The City of Hoboken today announced non-profit New Jersey Youth Soccer 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.
While the City offered recreation soccer through a vendor in 2023, the City relaunched the program in-house 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 S. Bhalla. “Our Recreation Division has seen major improvements and expanded offerings for children, ever since Jessica began working for the City nearly two years ago. Thousands of Hoboken children have benefited from her modernization of the recreation department, which continues every day. 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, while providing quality soccer opportunity for so many young players.”
Hoboken’s Recreation Division offers a variety of athletic programs, including basketball, wrestling, baseball, softball, tennis, and cheerleading, among others utilizing city staff, dedicated volunteers, and key partnerships. Since Lezcano joined the City, new programs have included volleyball, adult pickleball, field hockey, flag football with NFL Flag, as well as additional instructional programs. Participation has also grown significantly, increasing 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.
