Meeting Youth Where They Are to Create Life-Changing Opportunities

We are a year-round holistic mind-body-spirit sports academy and enrichment program for youth ages 5 - 15
In Bridgeport, CT.

About BYLSA

Established in 2008 – Bridgeport Youth Lacrosse has been committed to increasing awareness and opportunity for urban youth in the sport of lacrosse and beyond. Our mission is to empower youth with the self-confidence, discipline, and skills necessary to succeed in sports and life.

Over the last fifteen years, BYL has grown to include Bridgeport Youth Lacrosse Sports Academy, which is an after-school-based, year-round program that provides academic intervention, behavioral support, mentoring, leadership training, and sports instructions to over 1000 student-athletes throughout Fairfield County.

Program Overview

Our programs are built to help our students develop positive mindsets, transferable skills and a pay-it-forward attitude

Sports Academy

Peace Week

Peace Week Community Festival is the incorporation of youth violence prevention into all our programming. It derives from a plan developed in 2019 with other organizations to eradicate youth violence in Bridgeport.

AfterSchool Program

Bridgeport Public School children ages 9-14 are exposed to ten hours of weekly physical activities in our After-School Mentoring Program from September to June each year. Activities include lacrosse, track & field, flag football, yoga, strength and conditioning.

Summer Camp

Our Summer camp offers outdoor classrooms, field trips, and S.T.E.M. team-building lessons to promote overall development. Over 200 Bridgeport children ages, 8-14 attend Summer Camp in July and August from 8 am to 5:30 pm with extended hours available.

Saturday Academy

The Saturday Academy mirrors our Summer Camp experience. Children focus on body and spirit with lacrosse, track & field, flag football, yoga, strength and conditioning. We also encourage social-emotional development and mental simulation with tutoring, SAT preparation, and on-site counseling in a safe and supportive atmosphere

Enrichment Programs

BYL Yoga

BYL Yoga helps students overcome trauma and various social issues stemming from achievement gaps they’ve experienced. In addition to its physical benefits, yoga provides a broad range of advantages, including social-emotional learning, mindfulness, and self-awareness skills, that address essential needs.

Career Pathways

Founded in 2021 after discussions with Bridgeport teenagers regarding ongoing programs, Career Pathways was created to address the community’s needs. Teenagers expressed a desire for programs that provided skill development and income generating opportunities. The program trains individuals to become coaches, referees, and mentors for youth. Since its inception, Career Pathways has served over 100 teenagers in Bridgeport.

BYL iSTEM Academy

In partnership with The Greater Bridgeport STEM Ecosystem and The Discovery Museum, BYL iSTEM not only focuses on team-building exercises, mentoring, networking, social interrogation, character development, coping, and life skills but also actively promotes universal STEM literacy, fortifies the local STEM workforce pipeline, and creates valuable intergenerational STEM learning opportunities. Our commitment lies in empowering Bridgeport youth with essential tools for success in both sports and life.