Free weekly track and field clinics return to East Harlem this Saturday. The Jesse Owens Track & Field Youth Program — run by the Randall’s Island Park Alliance and City Parks Foundation — coaches kids in the fundamentals at Thomas Jefferson Park through the end of October.
- When: Saturdays, 10 a.m.–noon, Sept 12 through Oct 31 (no session Oct 24)
- Where: Thomas Jefferson Park, 2180 First Ave, East Harlem
- Who: Youth ages 8–16, all experience levels
- What: Running technique for sprints and relays, plus long jump, hurdles and longer-distance running
- Cost: Free — registration required in advance via City Parks Foundation at cityparksfoundation.org/track-field/; info line 914-843-7418
City Parks Foundation is the same organization behind free NYC staples like SummerStage and the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, and the program carries the name of the four-time Olympic gold medalist who used track and field to upend expectations in 1936 Berlin. For East Harlem families it is a no-cost, Saturday-morning routine that runs deep into the fall — a real alternative to paid youth sports.