CityTrack
Founded in 1999 by Susan Waterfall, CityTrack offers a high-quality track and field program to students in grades 6-8 who reside in Harlem, Washington Heights, and Inwood. Since its establishment, it has served more than 3,000 children from under-resourced communities, helping them develop athletic confidence, stronger physical abilities, and healthy exercise habits.
Little Feet Presented by NYRR
Little Feet presented by NYRR is a health and wellness after-school program, with track & field as its foundation. These programs aim to have 2nd-5th grade participants develop stronger physical abilities, athletic confidence, and an appetite to learn the joys of physical fitness and wellness. This is achieved through a blend of informal play and technical instruction. The goal of the program is for our children to walk away being able to run faster, jump higher, and throw further while having enjoyed themselves.
“[Students] are given the opportunity to be part of a team, experience the rewards of competition, and see the results of living healthier, more active lives.”
Eligibility
Children in grades 6-8 who live or go to school in the communities of Washington Heights, Inwood or Harlem are eligible to participate in the CityTrack program by .
Children in grades 2-5 who live or go to school in the communities of Washington Heights, Inwood or Harlem are eligible to participate in the Little Feet program.
Schools – both public and parochial – that serve children in the Harlem, Washington Heights, and Inwood neighborhoods are eligible to participate. Chaperones from each school accompany the runners to and from practice.
Our Coaches
CityTrack and Little Feet participants are assigned a coach based on their grade level. When students arrive for programming, they immediately meet with their coach, who then guides them through a rotation of stretches, warm-ups, technical instructions, games, activities, and competitions.
Our coaches have years of athletic experience and are qualified to help children grow athletically and emotionally through our programming.
The Impact
The benefits of exercise are significant. For children in our community, exercise can:
Improve body composition through increased bone density levels, muscle strength, and cardiovascular health
Fight obesity (1 in 4 Washington Heights & Inwood children in grades K-8 are obese, slightly higher than the citywide count of 1 in 5)
Improve stamina and energy levels
Reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression
Reduce the risk of diabetes
Develop gross and fine motor skills
Enhance confidence and self-esteem
CityTrack and Little Feet do not charge its participants in an effort to provide accessible exercise to local children and steer them toward healthy futures.
A huge thanks to New York Road Runners for its support of Little Feet program.
A word-class facility with professional coaches at no cost to families
The Armory is delighted to offer CityTrack and Little Feet to the children of our community, providing hours of running, jumping, throwing and giggling! Our athletes not only get to practice in a world-famous facility, but they also have the chance to see world-class athletes perform around them!
Over 250 Rio Olympians have competed at The Armory. The track currently hosts over 100 meets annually, with between 100 and 5,000 competitors per meet. Each year, more than 125,000 athletes, coaches, parents and fans from 1,000 high schools and 36 states visited The Armory.