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ACTIVITIES | PROGRAMS

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Register for a Sports Activity

Register for a Sports Camp

Recreational Sports Youth & Adult

Organized and unorganized sports are a critical starting point in a young person’s lifelong journey toward an active and healthy lifestyle. Youth who engage in sports not only grow up more physically active, but also gain mental and social health benefits that follow them into adulthood.

Recreational Youth & Adult Sports are meant to be for fun, leisure, non-competitive and less serious than organized sports, leagues or school sanctioned teams.  Often, participating in recreational sports is the first introduction to a specific type of athletic activity where the Park District Recreation program supervisors are there to lead the program at the entry or beginner skill set levels.

We strive to provide quality instruction in the fundamentals of the sport programs we provide, while emphasizing fun and sportsmanship over winning.

Court Sports

Park District Seasonal Sport Offerings both Youth & Adult are played on a variety of courts.  All courts are open to the public and available for free-play or pickup games with friends and family.  In some instances, the Park District works with Affiliate Sport Groups to program a variety of group athletic activities on our existing courts, such as our Horseshoe Pits, Pickleball Courts, etc.
See below as to what court sport programs we currently have organized for Youth & Adults.

Courts

  • Basketball
  • Bocce Ball Courts
  • Horseshoe Pits
  • Pickleball Courts
  • Shuffleboard Courts
  • Tennis Court | Platform Tennis

Youth Court Sports

Currently in Court Sports, we only offer organized Tennis.  Please see the Tennis Programs page for more information.

tennis programs page blue button link


Adult Court Sports

Our adult sports are registered by team. Any neighborhood, business, or group of friends can gather up and join us. Don’t have a whole team?  We take "free agents" and do our best to match individuals looking for opportunities with teams in our leagues who have openings for additional players.  If you are interested in playing, then contact our Athletics Manager who will reach out to you with possible options.

While we recognize that competing is fun, we emphasize sportsmanship and fair play in our leagues. Misconduct will not be tolerated. Team Captains are responsible for their team’s conduct.

CURRENT COURT LEAGUE OFFERINGS:

Leagues are seasonal, so be sure to check our Online Registration Portal to see what leagues we are currently scheduling.  We offer:

  • Basketball Leagues
  • Platform Tennis Leagues
click this online portal link that is connected to athletic leagues

Springfield, IL Pickleball Club

What is Pickleball!?

adults in pickleball play at iles park pickleball courts

Fun, social and friendly. The rules are simple and the game is easy for beginners to learn, but can develop into a quick, fast-paced, competitive game for experienced players.  The Springfield Park District partners with the Springfield, IL Pickleball Club to provide modern, well maintained pickleball courts in Iles and Duncan Parks.  In addition, the Springfield Pickleball Club is an affiliate partner and programs activities for ALL AGES at our courts.

Springfield Pickleball (Illinois) is comprised of people who enjoy the game of pickleball and who try to promote the game to those within our community.

PICKLEBALL PROGRAMS - May - October

Organized games and introductory lessons are available weekly during the summer months and move indoors during the winter. For information on dates and times, click on the Springfield Pickleball Club logo!

Pickleball for Beginners -

Come learn the basics of Pickleball from members of the Springfield Pickleball Club on Wednesday evenings at Iles Park.

Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports today. The Club provides the paddles and balls; all you have to do is show up and have fun!
Ages 13 & up FREE May - October 

springfield pickleball club logo link to club facebook page


Field Sports

Park District Seasonal Sport Offerings both Youth & Adult are played on a variety of fields. All fields are open to the public and available for free-play or pickup games with friends and family.  In some instances, the Park District works with Affiliate Sport Groups to program a variety of group athletic activities on our existing fields, such as our Youth Baseball, Cricket, and Rugby.  See below as to what field sport programs we currently have organized for Youth & Adults.

Fields

  • Baseball/Softball Fields
  • Cricket Field
  • Football Fields
  • Lacrosse Field
  • Rugby Field
  • Soccer Fields

Youth Field Sports

Summer Sports Camps - See Activity Guide for opportunities and schedules.  |  June - August

Lacrosse

Lacrosse is played early spring to around June each season.  The Park District sponsors and schedules the Capital City Cavaliers as our recreational and competitive team.

Lacrosse Age Groups: 10U, 12U, 14U, High School | March - June

Come out and see what the fastest growing sport in the US looks like!  Join the Capital City Cavaliers Lacrosse Team and compete in the sport of lacrosse.  No worries if you've never played before, that's what we're here for!

Practices and some games take place at Centennial Park Fields

Contact the Athletics Manager for more information.

217-544-1751 ext. 1012

High School and middle school lacrosse season is April-May.

Youth Baseball 

Youth Baseball is played on Springfield Park District fields but ran by our partner Youth Sports Affiliate Groups.

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SSBA

Youth Baseball organization who partners with the District and plays games on Park District Fields.

Learn More

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Fairview Y-Baseball

Youth Baseball organization who partners with the District and plays games on Park District Fields.

Learn More


Adult Field Sports

Softball

Softball Leagues are offered throughout the summer months, including Men’s Wood Bat, Co-Ed, Men’s and Women’s Summer Leagues. Each league plays a certain amount of games per season plus their own single elimination tournaments. For full details, go to our Online Registration Portal or contact our Athletic Manager at 217-544-1751 Ext. 1012.

Softball League Offerings:

Leagues are seasonal, so check our Online Registration Portal to see what leagues we are currently scheduling.  We offer:

  • Men's Wood Bat
  • Co-Ed Softball Leagues
  • Men's and Women's Summer Softball Leagues
click this online portal link that is connected to athletic leagues

Springfield Celts Rugby Football Club

springfield celts rugby club team photo

Practice and Games are held at Kennedy Park; 401 Walnut Valley Drive, Springfield IL.  Interested in playing on the team?  Click on the Celts logo to go to their website and fill out a contact form.

The Springfield Celts Rugby Club was established in 1975. Over the years the Celts have created a tradition of hard hitting rugby often taking the best of teams out of their game plan. This tradition has produced several tournament trophies and union victories. The legend of the "Green Jersey" has haunted the Midwestern region for many years. The young players hear of the stories of destruction and victory and continue to wear the green jersey with pride. 

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Springfield Cricket Club

springfield cricket club team photo

Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the center of which is a 22-yard (20-metre) pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps.  Cricket takes place at Kennedy Park; 401 Walnut Valley Drive, Springfield IL.  The season runs from early April to September.

Interested in learning more about the club?  Go to their Facebook page.  Just click on their logo to connect.

springfield cricket club logo


Springfield International Soccer Club

The Springfield International Soccer Club has been programming and playing soccer at Kiwanis Park since 1972.  

Their players are successful thanks to their supportive members. Always cheering them on at the sidelines and encouraging them to do better. For more information about becoming a member please fill out their Registration Form.  Click on the logo below to go to their Website.

international soccer club logo

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Action Sports

Action Sports are a group of individual sports on a continuum from leisure to adrenaline pulsating, such as BMX, Snowboarding, Skateboarding, Surfing, Mt. Biking, Skiing, Wakeboarding, Motocross, and any sport that derived from the core, which could include Wake-surfing or Stand-Up Paddling.  The Springfield Park District offers an array of these opportunities to enhance your recreational athletic opportunities.

How will you find the ACTION with us?

BMX

BMC or Bicycle Moto Cross takes place at Riverside Park on the North Side of Springfield.  

The Springfield Park District and Springfield BMX have partnered together to offer a full BMX track and an all-inclusive BMX program that provides recreational programs for children and adults. The track itself is nestled in upper Riverside Park. This unique BMX course features a dirt track complete with jumps and asphalt turns. Springfield BMX strives to provide a high quality ABA (American Bicycle Association) program, in fact, riders from Springfield BMX compete in top level competition such as: Worlds, Nationals, and State Championships. Winning titles in all three and have for years!

riverside park springfield bmx track
springfield bmx raceway logo
race taking place at riverside bmx track

The BMX Club strive to provide a high quality NBL (National Bicycle League) program, in fact, riders from the Springfield BMX Club have been racing and dominating in the Illinois State Championship Series for years.

Riders are required to have helmets, closed toe shoes, long pants and it is recommended to have long sleeves.  Interested in learning more about the club, open public hours, and how to get involved?  Just click on the Springfield BMX Raceway to connect with their Facebook page.


Cyclocross

What is Cyclocross?

Cyclocross is a unique, non-Olympic discipline of cycling that can best de described as a cross between road cycling, mountain biking and steeplechase. Watching cyclists dismount their bikes to run up stairs and steep embankments often arouses questions about the origin of the sport. Although it is difficult to find the exact reason, many legends have it that cyclists would race from town to town off road to bring a new element to road racing. These off road adventures could have often required dismounting to hop fences and impossible terrain.

These road bikes are then equipped with skinny, knobby tires, disc brakes and slightly different geometry which allows for better clearance when passing over various obstacles.

The season takes place from September to February.  Races are usually take place on a closed circuit in a park or other open land with competitors racing multiple laps.  The Springfield Park District has several parks and locations that make this sport an easy fit for Recreation Programming!

Each fall the Recreation Department partners with local Cyclocross enthusiasts and Race Organizers to put on a race at Centennial Park that utilizes the giant Sled Hill in the course and winds back through the terrain of the nature trails.

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centennial park 2021 Cyclocross event participants
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Comer Cox Pump Track

Bring your bike and conquer big jumps!  Or how about your skateboard... rollerblades?  

The NEW Springfield Park District Pump Track is OPEN! Come shred with us and boost your skills! There's plenty here to keep you coming back for more!  

This course includes a circuit of rollers and banked turns designed to be ridden completely by riders “pumping” - generating momentum by up and down body movements, instead of pedaling or pushing.

Check out the cool "wall ride" feature added to the pump track at Comer Cox Park.  Over time this wall will start to bend and wind like the track image you see below... A pump track is a looped sequence of rollers and berms—swoopy, banked turns—for bike riders. It's designed to maximize your momentum, so you can ride it with minimal pedaling

Ride Safe. Have Fun.

Everyone must bring their own bike to ride, and all riders must wear their own helmets to enter the pump track. To ensure everyone remains safe and has a good time, every rider will be asked to follow specific safety rules.

What to Wear & Bring

  • Bring your own bike and helmet (no rentals available).
  • Wear clothing appropriate for the weather/activity.
  • Close-toed shoes are required to be worn on all trails and tracks.
pump track wall ride feature
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comer cox new pump track scenic view
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Skate Parks

Grind it out at Our Skate Parks - FREE

Iles Skate Park

Iles Park; 2000 S. 6th Street, Springfield IL

This skate park was built as a centrally located skate park for skaters of all ability levels.  It has multiple ramps, half pipes, rails, ledges, stairs, manny pad, and a flat bar that was designed in partnership with the local skating community!

Iles Skate Park image with skateboarder

Centennial Skate Park

Centennial Park; Bunker Hill Road & Lenhart Road, Springfield IL

Centennial Skate Park was designed by local skating enthusiasts.  It features an array of trick-oriented objects like advanced bowls, handrails, trick boxes, vent ramps and banked ramps.  Open to all ages, both skaters and spectators will enjoy Centennial Park Skate Park!

iles park skate park

OPEN - Dawn to Dusk

Disc Golf

Have an ace of a time playing at our Disc Golf Courses!

Our courses are free to use and are open from dawn until dusk.  The Park District partners with the Springfield Disc Golf Club to promote the play of disc golf and to reserve course dates for local events and tournaments.

DISC GOLF COURSES:

  • Lincoln Park; 1601 N. 5th Street, Springfield IL

Lincoln Park South | Lincoln Park North

  • Duncan Park; 200 N. MacArthur Blvd, Springfield IL

In the spring of 1999, 18 baskets dropped into then-Douglas Park, planting the seed for disc golf in Springfield.

Since then, we’ve grown to three courses within the Park District and four total within the city limits.  The Springfield Disc Golf Club has worked with the District to improve our local parks, host fun and competitive events — including the 13th Deaf National Championship — raised thousands of dollars for the Central Illinois Foodbank, and much more.

Click on the Springfield Disc Golf Club logo to go to their website and join their club!

springfield disc golf club logo

new lincoln park south disc golf course signs
new disc golf baskets lincoln park south course
springfield lincoln park disc golf course fall colors

The Park District will share game cancellations and announcements though RainoutLine.com.  View the program status online, sign up for text and/or email alerts, or download the mobile app. 

 

 

Need to speak with staff regarding Athletic Facilities or Programs?  Contact staff from the information below:

Scott Marlow
Athletic Manager

VELASCO TENNIS CENTER

1501 S Grand Ave W, Spfld 62704

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Andrew Coon
Tennis Manager

VELASCO TENNIS CENTER

1501 S Grand Ave W, Spfld 62704

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