What We Do
PROGRAMS
We created a pipeline of youth programs serving kids ages 3-24 and use sports as the vehicle to advance positive youth development, promote gender and racial equity, and build a stronger community.
How we play
We want our kids to have fun AND learn. During each practice, kids rotate in small groups to different stations. They participate in skill-building exercises and game-based activities.
We don’t draft or rate players. Conversations after each practice/game are less about the scoreboard and more about which skills a player is improving on during games and which one they want to work on to get better. Our program is designed to maximize time, build skill, and make sure fun isn’t lost during competition.
We are committed to providing a low-cost program. We want you to play with us and believe cost should never be a barrier to a child’s participation. We have a sliding scale participation fee model and families can choose an option that best supports their budget.
Participation Fees
Participation Fee Options
$5 No Barriers
This fee is available to all families for all of our programs. We have a growing waitlist for participation. This fee confirms your registration and reserves your child’s spot in the program.
$50 One Athlete
This fee reserves your child’s spot in the program and is then reinvested into our community by covering the basic costs for recruiting, training, and retaining high-quality coaches.
$40 Multiple Athletes
This fee is designed to give families with multiple children a financial break and reserves each child’s spot in the program.
$100 Participation Plus
This fee reserves your child’s spot in the program and helps us support other members of our community so there are no barriers to their participation.
Payment Options
Please “Add a note” with an athlete’s name.
@the18thward. Please put your athlete’s name(s) in the “What’s it for?” line.
at $the18thward. Please put your athlete’s name(s) in the “For:” line.
Pay on our site
You can pay on our site with a credit card using the donation form.
Little Tykes
Little Tykes is a program that gives opportunities for girls and boys in our sports community to play. With this, we want to take our 3 and 4 year-olds off the sideline and give them a chance to play like their big sisters and brothers. Practices happen on a separate field for 30 minutes. We also provide these programs to our school partners and Head Start centers.
Families can choose whatever fits their budget from $5 – $100 (no hidden costs).
Youth Sports Community
A diverse-by-design sports program where over the course of the year, girls and boys ages 5-7 are introduced to a variety of sports including soccer, basketball, baseball, flag football, and track . To provide a positive, fun, and skill-building experience, 100% of our coaches are trained. Athletes rotate in small groups to different skill or sports stations throughout practice. Kids will always be moving and will never be standing around waiting for the ball. Every kid gets a ball, nobody waits in a line, and coaches have a menu of games and skill-building activities to choose from to maximize engagement.
Families can choose whatever fits their budget from $5 – $100 (no hidden costs)
She’s Got Game - Softball & Soccer
This initiative was designed in partnership with the WNBA, jr. NBA, and the Women’s Sports Foundation. We use the WNBA’s “Her Time to Play” curriculum and the Women’s Sports Foundation’s “We Play” curriculum to create a safe, welcoming and engaging environment that empowers girls to explore, grow and thrive through physical activity and sport. Events are offered throughout the year. This fall we are offering Softball & Soccer so our girls ages 7-12 can learn the games, and have fun while doing it.
Families can choose whatever fits their budget from $5 – $100 (no hidden costs).
Sports Academies
Youth sports participation should be a right, not a privilege. 7 out of 10 children with family incomes over $100,000 play sports compared to 3 out of 10 children whose families earn less than $25,000 (Aspen Institute). We created our Academy programs so that as our athletes get older they can continue to have fun, play in an inclusive environment, and further develop their skills without finances becoming a barrier to their participation. Nationally, less than 8% of youth soccer players and only 10% of youth baseball players identify as Black. We believe that youth soccer programs should reflect the diversity of our city.
Sports academies offered are club and recreational soccer, club and recreational basketball, club and recreational football, and baseball.
Families can choose whatever fits their budget from $5 – $150 (no hidden costs)
Homeschool PE
This program was created for homeschoolers to come play sports, learn different games, and have fun being active. This program is open to 5-13 year olds.
Families can choose whatever fits their budget from $5 – $100 (no hidden costs).
School Partnerships
We understand the difficulty for families to find affordable, high-quality afterschool programs. For this reason, The 18th Ward is partnering with schools around New Orleans to make sports more accessible by creating onsite programs. Check out our Menu of Programs here.
Contact Us if your school is interested in partnering with The 18th Ward.
Coaches In Training
Our Coaches in Training (CIT) program is designed to provide leadership and job experience for teenagers. High school students work with veteran coaches to support young athletes ages 3-12. Middle school students are eligible to participate if they graduated from our youth programs or attend one of our partner schools.
BENEFITS: Flexible schedule, training, starting compensation of $15/hour, and access to transportation vouchers, technology, mentors, financial literacy and resume workshops.
Apply to Coach
Need access to technology? Apply here for a Technology Scholarship, thanks to the generosity of the Junior League of New Orleans and No Days Offline.
Coaching Pathways
The Coaching Pathways program offers young adults the opportunity to develop their leadership skills, gain experience in coaching, and make a positive impact in their community. Coaches who are well-trained and able to build relationships with kids can make a huge difference. Across the country, there are not enough great coaches. Less than 20% of youth coaches are trained, less than 3% are under the age of 24, and less than 30% identify as female (Aspen Institute, State of Play).
WHO: Young adults ages 18-24
WHERE: At all 18th Ward practices and locations
WHEN: Flexible schedules throughout the year
BENEFITS: Flexible schedule, training, leadership experience, $15-$25/hour, community service, transportation vouchers, and networking opportunities
Adult Sports Leagues
The 18th Ward Adult Basketball League is a league for current and former basketball players looking to stay active and in game shape. Registration will open in the fall.
Leagues:
5 v 5 League
3v3 League
Women’s League
Cost: The participation fee is $100. Participation Plus is $150 and helps another member from the community to participate.
