Kids need more to do this summer or year-round — beyond your neighborhood rec center?
This roundup of free or low-cost specialized youth sport opportunities in Philly will get your kids moving and having fun.
Psst: Check out Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative here for even more information on free and affordable youth recreation in Philly.
Wrestling with Beat the Streets
Since 2008, this Philadelphia-born-and-based national organization has given thousands of students ages 5 and up access to 100 percent free youth wrestling, mentoring and tutoring with a focus on social justice. Each year, about 1,200 Philly kids take part in Beat the Streets (BTS) through 28 city programs in 23 locations: 14 high schools, four middle schools, four K-8 schools and one high school community-based program. Their 8,000-square-foot mentoring-tutoring hub is at 37th and Market streets.
BTS also enrolls students in grades 9-12 in three seasonal 12-week BTS sessions, which include wrestling, but also pair youth with full-time staffers with degrees in education and peer academic mentors, primarily Penn and Drexel wrestlers. The focus includes goal-setting, test prep, post-grad college, trade school or workforce planning, and the financial aid application process. BTS also connects eighth graders with high schools through Philadelphia Youth Wrestling Day, a high school fair. BTS also makes sure participants have enough to eat, stocking Performance Meal Prep meals in its fridge.
“Wrestling is a fun sport,” says BTS alum Davian White. But “more importantly, it’s about character development. You don’t have to be a state champ or an Olympic champ, but you do have to be a good person in the community, maybe even a leader, or just someone who has grit and can be courageous, responsible and accountable.”
Get more info about Beat the Streets here.
Golfing with First Tee Philadelphia
The local locations of this national nonprofit — if you’ve ever watched golf on TV, you’ve probably seen ads for it — are at two public courses: Walnut Lane in Roxborough and John Bryne in Torresdale, and … the Topgolf in Somerton. Students ages 7 through 18 can sign up for free weekly workshops (which last about a month each) and regular tournaments — all free, no greens fees, no cost to borrow clubs — not even a dress code, although athletic shoes are encouraged.
Here as with other programs, golf is the jumping off point for all manner of personal development. The local chapter officially includes 28 locations throughout PA and NJ. So far, two participants from Greater Philadelphia have scored First Tee college scholarships.
Get more info about First Tee Philadelphia here.
Running with Girls on the Run
Since 2012, Girls on the Run — the out-of-school running and leadership development program for girls — has grown to serve over 8,400 girls nationwide. The program is offered at schools, parks, and recreation centers across Philly, primarily serving girls from 3rd through 8th grades.
Families can pay as little as $10 to participate, and scholarships are available. Alyssa Cepin, Mission Advancement Coordinator at GOTR Philly, says, “What makes Girls on the Run Philadelphia so special is that participants strengthen their social, emotional, and physical skills through movement while building meaningful bonds with their coaches and teammates throughout the 10-week season.”
At the end-of-season 5K –– the culminating event for all GOTR programs — everyone comes together to celebrate each participant’s accomplishments. says “That’s the Philly spirit,” Cepin says. “Hard work, commitment, and pushing yourself to do new and challenging things.”
Get more info about Girls on the Run here.
Fútbol with Kensington Soccer Club
Kensington Soccer Club (KSC), founded in 2010, serves around 2,000 children and young adults each year. KSC headquarters are in Kensington near J Street, and they run leagues at multiple sites and at 17 Philadelphia schools.
All programs are “pay what you can” which, in many cases, means they are provided for free. Founder Jim Hardy says, “At first, I thought it would just stay a small seasonal program for our high school students, but parents and younger children kept asking, ‘When’s the next season going to start? Do you have programs for younger children? Do you know of any programs closer to my house? Do you have after-school programs?’”
“What we discovered is that once you do the work of creating that safe space and earning the trust of children and families, building a community on each team, no one wants it to end. So we got serious about finding a way to run programs year-round, to redesign our programs to have a bigger impact beyond the game, to remove more barriers so that more children could participate, and to make it sustainable.”
Get more info about Kensington Soccer Club here.
Tennis with Legacy Youth Tennis
Tennis, like golf, is a lifetime sport, something players can come back to at any age — and it’s no longer confined to the country club. Legacy, founded in 1952 as Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education Center, strives to fill the gap for families looking for less expensive instruction.
Legacy serves up to 2,000 kids per year, with summer camps and private lessons, allowing for players of all ages to learn, practice, and have fun. Out-of-school programs are run by the City, and are free for all. Summer camps are not free but, at $200, are far more affordable than comparable programs, and Legacy is open to need-based scholarships.
Get more info about Legacy Youth Tennis here.
Crew with Philadelphia City Rowing
Boathouse row is iconic — but can seem intimidating. Do you have to go to a private school or Penn to row? Turns out: No. Philadelphia City Rowing is a free, out-of-school enrichment program for all ages and does not require prior experience.
The program was founded in 2009 and serves 300 kids per year. Students must be enrolled in a public or charter school in Philly to attend PCR. All programs are completely free and offer a mix of competitive rowing, academic mentorship, and wellness education. For on-water practices from March through November, PCR is based at Boathouse Row. During the winter months or inclement weather, they also use an indoor facility at 4017 Cambridge Street.
Summer camps are available for students ages 12 to 17, and there’s also a year-round program for middle- and high-schoolers. Programs also include free swim lessons, financial literacy presentations, and summer jobs for athletes. George Rowley, Director of Programs and Community Inclusion at PCR, says that “PCR tries to be reflective of how inclusive Philly is as a city. We have kids from different backgrounds, ethnicities, and beliefs, who come together for a common goal to row on a river.”
Get more info about Philadelphia City Rowing here.
Gymnastics with Philly inMovement
Founded in 2008, Philly inMovement provides Philadelphians with fun, enriching gymnastics experiences to increase movement and build community. They also offer partial and full scholarships for the gymnastics team program.
Representative Abby Snopek says “for nearly 18 years, Philly inMovement has been part of the fabric of this city. Across Philadelphia and the suburbs, you’ll see kids wearing our shirts because families have grown up with us — whether through a birthday party, a class, or a week at camp. What makes inMovement so special, and so Philly, is the sense of community we’ve built. We’re energetic, welcoming, and all about helping kids move, connect, and have fun. It’s incredibly meaningful to have become a trusted staple for so many local families.”
On Saturday, June 6, 2026, the organization will host an open play session at the Northern Liberties Farmer’s Market on Germantown Avenue.
Get more info about Philly inMovement here.
Hoops with Philadelphia Youth Basketball
Philadelphia Youth Basketball (PYB) and its HQ, the Sixth Man Center, have become beloved institutions, providing a safe, nurturing environment for young people to succeed on and off the court with serious basketball training and academic mentorship and programming.
Since its 2015 inception, PYB has served 10,634 kids and is on track to serve 2,000 young people this year. Programming operates under a “Kinder to Career” framework, with PYB offering a variety of programs for children ages 5 through young adults ages 29.
Several PYB offerings are provided free of charge through philanthropic support, public partnerships, and community investment, including the Middle School Partnership Program (MSPP), Teen Rec Night/I Am Because We Are (IABWA), and a variety of enrichment workshops. These workshops span areas such as reading literacy, STEM and coding, music production, financial literacy, career readiness, workforce development, entrepreneurship, and leadership development, among others. PYB provides scholarships on a sliding scale for fee-based programs, with scholarship levels determined based on total household income.
Get more info about Philly Youth Basketball here.
Lacrosse, Basketball, More with Skilladelphia
Skilladelphia’s been in the news lately, thanks to a high-profile visit at a recent event from Philly’s unofficial royal (and field hockey player and coach) Kylie Kelce, who, according to The Inquirer, drove home to parents and players the value of sports off the field: “If you are a team player and you understand what it is to be part of a team, then you can go on in life, you can work in an office, you can work in a team setting,” she said.
The nonprofit provides aftercare, clinics, and summer camps for girls and nonbinary players ages 6 through 14, with a focus on basketball and lacrosse. Aftercare costs $320 for nine sessions. All programming proceeds go to Old Pine Community Center in Society Hill.
Get more info about Skilladelphia here.
Squash with SquashSmarts
Founded in 2001, SquashSmarts is a nonprofit out-of-school academic and athletic mentoring program that is free for accepted students at select Philadelphia public middle schools: Esperanza Academy Charter, Morton McMichael Elementary, E.W. Rhodes Elementary, Overbrook Educational Center and Carver Engineering & Science Middle School. One day, some of these kids might grow up to join our national championship team, the Philadelphia Lightning.
Stephen Gregg, the executive director of SquashSmarts, says that “SquashSmarts is incredibly proud to set the standard — both locally and nationally — in the youth sports and education mentoring field for high-quality, innovative, intensive programming. SquashSmarts staff pride themselves on forging deep, long-term, meaningful relationships with each of our students and families.”
Get more info about SquashSmarts here.
Running with Students Run Philly Style
Founded in 2004, Students Run Philly Style (SRPS) is a free, nonprofit organization with a mission to transform students’ lives through mentorship — and running. SRPS has served 16,000 youths since its founding and 1,500 youths in 2026 alone.
The organization pairs volunteer mentors with students to inspire them to push themselves, with the end goal of completing a full or half marathon, or a race like Broad Street. Lauren Kobylarz, executive director of SRPS, says that “anything is possible when you take on a challenge one step at a time.”
Get more info about Students Run Philly Style here.
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