The Bronx defeated Manhattan in this year’s CityParks Play Battle of the Boroughs summer soccer tournament, taking home the trophy in the 12 and under category on Friday, Aug. 14. Staten Island, on the other hand, defeated Queens North in a shoot-out in the nine and under category.

The annual tournament brought together 142 kids aged 6-12 across all five boroughs to battle it out on the pitch at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Corona. The kids trained twice a week throughout summer, ramping up the heat each practice before taking on their citywide counterparts in the friendly competition.

Staten Island defeated Queens North and took home the trophy in the nine and under category.Photo by Renee DeLorenzo

Girls Forward, an all-girls soccer program for girls ages 13-16 across NYC, played their own showcase during the tournament, showing off their skills in a fierce game. Players were on teams representing three parks across the boroughs — Flushing Meadows in Queens, Thomas Jefferson Park in Manhattan and Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx.

Girls Forward, an all-girls soccer program, hosted its own showcase during Battle of the Boroughs.Photo by Renee DeLorenzo

Throughout the four-hour event, teams took turns sharing two fields for a total of 41 games at 12 minutes each, taking brief breaks between matches to play games like Jenga and Twister, cool off at the hydration station, snap photos with family and take turns coloring a large mural that brought iconic elements from all five boroughs onto one canvass.

Kids color in a large mural representing all five boroughs.Photo by Renee DeLorenzo

CityParks Play, which is sponsored by Nike, welcomes kids aged 6-12 to its free summer, fall and spring programming each year. This year’s summer program attracted over 1,000 participants across 11 city parks — a number that shattered those of previous years, according to Jonathan Gamberg, director of CityParks Play.

“I want to congratulate all our athletes for being here today,” Gamberg said to the kids before the tournament. “You’ve worked hard all summer, you’ve learned new skills, you’ve pushed yourselves, and, most importantly, you’ve had a lot of fun.”

He credited the children’s parents, New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, and CityPark staff and coaches including Program Director Ximena Linton, Sports Program Manager Corey Greenspan, Girls Forward Program Manager Elli Lewis and Special Projects Director Mike Silverman for giving the young athletes the support and encouragement they needed to succeed.

Noah Soto, 12, a Queens player who has participated in the soccer program for a few years, said he has a lot of fun learning and playing soccer. He explained that his coach, Phillip Tusinean, isn’t too hard on him and makes the experience more fun.

“I don’t like most coaches — I really only like Coach Phillip,” he said, laughing. “But the good thing about the coaches is that, at the end of the day, they just let you play soccer.”

Most of his teammates return each year, Noah continued, giving them an opportunity to grow and play the tournament together as a team. Queens has had good luck in previous tournaments, he said, which has made the experience even more enjoyable.

“If I win, I’m happy,” he said. “Winning is always fun.”

The only thing he’d like to see change is for the program to be expanded to accommodate participants aged 13 and older. Because he is 12, this was the last year he could participate. “I need it,” he stressed.

Kids on the Queens North team have a pre-game huddle.Photo by Renee DeLorenzo

Ximena Linton, who has been the program director for the past few years, said expanding the program is certainly a goal of CityParks Play, although it would need significantly more resources to accommodate more children.

“They need these programs,” Linton explained. “We work with a lot of low-income parents, and they don’t have places to bring their kids to play. It’s important because kids need to keep their head occupied. I always say, ‘A busy mind is a healthy mind.’”

Unfortunately, many of the fields at Flushing Meadows tend to be bought out by other organizations that have more funds, often leaving behind families that do not have the means to send their children to expensive summer programs. When CityParks Play can’t secure a field, Linton said they sometimes play on grassy patches in the park with unlevel surfaces that are not suitable for the sport.

Staten Island and Queens North battle each other on the pitch.Photo by Renee DeLorenzo

In addition, she said there aren’t enough facilities to accommodate more children. She pointed out that in Queens, the largest borough in NYC, there are only two locations — Flushing and Far Rockaway — for children to attend practices.

“We do our best to accommodate as many children as possible,” Linton emphasized. “I think to expand the program, we need more sponsors and volunteers.”

She said while some elected officials have provided grants to fund the program, she welcomes any help from the Parks Department and the New York City Council.

Boosting women’s role and confidence in sports
A Girls Forward player takes a shot during their showcase.Photo by Renee DeLorenzo

Rachel Ford, a Girls Forward coach for the past two years, said the experience has been “amazing.” As a mother of two daughters who also play soccer, she said the Girls Forward mission is important to her because many girls are not encouraged to stay in sports once they become teenagers — an issue she feels is addressed through the all-girls program.

“It’s girls’ social-emotional development and leadership grounded in sport,” Ford explained. “There’s a structured curriculum around building girls’ self esteem.”

She and other Girls Forward staff pointed out that parents are more likely to sign their daughter up for art classes than sports, causing a noticeable drop-off in female participation as they approach high school.

According to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), boys make up 57% of sports participants, while girls only account for 43%. On the other hand, a research article on ScienceDirect notes that over 35% of girls participate in an arts activity compared to only around 16% of boys.

“Developmentally, girls are looking for meaningful friendships,” Ford continued. “It’s not just about soccer.”
A girl on the Brooklyn team takes control of the ball.Photo by Renee DeLorenzo

That is why Girls Forward rotates leaders each week, giving each girl on the team an opportunity to lead their fellow athletes and have an active voice on the team.

Ford herself said she aims to be the coach her own daughters deserve. 

“For me, it’s important as a parent,” she said. “It’s important for girls to have female coaches who see that it’s about more than soccer for them… I’ve had good coaches and toxic coaches. I want my kids to have the former, not the latter.”

Molly Cohen, 20, said this was her first year working as a coach for Girls Forward in Queens. As soon as she read about the organization’s mission, she said she knew it would be a great opportunity.

“As an athlete myself who played with boys, I just love the idea of an all-girls space,” she said. “It’s important women have a place in this. They deserve the chance to shine.”

Girls Forward players fight for the ball.Photo by Renee DeLorenzo

Cohen recalled frustrating experiences playing on teams with boys growing up, remembering how they wouldn’t want to pass the ball to her and blamed her for losses. She said that’s why the program is a great opportunity for her to give other girls a higher-quality experience she didn’t always have.

“Women are just as talented, and that shouldn’t be taken away from us,” she said. “It’s an incredible opportunity, and I had the time of my life coaching these girls.”

Valerie Zuluaga, 14, said she’s been part of Girls Forward and Battle of the Boroughs since last year, originally joining so she could practice soccer ahead of try-outs for her school team. She returned this year, she said, because it was fun and provided the support she needed. 

“I feel like if I practice with other people and coaches who have a lot of experience, I’ll keep getting better,” she said. 

It’s important, Valerie continued, that girls be able to find spaces for hobbies and interests that are otherwise male-dominated because it allows them to make connections with others they relate to.

“I’m just so grateful for this experience,” she said. “I love how everybody here was supporting us, and I just feel great about it.”

For more information about CityParks Play, Girls Forward and Battle of the Boroughs, visit CityParksFoundation.org/Play.

Over 140 kids participated in this summer’s tournament, representing all five boroughs in colorful jerseys.Photo by Renee DeLorenzo
Photo by Renee DeLorenzo
Photo by Renee DeLorenzo
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