High Quality, Low Cost Youth Sports Programs

Learn more about our work & get involved

What is The 18th Ward?

New Orleans is divided into 17 wards.  The 18th Ward is where kids from across the city play together. 

We created the 18th Ward to increase youth access to sports by eliminating barriers to participation. We work with youth from ages 3-24. Everyone is welcome to play with us regardless of gender, race, income or neighborhood. We provide high-quality programs and trained coaches to make sure kids have fun and learn the foundational skills to feel successful in sports.

Illustration of a soccer cleat with green outline and yellow accents.

  • We use best practices in teaching to help kids master the foundational skills embedded in sports. While 40% of youth sports coaches have no training, we train 100% of our coaches. We believe the lessons learned and experience gained in our programs will fuel leadership pipelines in our city for years to come.

Outline of piggy bank with dollar coin

  • We guarantee a great experience at a much lower price. Families choose a fee that best supports their budget. Our sliding scale model generates immediate and long-term savings for families and eliminates a common barrier to participation. We want to increase access to sports for youth and families in New Orleans.

Illustration of a handshake icon

  • We provide a space where everyone feels welcome ensuring that our children participate in activities reflective of our city’s diversity. We purposefully do not separate our players based on race, gender, income or neighborhood. We believe that building positive relationships at young ages impacts the future of New Orleans.

    See our Anti-Racist Statement

    See our Gender Equity Statement

Fueling leadership pipelines & positive relationships in our city for years to come.

Coach instructing a youth soccer team outdoors

Are you looking to coach? Inspire the next generation of youth in the city while building your own skills & getting paid.

A smiling woman in a cap sitting outdoors with a baby on her lap, next to a smiling child in a green sports vest, in a park.

Are you looking to sign your child up to play? Join our diverse community and register here.

Thank you to our funders & partners who make this work possible.

Children playing flag football outdoors on a grassy field. One child is running with a blue football while others try to pull his flag. Spectators stand in the background with parked cars visible.
Group of people posing outdoors, some wearing athletic gear and holding popsicles, with trees and buildings in the background.