Recreation Youth Soccer Program In Hoboken Wins Award

HOBOKEN, NJ — The city of Hoboken's youth recreation soccer program has won a special award from the New Jersey Youth Soccer group, they announced Thursday.

They were awarded the Recreation Division’s soccer program the Recreation Program of the Year presented by MLS Go. The award was given at the 35th Annual New Jersey Youth Soccer Awards Dinner presented by RWJBarnabas Health in front of a sold-out crowd of over 1,000 attendees.

Even though the city offered recreation soccer through a private vendor in 2023, the city relaunched the program in-house through its Recreation Division in 2024.

Over 1,100 children from kindergarten to eighth grade participated in the City’s recreation soccer program last year in a season running from September to November.

Players learned soccer fundamentals, teamwork, fair play, and more.

The city’s Recreation Division, led by Jessica Lezcano under the direction of Director Diana Aviles, operates within the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Public Works and continues to expand its offerings for both youth and adults.

“Hoboken is honored to receive this recognition from New Jersey Youth Soccer,” said Mayor Ravi Bhalla. “Our Recreation Division has seen major improvements and expanded offerings for children, ever since Jessica began working for the city ... I offer my sincere congratulations to Jessica, as well as Director Aviles and their entire recreation staff for this well-deserved recognition.”

“We are honored to celebrate the city of Hoboken with the NJYS Recreation Program of the Year presented by MLS GO” said Evan Danby, CEO of New Jersey Youth Soccer. “It was inspiring to see the city relaunch its program with such enthusiasm and success."

Hoboken’s Recreation Division offers basketball, wrestling, baseball, softball, tennis, and cheerleading, among others, utilizing city staff, dedicated volunteers, and key partnerships.

New programs have included volleyball, adult pickleball, field hockey, flag football with NFL Flag, and additional instructional programs. Participation has grown from approximately 3,000 children in 2022 to over 8,200 participants in programs throughout the year.

To learn more about the city’s Recreation Division, go to www.hobokennj.gov/departments/recreation. To learn more about available programs go to, https://hoboken.recdesk.com/Community/Home.