New List: Best Youth Sports Programs in Columbus
Seven leagues, clubs and camps for beginners, from T-ball at age 3 to junior golf, led by i9 Sports. Status: Live on site.
Parents planning winter and spring seasons now have a shortlist: Best Youth Sports Programs is live in the Activities section of our Best Of index. It ranks seven programs that run regular seasons or camps for kids and that confirm current offerings on their own websites.
i9 Sports is Best Overall. Its pitch to new families is the low barrier: no tryouts, one practice right before each game, no fundraising and leagues that start at age 3 in soccer, T-ball, flag football, basketball and more. Three local franchises split the metro, with games at places like FieldhouseUSA on Polaris Parkway and Academy Park in Gahanna.
Below it, the list mixes very different models. Worthington Youth Boosters is a volunteer group dating to 1951 that runs a dozen sports for district kids. City recreation leagues add PLAY scholarships at community centers, Final Third Foundation pairs East Side soccer with reading, First Tee Central Ohio teaches golf from age 7, the YMCA runs Bitty Sports for kids 3 through 7 and Ohio State's LiFEsports camp rotates kids ages 9 to 14 through ten sports with free meals and rides.
We judged on ease of joining, age range, cost and coaching standards. Families with younger children can also look at our toddler winter activities ranking. Registration windows open and close fast, so check each program's dates before the season you want.
