The Fall season of the Clark Park Youth Soccer League (CPYSL) begins on Saturday, Oct. 3, and the popular volunteer-run program is still looking for coaches. You don’t need serious soccer skills or coaching experience in order to apply. The Fall season continues until November 23. It takes place on Saturdays at Clark Park (45th and Chester), with age groups 5-6 and 6-7 playing from 10:30 a.m. to Noon, and age groups 7-8 and 9-11 playing from Noon to 1:30 p.m. Volunteer coaches are asked to commit to being there most of the Saturdays through the season, but the program will try to have three or four coaches assigned to each team so that you will always have backup. Everyone who likes to play soccer and enjoys running around and having fun with kids is welcome to apply.  Continue Reading

Two West Philly long-standing arts institutions are offering new after-school programs. University City Arts League (4226 Spruce St.) is offering new classes for every age group, with a whole new set of classes just for middle-schoolers (grades 5-8). New classes include Animation, African Dance, Tai Chi, Mixed-Media 2D Art, and Poetry, and registration is still open. The following classes have already filled up: For K-2: Puppet Making, Tumblehop, Escultura; for grades 3-6: Beginner Digital Art. For more information and to register, visit this page.

Curio Theatre, which is housed in the historic Calvary Center for Culture and Community at 4740 Baltimore Avenue, is offering a new after-school opportunity for neighborhood schoolkids. Beginning in October, Curio Theatre Company is launching an after-school program for students in grades 1-8 for $100 per week. This service will end at 6 p.m. each day. This new program employs professional theatre educators who will offer the following services: prompt pick-up at the end of the school day, individual tutoring for assignments, and theatre lessons following every school day. Healthy snack options will also be offered. Currently, walking service is being offered to students from Penn Alexander School, the City School – Spruce Hill, and St. Francis de Sales schools. Please call 215-525-1350 or email: steven@curiotheatre.org for more information and registration. Also check out Curio Theatre School on Saturdays from 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Here’s a reminder about a couple of great youth recreation programs held at local parks.

Soccer Shots is starting its fall season of soccer instructions for preschool age kids at Cedar Park (50th and Baltimore) on Saturday, Sept. 12, and there is still room available for children ages 2-5 to participate in the program. Class times are: 9 a.m. – ages 3-4; 9:45 a.m. – age 2; 10:20 a.m. – ages 4-5. Register online here or contact Thomas Rockett for more information: philly@soccershots.org or 267-630-1557.

Clark Park Youth Soccer League‘s fall season begins on Saturday, Oct. 3 (a week later due to the papal visit). This volunteer-run program provides soccer instruction and intramural games for children ages 5-11 on Saturdays at Clark Park (45th and Chester). The program emphasizes enjoying the game of soccer while learning soccer skills. Each 90-minute session includes both skills training and a game. Children are assigned to teams by age: Mornings (10:30-noon): ages 5 to 6.5 and ages 6.5 to 7; afternoons (noon-1:30 pm): ages 8 to 9 and ages 10 to 11. More information and forms are available here. Online registration is coming soon. If you would like to volunteer as a coach, assistant coach or to help with administrative work, please email: clarkparksoccer@yahoo.com.

After School Activities Partnerships (ASAP) has released its 2015-2016 directory of Philadelphia after-school programs, which includes printed and online directories. The directory connects parents, youth and caregivers with extended-day programs and after-school resources throughout the city. This year’s printed ASAP Directory will be included in all editions of The Philadelphia Daily News on Wednesday, Sept. 9. Additional copies will be made available at libraries and transit hubs. The searchable online version of the directory is already available and is continuously updated.

Parents and caregivers can search the online directory by activity, such as arts and crafts, sports, writing, computer training, music, drama, and many more. An online map will help find programs in your area. Users can also browse directory listings by name. After-school care providers can submit information about their programs to be included in the directory.

As an example, we searched for programs offering arts and crafts, and here’s what the screenshot with the results looks like.

The Nehemiah Davis Foundation presents its 7th annual Back 2 School Extravaganza on Sunday, Aug. 30, 2-6 p.m., at Malcolm X Park (52nd and Pine). Kids and families are invited to enjoy some fun activities at the park, such as moon bounces, games, pony rides, live music and more. The organizers are also planning to provide 1,000 book bags to the kids who will attend (300 backpacks will go to those kids who were first to pre-register for the event). The event is free and includes free food. For more information, visit: www.nehemiahdavisfoundation.org.

Six-year-old Elliott is in Clark Park every Wednesday to collect canned goods and other non-perishables for Philadelphians in need. His ongoing “Super-Duper Food Drive,” which benefits Philabundance, started in early August, and the response so far has been great. This Wednesday, Elliott will be in Clark Park at 43rd and Chester from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. for his 4th collection, so everyone is welcome to swing by and bring a donation. High-priority items are:

• Jelly, jams or preserves;
• Miscellaneous shelf-stable proteins (peanut butter, beans, canned stews, or chili);
• Pasta, rice, & dry mixes;
• Breakfast foods (hot & cold cereals, bars, & oatmeal)

Elliott plans to host many more events throughout the year, according to his mom Jennifer. “We’d like to get others involved, especially kids,” she writes. “Elliott wanted to fill my empty coffee cans with food + water for those in need, so this is our compromise: an ongoing food drive to benefit Philabundance.”

For more information on Elliott’s Super-Duper Food Drive check out this Facebook page.