offer in terms of youth recreation and I hope that all of you take the time to enroll your kids in a sports program.