Enter to win a Space Jam prize pack!

Calling all sports movie fans!! To celebrate the release of Space Jam: A New Legacy we are giving away a Space Jam prize pack! 

Grab your best friend because if you win the Space Jam prize pack you will get two free tickets to see the movie and enough gear to deck out the whole family: t-shirts, hats, posters, stickers and pins!

Entering is easy, just post a photo of your child at a Skyhawks program, tag us, and share it with all of your friends so they get a chance to win too. 

Here’s how to enter:

Instagram -  Share your photo with Skyhawks Sports Academy (@SkyhawksSports) tagged and the hashtag #SkyhawksSpaceJam.

Facebook - Either tag Skyhawks Sports Academy in your photo in a personal post (make sure the privacy is set to public) or share your photo in a post on the official Skyhawks Facebook page (fb.com/SkyhawksSportsAcademy).

Twitter -  Tweet your photo with Skyhawks Sports Academy  (@SkyhawksSports) tagged and the hashtag #SkyhawksSpaceJam.

Enter as many times as you like, just make sure you’re sharing each photo only once and tagging Skyhawks in each one!

The winner of the contest will be announced on August 4th, 2021.

 For complete rules and terms click here.

Tips for a Healthy and Fun Summer

As summer moves along it is important to keep up your healthy and fit lifestyle through all the fun activities. Even on days it’s too hot to be outside, there are plenty of other ways to contribute to important habits. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle this summer is key for both kids and adults. Let’s go over some tips to find your perfect balance.

Get Plenty of Rest

Although your typical sleeping routine may vary, as always adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. During summer, kids should aim for 9 to 11 hours per night. Sleep is key for recovery so it is especially important to get enough sleep during the summer because of the heat and long days/nights that contribute to exhaustion. Make sure to keep your room cool for quality sleep.

Eat Healthy When Possible 

Planning out your meals for the week is a great way to make sure you continue to eat healthy throughout the summer. Going out to eat with friends is one of the greatest aspects of summer, just remember to find a balance so you’re eating healthy the majority of the time. Lastly and most importantly, don’t forget to stay hydrated. It is especially important with the heat the summer brings so try to have a water bottle with you at all times. It can be hard for children to remember this, so letting them pick out a new water bottle will incentivize them to always have it nearby.

Be Active

Physical activity may seem impossible with the high temperatures the summer brings but it is important you maintain your fitness levels. Being active is key to a healthy lifestyle as it can reduce stress, improve quality of sleep, and boost your mood. Try exercising in the morning to avoid the sun at its peak or break up your exercise routine into smaller activities throughout the day. Summer camps are a great option for kids as it provides them with a safe environment where they can be active and develop a variety of social skills. And if the heat is still too much, joining an air conditioned gym, even if it’s just for the summer, may be a good option.

Although summer provides a bit of a break from everyday routine for most, it is important to maintain healthy habits and look after yourself while still dedicating time to having fun.

Washington Youth Soccer Partners with Skyhawks to Bring More Fun to Grassroots Programs Across the State

Tukwila, Washington – June 14, 2021  The Washington Youth Soccer Association (WYS) has chosen Skyhawks Sports Academy (Skyhawks), powered by Stack Sports, as their Official Youth Sports & Camp Partner in a 5 year partnership kicking off in 2021.

With roots dating back to 1961, WYS now has over 93K kids that are involved with the program, and is a leader in grassroots activation. With the average child today spending less than three years playing a sport, grassroots engagement at the camp level plays a role in answering the question; “How do we strengthen our base and establish an environment that promotes a life-long love of the game?”

By partnering with Skyhawks, and through their nearly 200 member clubs, WYS is leading the charge to keep kids in the sport of soccer longer. This partnership combines over 100 years of soccer expertise to bring the fun back to families across Washington State. 

“The Skyhawks team brings a level of energy and fun to grassroots camps that just cannot be matched,'' said Tony Roberts, Director of Partnerships & Innovation at Washington Youth Soccer. “With our mission to foster the physical, mental and emotional growth and development of the State of Washington’s youth. Working with someone who was focused on making sure kids had a great time at our camps and was also very experienced at delivering great events was very important to us. That’s why we are excited to Partner with Skyhawks and Stack Sports.”

Skyhawks® Sports Academy powered by Stack Sports, the leading provider of youth sports programs for children 2 to 14 years old, will operate camps with WYS across the state. These programs focus on fun ways to teach life lessons through soccer. 

"The staff was great! The kids really responded to them and they made it fun and educational. Thanks to all for a job well done,” said Kelly D, Washington Soccer Parent in Mukilteo. “I also really liked that it was a long (6 hour) [session]. My son agreed it really helped to get him into shape for soccer season. Thanks."

“Every person has their own unique journey as an athlete,” said Jason Frazier, President of Skyhawks Sports Academy. “By partnering with Washington Youth Soccer we are working together to make sure that the journey for children in Washington is a positive one that hopefully lasts a lifetime. From the athlete’s first time kicking a soccer ball at a Tots class, through sport skill development in Skyhawks camps, and then on to play in WYS programs, the athlete’s wellbeing is put first, supporting a truly life-long love of the game. To top it off, having Skyhawks international headquarters based in Washington state makes this partnership that much more special.”

If you are interested in registering for a Skyhawks Sports program, please click HERE. 

If you have the facility to run Skyhawks or Skyhawks STEM Sports® programs, but are lacking the personnel to run programming, we encourage you to contact us at 1-800-804-3509 or skyhawks@skyhawks.com

About Washington Youth Soccer Association

With roots dating back to 1961 WYS has grown to nearly 200 clubs serving over 93,000 participants across the state of Washington. It is our mission to foster the physical, mental and emotional growth and development of the State of Washington’s youth through the sport of soccer at all levels of age and competition.

About Stack Sports

With nearly 50 million users in 35 countries, Stack Sports is a global technology leader in SaaS platform offerings for the sports industry. The company provides world-class software and services to support national governing bodies, youth sports associations, leagues, clubs, parents, coaches, and athletes. Some of the largest and most prominent sports organizations, including the U.S. Soccer Federation, Little League Baseball and Softball, and Pop Warner Little Scholars, rely on Stack Sports technology to run and manage their organizations. Stack Sports is headquartered in Dallas and is leading the industry one team at a time focusing on three key pillars -- Play, Improve, and Engage. To learn more about how Stack Sports is transforming the sports experience, please visit www.stacksports.com.

SPARKS, Md. — USA Lacrosse has entered into a multi-year partnership with Stack Sports, a leader in youth sports services and technology. Stack Sports supports the volunteers, administrators and organizations that make sports possible with products and services to engage and grow athletes, goals also core to the USA Lacrosse mission. 

The partnership will focus on two of Stack Sports offerings — Sports Connect, a comprehensive league management solution, and Skyhawks Lacrosse Camps. Working together, the two organizations will provide expanded and improved opportunities for players. 

“Our mission at Stack Sports is to transform youth sports, combining industry-leading technology solutions in Sports Connect with a best-in-class Skyhawks camp experience,” said Stack Sports COO Jeff Brunsberg. “The announcement of our partnership with USA Lacrosse highlights the importance of lacrosse to our business and how we plan to innovate and inspire lacrosse athletes of all ages and play levels. We are proud to work hand-in-hand with USA Lacrosse to help grow overall participation in the sport.” 

As part of the partnership, USA Lacrosse members will receive a 20 percent discount on camp registration fees and Stack Sports is providing free camp opportunities for up to 50 players each year for USA Lacrosse to make available to participants. USA Lacrosse member clubs and leagues will also receive discounts on Sports Connect services.  

“This partnership agreement provides a great discount on Skyhawks Lacrosse Camps for our members and valuable registration tools with reduced-cost benefits to lacrosse organizations looking for a comprehensive league registration tool,” said Tom Pope, director of corporate partnerships for USA Lacrosse. “Their support of free camp experience provides another avenue for USA Lacrosse to deliver opportunities to learn to play and help fulfill our mission to expand the sport.” 

Sports Connect is a league management system used by more than 20,000 clubs and leagues, including current partnerships with USA Football, Pop Warner Football, Little League Baseball and U.S. Soccer, among other national organizations. Sports Connect software, which includes a real-time US Lacrosse membership integration, provides league registration tools to assist sports organizations in running their programs more efficiently. 

Skyhawks offers fun and skill-based Lacrosse camps geared towards players ages 6 to 14 at the beginner and intermediate levels. Lacrosse programs are available in 22 states. Find a program in your state at skyhawks.com/lacrosse.  

About Stack Sports 

With nearly 50 million users in 35 countries, Stack Sports is a global technology leader in SaaS platform offerings for the sports industry. The company provides world-class software and services to support national governing bodies, youth sports associations, leagues, clubs, parents, coaches, and athletes. Some of the largest and most prominent sports organizations, including the U.S. Soccer Federation, Little League Baseball and Softball, and Pop Warner Little Scholars, rely on Stack Sports technology to run and manage their organizations. Stack Sports is headquartered in Dallas and is leading the industry one team at a time focusing on three key pillars — Play, Improve, and Engage. 

To learn more about how Stack Sports is transforming the sports experience, please visit http://www.stacksports.com/ 

Skyhawks Flag Football program to be fueled by USA Football’s new Football Development Model

 Skyhawks Sports Academy (Skyhawks), the leading provider of youth sports programs for children ages 5 to 12 years, is excited to announce a new agreement with USA Football to serve as its preferred youth camp and after-school football partner. As the sport’s national governing body and a member of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), USA Football’s collaboration with Skyhawks provides football families across the country progressive, age-appropriate youth football instruction.

“Partnering with USA Football is going to bring the Skyhawks flag football program to the next level,” said Jason Frazier, President of Skyhawks. “This partnership with USA Football will expand our network, improve our curriculum, and provide certification for our coaches in youth football. USA Football also offers a pathway for those interested in playing for the U.S. National Team one day, and Skyhawks will be at the beginning of that pathway.”

Through the partnership, Skyhawks will implement USA Football’s new Football Development Model (FDM) in all coaching and instruction. The Football Development Model is the sport’s first long-term athlete development model, designed to make the game safer by reducing contact and teaching in a way that meets athletes where they are in their development. Coaches teach athletes based on their age, the skill they are learning and game type. Aligned with the USOPC’s American Development Model for healthier and smarter youth sport participation, this path offers young athletes more opportunities to enjoy the sport and choose the version of football best for them, including flag, tackle or other game types.

"We’re excited to be partnering with Skyhawks, a leader in delivering premier youth sports experiences,” said Scott Hallenbeck, USA Football CEO & Executive Director. “The Football Development Model centers on progressive skill instruction, safety, inclusivity and fun, which is everything youth sports is about. Through this partnership, more kids will be introduced to the fun and values inherent to football while growing their physical literacy for fit, healthy lifestyles.”

Curriculum that will be implemented into Skyhawks’ Flag Football program includes age-specific daily schedules, developmental checklists for each age group, improved coaching cues and measurement tools for each skill, the introduction of Prep for Contact activities, new skill-based drills and games, and the inclusion of mindfulness activities.

In addition to the Skyhawks Flag Football program offering, USA Football and Skyhawks will co-host flag football skills clinics in conjunction with select U.S. National Team Regionals focused on the core offensive components of passing, receiving and running.

Skyhawks offers Flag Football camps for children between the ages of 5 and 12 in a variety of formats throughout communities nationwide. Current program offerings continue to follow proven COVID-19 protocols per state and local guidelines. Winter programming is currently underway, and more information, schedules, and registration are available at skyhawks.com.   

Helping Kids Stay Active at Home

To protect families from the recent spike in COVID-19 cases across the country, many school districts are heading back to online learning, sports activities are being canceled, and recreation facilities are setting restrictions. While it may be the right move to keep the community-at-large safe, these restrictions limit physical activity and make children restless when cooped up indoors. But there is a simple way to mitigate this problem – exercise.

Youth sports and learning experts here at Skyhawks Sports Academy teamed up with our partner STEM Sports® to find fun ways to turn exercise into a fun activity to capture children’s interest and keep their bodies moving. One example is Playing Card Fitness, a fun activity that includes simple exercises that is enjoyable for the whole family and can be played indoors in any size room.

Skyhawks and STEM Sports® Playing Card Fitness: How to Play

Do not underestimate how fun and challenging a workout can be using a deck of cards. Playing Card Fitness is a great cardio-based, full-body routine that only requires a deck of cards and a few square feet of open space. To play, each participant picks a card, and depending on the suit and value on the card, everyone completes the exercise. Every suit represents a different exercise and the value on the card represents the rep count. Simple right? Now, let’s understand which suit means what exercise and how to assign values.

Numbers 2 - 9 = values (i.e. reps)

Face card = 11 reps

Ace = 12 reps

Hearts = pushups

Diamonds = jumping jacks

Clubs = sit-ups

Spades = squats

For example, if a participant picks a card that is 10 of hearts, all participants need to do 10 pushups. To make it a good workout session, have each participant pick one card each and complete the round, and then go for three rounds.

Bonus – Teach Children the Concepts of STEM

Along with the physical benefits of Playing Card Fitness, this activity can also be the catalyst to introduce STEM concepts to children. This activity is a perfect opportunity to introduce the concepts of heart rate, calorie burn, and calorie intake to older children. It is also a great way to keep children and families in the habit of taking time each day to keep their bodies healthy physically and mentally. And it’s fun! To learn more about the concepts of STEM-learning through sports and to register for Skyhawks Winter 2021 Programs, visit www.skyhawks.com.

Skyhawks Sports Academy has acquired the exclusive rights to Nimbus Esports Academy programming and curriculum. This partnership will see Skyhawks introduce Esports enrichment programming to kids around the world!

 “We are thrilled to see our team's vision to add Esports to the Skyhawks offering come to life through our partnership with Nimbus Esports Academy,” says Jason Frazier, President of Skyhawks Sports Academy. “Our combined effort brings a whole new dynamic to the Esports world by focusing on the positives of gaming while also teaching life lessons through sports and physical activity. Together we provide a safe, fun way for kids to practice teamwork and social skills while also learning to think strategically.”

 Nimbus Esports Academy’s program centers around the smash-hit title, Rocket League, with plans to integrate other age-appropriate Esports titles along the way. Much like a Skyhawks soccer or basketball program, participants work on coordination, focus, and the ability to problem-solve in dynamic environments through game-based drills and play. 

“We couldn’t be more excited to join efforts with the historic Skyhawks Sports Academy brand,” said Cody Dragon, Nimbus Founder, and former Co-Founder and Esports Director at Ghost Gaming. “Esports and video gaming are on the rise, and we plan to meet children where they are at. Our holistic program is custom-tailored to promote critical thinking, teamwork, and sportsmanship all within the exciting world of video games."

 Virtual Esports + Play camps are now open for registration and will be running through June 29th - August 15th in conjunction with VOIP partner, Kast. Players of all ages and skill levels are encouraged to sign up and participate in the inaugural launch of the Skyhawks/Nimbus Esports partnership. For more information and/or to register visit www.skyhawks.com/esports.

In-person camps, classes, and after-school program offerings will reopen in accordance with state guidelines for reopening post-COVID-19 and will follow strict CDC directed health and safety guidelines.  Please click here to learn more about our Summer 2020 Protocols and Policies in Response to COVID-19.