Berkshire County is teeming with opportunities for children’s physical activities in every age group. Whether you live in North, Central or South County; whether you like baseball, basketball or swimming, there are lots of great choices for kids to participate in an area close to home.
The Advocate’s weekly Ski Blitz offers the latest updates on nearby skiing and snowboarding events and classes, but indoor sports are abundant and ongoing. Believe it or not, registrations for spring baseball and soccer leagues are already beginning in several Berkshire County towns, and there are a host of sports programs and great youth facilities to choose from.
So pick up the phone, get on the Web or walk to your nearest youth center and get movin’. The following list is not meant to be all-inclusive. Any youth organizations with events and activities are invited to send their news to news@advocateweekly.com, mail to The Advocate and The Family Beat, 100 Main St., North Adams MA 01247 or fax to 413-664-7900. Calendar items: e-mail jeannefeder@yahoo.com.
Youth & Community Centers
4-H Youth and Family Development Program, 30 East Housatonic St., Pittsfield, 448-8285, ext.103, www.umass.edu/umext/programs/4h Provides educational services for clients of all ages throughout Berkshire County.
Berkshire South Regional Community Center, 15 Crissey Road, Great Barrington, 528-2810, www.berkshiresouth.org
Youth activities for early childhood through teen years include gymnastics, swimming, movement, yoga, jazz/hip-hop dance, ice skating lessons, vacation camps, winter sport trips to nearby areas, ballet, lifeguard training, water fun, basketball, dancercise and more. Membership is necessary; financial assistance is available.
Berkshire West Athletic Club, Dan Fox Drive, Pittsfield, 499-4600, www.ultranet.com/~berk
Youths can participate with family or get junior memberships. Activities include weight room, pools, hot tub, racquetball, tennis and cardiovascular center. Contact for membership details and youth participation guidelines.
Youth Center Inc., 20 East St., Adams, 743-3550 Maintains guide to all youth sports activities in Adams, Cheshire and Savoy. Offers sports special events during the year.
Church Outreach to Youth Project, Coty Center, 214 East Main St., North Adams, 663-3133 Offers high school basketball leagues, pool tables, Ping-Pong and more. Call for updated schedule. There is a nominal membership fee.
Boy Scouts of America, Great Trails Council, 88 Old Windsor Road, Dalton, 684-3542, www.greattrailsbsa.org
Provides experiences designed to help young people mature and become responsible and caring adults. Young men and women, ages 14 to 20, who have completed the eighth grade are eligible.
Boys' and Girls' Club of Pittsfield, 16 Melville St. 448-8258
Offers many activities, including basketball, hockey, teen game room, pool, indoor ice rink. Vacation activities include pool tournaments, Ping-Pong, obstacle courses and basketball. Walk-ins are welcome. A nominal membership fee is required.
Catholic Youth Center
26 Melville St., Pittsfield, 445-5496, e-mail mendos@berksire.rr.com
Offers youth recreation, including basketball, football, cheerleading, lacrosse and after-school programs.
Girl Scouts of Western Massachusetts, P.O. Box 588, Leeds, 584-2602, ext. 21, 800-462-9100, www.the-spa.com/wmgsc
Offers Girl Scouting for children in grades K-12 through regular troop meetings, group participation or individually.
Girls Incorporated of the Berkshires, 165 East St., Pittsfield, 442-5174, http://girlsinc-berkshires.org
Offers an array of after-school programs for children and teens. Athletics include swimming program.
Lee Youth Association, Inc., 13 Academy St., P.O. Box 115, 243-5535, e-mail leeyouth@bcn.net
Recreational activities for children 7-18. Programs include athletics, leisure time events and day care.
Lenox Community Center, 65 Walker St., 637-5530, 637-4757, e-mail garnking@yahoo.com
Offers teen events such as movie night, dances and leaders club programs. Organizes all youth sports in Lenox and provides a teen lounge for after-school drop in. Included are Mommy & Me, swim and ice-skating classes. Spring travel-team soccer registration is Feb. 9 and 17, from 6 to 8 pm.
North Adams Youth Football League, P.O. Box 634, North Adams MA 01247, 664-9685, 802-694-9101, www.nayouthfootball.com
Northern Berkshire Community Action Program, 308 Henderson Road, Williamstown, 413-662-5437, fax 413-662-5357, e-mail dhouston@mcla.edu
Under the auspices of the Women's Sports Foundation, dedicated to promoting opportunities for girls and women through sports. Host event Feb. 12 at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, “National Girls and Women in Sports Day.â€
Northern Berkshire YMCA, 22 Brickyard Court, North Adams, 663-6529
Offers year-round instruction in swimming, lifesaving and water safety, soccer, basketball, gymnastics, racquetball and baseball by age group. Fitness room with youth times reserved. Membership is required and financial assistance is available.
Pittsfield Family YMCA, 292 North St., 499-7650, e-mail jgreg@berkshire.rr.com
Areas of programming include youth aquatics, racquetball, soccer, strength training and baseball (registration in February). Membership is required and financial assistance is available.
Venturing— Boy Scouts of America
Great Trails Council, 88 Old Windsor Road, Dalton, 684-3542, www.greattrailsbsa.org
Curriculum often involves adventure opportunities such as rock climbing, whitewater rafting and mountain biking. For young men and women 14 to 20 who have completed the eighth grade.
Williamstown Youth Center, 270 Cole Ave., 458-5925, e-mail willyc@bcn.net
Social, recreational and educational programs for Williamstown youths and adolescents.
Baseball
Williamstown Cal Ripken League: Registration, Feb. 17, 5 to 7 pm, municipal building, 31 North St., www.williamstownbaseball.org
Adams Babe Ruth League, call Gary Herzog, 743-7397
Adams Lassie League, (Girls Softball, grades 1-10), call Mark/Paul Piacenti, 743-4408.
Little League by town (check www.eteamz.com or your local phone book for team listings not found here)
Adams: Teresa Davis, 107 East Road, 743-5419
Bennington, Vt., 83 Little League Road, 802-447-0052
Cheshire, Call Bob Gale, 499-7015
North Bennington, Vt., Nor-Shaft Little League, Houghton, 802-442-6185
Dalton/Hinsdale, Ted Boraski, eteamz.active.com/dhlittleleague
Lanesboro, eteamz.com
Lee, eteamz.com
Lenox, eteamz.com
North Adams, eteamz.com
Pittsfield West, Jamie McLaughlin, 215 West Housatonic St., Clapp Park, 442-7814
Pownal, Vt., eteamz.com
Ice Hockey
Northern Berkshire Hockey, 176 Bradley St., North Adams, 664-4163, mbloom59@verizon.net
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Skating Rink, 662-5112
Berkshire Bruins, 884-4800, e-mail BruinsInfo@berkshirebruins.com
Learn to Skate, Feb. 9 and 16, 4 p.m.; Feb. 22, 5 p.m.
Pittsfield sports
Baseball: Babe Ruth League, ages 13-15, call Mike Toner, 443-0951.
Legion Baseball, High school students, call William Dassat, 445-5378.
Legion Baseball (Post 68), High School students, Jim Mazzer, 499-2834.
Basketball
Berkshire Blazers AAU Girls Basketball Organization, 442-6802/445-8967, joehoops111@yahoo.com
Softball
Parks Department: Girls Softball League, ages 9-16, call Paul Cote, 841-1766.
Berkshire Blaze, call Mike Ameen, 458-3305.
Soccer
Adams Youth Soccer, call Fred Meczywor, 743-1704
Pittsfield Parks Department Soccer League, ages 6-15, call Lance LaPointe, 447-8155.
Berkshire Soccer Club, call Mark Wasnewsky, 442-0580.
Berkshire Bullets Soccer Club, call Cathy Marchetto, 443-3778.
Pittsfield Panthers Soccer Club, ages U-10 to U-14, Andy Waluszko, 442-2493 or Terri Alfonsi, 499-1335.
Pittsfield Piranhas, ages U-10 to U-16, call Tom Duane, 442-1744.
Berkshire Premier Soccer Club, Girls, U-15 to U-16, call Maureen Phillips, 499-0486.
Figure Skating
Pittsfield Figure Skating Club, 499-7979.
Tennis
Adams Tennis, call Vincent Zajac, 743-2050
Additional resources
• Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, www.mass.gov/dcr/forparks.htm
• Mass Parks and Recreation by town, www.massrecandpark.org/cities.html
• Berkshire Youth.org, www.berkshireyouth.org/directory
• Mass Youth Soccer Association, www.mayouthsoccer.org
• eteamz, comprehensive sports team information online, http://eteamz.active.com
• Babe Ruth Baseball, www.baberuthleague.org/
• Little League Online, www.littleleague.org/
• Special Olympics Massachusetts, 450 Maple St., Building 1, Danvers, www.specialolympicsma.org, 978-774-1501
• K.I.D.S. (Kids in Disability Sports), P.O. Box 8487, Lowell, 978-454-2716, www.kidsindisabilitysports.org.
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Stockbridge Grange Community Dinner
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