Registration for Youth Football, Cheerleading, Soccer Begins in August

The Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities will hold registration for youth football, cheerleading and soccer beginning in August. Children ages 14 and younger who want to play football or who want to participate in cheerleading can register beginning Aug. 1 through Aug. 22. Registration for those who want to play soccer will take place from Aug. 12 through Sept. 12.
     All registration will take place at the department’s community centers throughout the city. The registration fee is $25 per child/per activity for children who live within the City of Richmond. Children who do not live in the city can also register for these activities, but will be charged $55 plus a non-residency fee of $20.
     Proof of residency as well as proof of age are required at registration.
     If you have additional questions about registration, please call the community center where you wish to register. To find a list of community centers and their phone numbers, visit the department’s website at www.RichmondGov.com/parks or call 646-5733. The Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities operates 18 community centers throughout the city.

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Register Now for Youth Soccer, Baseball

Registration for youth soccer and baseball is currently underway at all City Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities’ community centers.

     Children must be between ages 4 and 15 to register to play co-ed soccer. To play co-ed baseball, girls must be between the ages of 5 and 11 and boys must be between the ages of 5 and 15. Girls, ages 12 to 16, can register to play girls’ softball.

     Registration is $25 for children who live in the city. Those who register to play both sports will receive a discount and pay only $35. Non-city residents must pay an additional fee of $20 to register.

     The deadline to register is April 12, and a $5 late fee will be charged thereafter.

     Registration requires proof of age, proof of residency, and a signed parental or guardian consent form.  

     Following is a list of community center locations. For more information, call the community center nearest you or 646-1175.

• Ann Hardy Plaza                     3300 First Ave.                       646-4824
• Battery Park                           2803 Dupont Circle                 646-0944
• Bellemeade                             Register at T.B. Smith              646-8490
• Blackwell                                300 E. 15th Street                   646-8630
• Broad Rock                            Register at Hickory Hill            646-8663                    
• Calhoun                                  436 Calhoun Street                  646-4083                       
• Chimborazo/Bill Robinson        721 N. 35^th St.                       646-1175                    
• Creighton                                201 Creighton Road                 646-4511
• Fisher                                      3701 Garden Road                  646-5609
• Hickory Hill                            3000 E. Belt Blvd                     646-8663
• Hillside                                    Register at T.B. Smith              646-8490
• Hotchkiss                                701 E. Brookland Park Blvd.   646-4466
• Humphrey Calder                    414 N. Thompson St.              646-1780
• Pine Camp                               4901 Old Brook Road            646-3672                      
• Powhatan                                 5051 Northampton St.            646-0973
• Randolph                                 1415 Grayland Ave.                646-1080
• Reid                                         1301 Whitehead Rd.               646-0152
• T. B. Smith                               2015 Ruffin Road                   646-8490
• Thompson                                7825 Forest Hill Av.               646-1209
• Westover                                 1301 Jahnke Road                  646-8995
• Whitcomb                                2302 Carmine Street               646-2988                                          

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Department to train coaches on sports injuries, concussions

The department will conduct a seminar for its youth football and soccer coaches on dealing with sports injuries and recognizing the symptoms of concussions.

     “Every year we have hundreds of youth playing football and soccer on our recreational teams, and the dangers of injuries, especially concussions, are something we cannot overlook,” said Dr. Norman C. Merrifield, director of the department. “We are very pleased to have Dr. Charles Dillard, a specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitations, traumatic brain injury and concussion, to help educate our staff and volunteers on this important topic this year.”

     Dr. Dillard is a native of Richmond and an assistant professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU (CHoR). He currently serves as the medical director of CHoR’s Traumatic Brain Injury Program.

     The seminar will be held on Saturday, Aug. 11, in the auditorium at the department’s Pine Camp Arts and Community Center, located at 4901 Old Brook Road, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

     The department holds training seminars for its coaches, who are primarily community volunteers, every year, and all first-year coaches are certified by the National Youth Sports Coaches Association. Residents who have an interest in serving as a volunteer coach or assistant can contact the community center where they would like to volunteer or call the department at (804) 646-1175 for more information. A list of community centers can be found on the department’s website. 

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