Police Athletic League:
Championship Tournament Brings Out
The Best In Local Youth

By Michelle Sellers

Ping Pong experts, pool sharks, Nok hockey pros and Uno masters from across the five boroughs were all on hand at the Foster Laurie Police Athletic League (PAL) in Hollis this week, when 500 youngsters came together to compete in the PAL’s 15th Annual Tournament of Champions.

The event, which took place on April 2, has promoted good sportsmanship and competitive spirit amongst the children of New York City for the past 15 years, bringing together the top three players from each PAL center in the City to compete in popular board games and old favorites.

Kids ages six to 18 compete, and all events are broken into different age groups to keep events fair and fun. Games featured at the tournament include Uno, ping pong, Outburst, checkers, Mancala, Nok Hockey, Connect 4, marathon jump roping, Double Dutch, pool, and Foosball.

Dr. Jeff Ryan, the executive director of PAL, said, “The children practiced for four months, then the first through third place winners came here for the city wide tournament of champions.”

After a full day of fierce competition at the Hollis PAL, the champions in each of the tournament’s sports were crowned, and presented with a certificate and PAL card. Champions were named in each age group after the winner survived round after round of stiff competition.

League members from Jamaica, Flushing and St. Albans participated in the day-long competitions at the Foster Laurie PAL.

The PAL was founded in 1914 as an initiative of the New York City Police Department (NYPD), which is dedicated to serving and protecting members of the community.  The PAL motto, “Go Where Others Don’t,” depicts the group’s goal of going into less fortunate communities and providing the children there with opportunities not available to them normally.

Through PAL, kids are exposed to activities and trips that help them grow socially and intellectually, including sports, social and cultural events.

Twenty-five years ago, the Foster Laurie PAL opened at 199-10 112 Avenue in Hollis, a location that used to hold a Catholic high school.  Once the school closed, it was re-named after two policemen killed in the line of duty, and is now home to the PAL.

“This center operates 280 days per year,” according to Ryan, who oversees 16 PAL centers that serve approximately 70,000 children each year in its numerous programs.

“The basis of the programs is to strengthen children’s physical, educational, and cultural growth and development,” said Foster Laurie PAL director Christopher Douglas, Ph.D.

He added, “Whatever is brought from school can be enriched. Therefore, many educational concepts come into throughation here to help develop the mind.”  As a non-profit organization, the Foster Laurie PAL charges a $5 annual  membership fee for many of its services, which include a comprehensive social services department.

Although the challenging motto of PAL is to enrich less fortunate economic communities, Hollis has a more affluent population with a minimal population of people seeing public assistance. 

“The parents of the children that come here are not exactly poor,” Douglas said.  “The parents are upper and lower middle class, although they can get social, cultural and educational exposure here.”

Douglas added, “PAL is now not only premier in recreation and sports, we must be reckoned with as an educational development organization that promotes culture and diversity.”

The Foster Laurie PAL offers children a wide span of programs and opportunities, including an after-school program, a night center, a dance school and a summer camp. It also offers programs to local seniors and families, helping to enhance the neighborhood further.

‘Connect-4’ (top) and Double Dutch (bottom) competitors squared-off for championship titles. PRESS Photos By Michelle Sellers

The after-school program provides homework assistance, arts and crafts, gym, reading sessions and computer literacy for children ages six to 13. The after school program is available from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., and has an escort program that will bring children home.

Older children can participate in the PAL’s night center, which teaches people kids and community members ages 14 and older enhanced arts and crafts, recreation, and computer training in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint and more. The program begins at 7 p.m. and concludes at 10 p.m.

The Hollis PAL’s empowered learning program, which is only offered by two other PAL locations in New York City, helps children with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) stop being dependent on the drugs doctors prescribe for the illness. The program aims to strengthen, build and adjust sensory and motor skills to make the drugs less necessary. The program is available by appointment.

Over the summer, an all day camp offering education and recreational activities is available for kids ages six to 18. The program costs $450. Throughout the whole year, kids can learn dance of all kinds, including African, modern, jazz and more, from Brian “the dance master,” a Julliard graduate, as part of the PAL’s DeVour Dance School. The dance program is held Mondays through Saturdays at the center.

Families in need of social services can access a database full of help at the Foster Laurie PAL’s Family Preservation Center, which offers services from housing to legal expertise.

Seniors can also get involved with PAL, either in the intergenerational program that allows seniors to work one-on-one with PAL participants to help with homework, teach ceramics, or participate in power fitness class. There is also a senior program, which provides seniors with breakfast and lunch, as well as enriching activities in arts and crafts, computer literacy, card playing and exercise.

 “PAL supports what we do,” Douglas said.  “Our sensitive staff is impeccable, committed, and has outstanding integrity and loyalty to the community which has allowed us to serve the grandchildren of people who came as children.”

The fourth floor of the Hollis building is currently under renovation to become equipped with a new, state-of-the-art weight lifting facility. 

In addition, over the next three years, PAL plans to bring a photography club, a musical band club, and programs in filmmaking and musical engineering to Hollis.

To contact the Foster Laurie PAL for more information on the programs at the facility or upcoming events, call 468-0278.