About Us

Who are we:

  Lower East Side Sports Academy (LESSA) was founded in 1993 as a 501C-3 non-profit in New York City’s historic Lower East Side. The Academy partners with schools and other non profit organizations who share a similar mission to serve underserved youth in New York City. 

Our Purpose:

LESSA purpose is to offer affordable youth sports in lower income neighborhoods. We collaborates with local schools, nonprofits and established youth organizations to provide after school and Summer Sports programming which includes after school sports classes, seasonal sports teams, clinics, coaching, and camps.   

Mission:

  To provide affordable, quality, recreational programs for underserved inner-city youth, giving them the opportunity to be healthy, safe and smart through sports. 

Vision:

 To bridge the gap of available quality affordable recreational programs. The LESSA provides opportunities for underserved youth to participate in structured recreational sports activities, providing them with critical opportunities to live healthy lifestyles, participate in positive activities (during crucial non-school hours), and the opportunity to learn hard and soft social skills to help them become confident and productive young adult citizens 

Frank, 'Frankie' Alameda, grew up participating in 5 days a week after-school sports with the Boys Clubs of New York. Frankie understands the benefit that after-school sports structure provides children and credits this type of programming for his success. He spent his youth raised by a single mom in the Lower East Side. Frankie's mother was able to enroll him in sports and recreational activities Monday-Friday for $.75 a year!  

Frankie is the benefactor of structured sports activities, and as a lifelong LES resident, he is also a witness to the negative effects of unstructured time.  Frankie founded LESSA to bridge the equity gap in sports.  Knowing from personal expereince that every neighborhood does not have the privilege and luxury of a parent volunteer-run sports rec program, Frankie created the

Lower East Side Sports Academy to fill this void. 

LESSA is dedicated to bring sports programming to inner-city youth, so that all children, regardless of income or skill level, have the ability to be Healthy, Safe, and Smart.