Near West Recreation

05/30/2026

⚾️ PLAY BALL! ⚾️

Today is Opening Day for Near West Recreation Baseball & Softball!

After weeks of practices, we’re excited to kick off the season with our Tee-Ball, Coach Pitch, and 12U Baseball teams taking the field for their first games. Over the next two months, more than 300 young athletes on 26 teams will compete, learn, and create memories across Cleveland’s Near West Side.

A huge thank you to our volunteer coaches, families, sponsors, officials, and community partners who make this season possible. Your support gives local kids the opportunity to play, grow, and have fun.

Good luck to all of our players today! Remember: work hard, be a great teammate, and most importantly—have fun!

📸 Families, feel free to share your first game photos in the comments!

05/30/2026

School is out and summer is here! ☀️

Summer programs give kids a chance to stay active, build friendships, learn new skills, and have fun in a safe environment all summer long.

Near West Recreation is excited for another great summer of programming! JumpStart Sport Summer Camp registration is now open and spots are filling quickly. We’ll also be sharing information soon on our upcoming Learn to Play Tennis and Squash series (July/August series).

Learn more and register for summer camp here:
https://nearwestrecreation.teamsnapsites.com/sports/summercamp/

Ohio City Incorporated Detroit Shoreway Tremont West Development Corporation
Cudell & Edgewater West Community Development Organization

05/27/2026

Near West Recreation is looking for more officials (paid position) for our upcoming 12U Baseball and 12U Softball seasons!

We are especially in need of individuals with baseball or softball experience to help umpire games this summer.

Game Schedule:
⚾ 12U Baseball – Mostly Saturdays
🥎 12U Softball – Tuesday & Thursday evenings

We are also open to training responsible teens and younger officials interested in gaining experience around the game.

If you or someone you know may be interested, please fill out the interest form here: https://forms.monday.com/forms/858da7bb3baab31454755e70a8004f6f?r=use1

05/27/2026

The past few weeks have been a great stretch for our Near West Recreation track athletes!

Our athletes have competed in an inter-squad meet along with two dual meets, continuing to learn, grow, and challenge themselves each week. We’re proud of the effort, sportsmanship, and confidence our athletes are showing both on and off the track.

A big thank you to Lakewood Youth Track for hosting us and to Urban Community School - Cleveland, Ohiofor traveling to compete with us. We appreciate the partnerships and opportunities for our kids to race, improve, and have fun together!

05/12/2026

A huge thank you to Coach Bash for leading our pitching clinics over the past two Fridays and sharing his knowledge with our athletes and coaches!

It was awesome to see many of our baseball players eager to learn and improve while working through pitching fundamentals and progression drills together. We will be providing the drill list along with some videos to all of our older baseball families and coaches.

We appreciate Coach Bash taking the time to invest in our players and the Near West Recreation community. Thank you CLE Inspires for the connection!

05/09/2026

Enjoy baseball and softball? This is a great summer job opportunity for teens. Umpires are always needed!

Cleveland Teens! Umpires are needed! Register for the 2026 Official Leadership Program from Umps Cares Charities.

Register today to get on the direct line for a fun and rewarding summer job!

https://cleguardians.leagueapps.com/events/4932977-2026-official-leadership-program—umps-cares

05/06/2026

🥎 We’re adding a SECOND 12U Softball Team! 🥎

We’re looking for more girls ages 10–12 to join us this season!

✔️ Weeknight practices & games (no Saturdays!)
✔️ Practices starting soon
✔️ Games begin the first week of June

This is a great chance to jump in, learn the game, and be part of a fun, supportive team!

Questions? Email [email protected]

👉 Register here: https://go.teamsnap.com/forms/519381

Note: The form will say “waiting list,” but your child WILL be placed on a team.

Ohio City Incorporated, Tremont West Development Corporation, Metro West Community Development Organization, Cudell & Edgewater, Detroit Shoreway

05/01/2026

Coach Spotlight: Coach Jeff Stredney

This month, we are excited to spotlight Coach Jeff Stredney! A 10-year Near West Rec coach, Coach Jeff has spent his time leading both soccer and baseball teams.

Coach Jeff and his wife have called the Near West Side home for over 20 years, and for him, coaching is about giving back to the community he’s part of. As he shared, “I remember what it was like to have a coach that was competent, prepared, and who cared—and the difference that made.” That experience is what drives him to “try to be that coach for others,” something he calls “a fun and worthy pursuit.”

Growing up, Coach Jeff played everything—football, basketball, wrestling, cross country, track—and even picked up volleyball in college. But his first love was baseball. His favorite memory? “Pitching a one-hitter, stealing home, and hitting a three-run home run in the last inning” to win his 12U championship.

As a coach, it’s all about player growth. In baseball, he loves “watching every player earn a legitimate hit before the end of the season… no matter their experience.” In soccer, this past season stood out as his team won a championship “despite being one of the youngest in the league,” something he credits to the players’ “brilliance, hard work, and teamwork.”

His advice for anyone thinking about coaching? “Do it.” Whether you’ve played before or not, “NWR provides what you need.”

We’re grateful Coach Jeff has been doing just that for the past 10 years!
If you’re out there thinking about it, reach out to us at [email protected], there’s a group of Near West Rec kids who could use a coach just like you!

05/01/2026

We’re excited to share upcoming community events, spring activities, and summer camps happening right here on the Near West Side!

💡 Have something to share?
Know of a great family event or youth program—or offer one yourself? We’d love to help spread the word! Send details to [email protected]

04/29/2026

Thank you for the support! We are looking forward to great 2026 season!

The Cleveland Guardians are exciting to announce our 2026 Play Ball! CLE leagues! Play Ball! CLE is an initiative of Cleveland Guardians Charities that provides support and resources to underserved baseball, softball, and adaptive organizations throughout Northeast Ohio!