The Armory Foundation

THE ARMORY FOUNDATION IS DEDICATED TO SERVING YOUTH BY PROMOTING FITNESS AND EDUCATION THROUGH A BROAD RANGE OF ATHLETIC, EDUCATIONAL AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS.

TRACK AND FIELD MEETS: TYPICALLY, OVER 100 TRACK AND FIELD MEETS ARE HELD EACH YEAR AT THE ARMORY RANGING IN SIZE FROM 100 ATHLETES TO OVER 5,000. THE ARMORY TRACK IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE FASTEST TRACK IN THE WORLD AND ATTRACTS ATHLETES AND SPECTATORS FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES. HOWEVER, DUE TO COVID-19, APPROXIMATELY 10% OF USUAL TRACK AND FIELD MEETS AT THE ARMORY WERE CANCELLED DURING THE 2021-22 FISCAL YEAR, AND FEWER SPECTATORS ATTENDED THOSE TRACK & FIELD MEETS THAT WE HOSTED. TRACK PRACTICES: IN A NORMAL YEAR, THE ARMORY HOSTS 220 TRACK PRACTICE SESSIONS EACH SEASON ATTRACTING APPROXIMATELY 50,000 VISITS OF MOSTLY YOUNG ATHLETES. THE TRACK SEASON RUNS FROM OCTOBER THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF APRIL. THE OBJECTIVE IS TO FULFILL THE MISSION OF THE ARMORY OF KEEPING KIDS ON TRACK. HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF COVID-19 SURGES AND CERTAIN VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO THE ARMORY, THE NUMBER OF ATHLETES PRACTICING WAS LESS THAN IN A TYPICAL YEAR.

ARMORY COLLEGE PREP HIGH SCHOOL: THIS IS A FOCUSED PROGRAM TARGETING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO PRACTICE AT THE ARMORY, MANY OF WHOM WILL BE FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS. ARMORY COLLEGE PREP SUPPLIES RIGOROUS ACADEMIC INSTRUCTION, SAT PREP CLASSES, ONE-ON-ONE COLLEGE COUNSELING, INCLUDING FINANCIAL AID AND NCAA REGULATION INFORMATION AND MULTIPLE TRIPS TO VISIT COLLEGES. IN A TYPICAL YEAR, THIS PROGRAM WORKS WITH OVER 100 STUDENTS EACH YEAR TO COMPLETE HIGH SCHOOL, GAIN ACCEPTANCE TO AND TO SUCCEED AT COLLEGE. DUE TO COVID-19, THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN ACP WAS REDUCED BY APROXIMATELY 30%. ARMORY COLLEGE PREP MIDDLE SCHOOL: THIS PROGRAM WORKS WITH STUDENTS IN GRADES 4-8 FROM WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, INWOOD AND HARLEM. THE FOCUS OF THE PROGRAM IS TO ENGAGE THE STUDENTS IN MATH, READING AND ROBOTICS, ENCOURAGE GOOD STUDY HABITS AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON HIGH SCHOOL CHOICE FOR CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES. DESPITE COVID-19, THE ARMORY HAS EXPERIENCED STEADY ENROLLMENT OF APPROXIMATELY 35 STUDENTS.

HIGH SCHOOL TRAINING: IN A TYPICAL YEAR, UP TO 2,000 NEW YORK CITY STUDENTS TRAIN AT THE ARMORY, TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS FROM NOVEMBER TO APRIL ON THE FABLED ARMORY TRACK. TRAINING INCLUDES A SUPPLEMENTAL COACHING STAFF PAID BY THE ARMORY TO HELP STUDENTS DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS. MANY COACHES ARE FLUENT IN ONE OF THE EVENTS OF TRACK AND FIELD. FEW ARE EXPERTS IN THROWING, POLE-VAULTING, HURDLES OR EVEN RACE-WALKING. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE BEST POSSIBLE EXPERIENCE, THE ARMORY BRINGS IN THESE COACHES. YOUTH TRAINING: IN A NORMAL YEAR, AS MANY AS 500 STUDENTS IN GRADES 2-8 FROM WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, INWOOD AND HARLEM TRAIN AT THE ARMORY MONDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS FROM OCTOBER TO MAY IN THE CITY TRACK, LITTLE FEET AND TINY FEET PROGRAMS. A FULL COACHING STAFF IS PROVIDED TO THE CHILDREN TO TEACH THE BASICS OF TRACK AND FIELD AND TO ENSURE THE CHILDREN HAVE PLENTY OF FUN AT THE SAME TIME. AS A RESULT OF COVID-19 AND CERTAIN NEW YORK CITY VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS, THESE PRACTICES WERE APPROXIMATELY 50% SMALLER THAN IN A TYPICAL YEAR.