Sidekick Sports Academy

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Sidekick Sports Academy

Sidekick Sports Academy offers recreational and competitive athletic programs for all ages.

From after-school activities to specialized training, we foster growth, inclusion, and community through sports. Facebook: Sidekick Sports Academy
YouTube: SidekickSportsA
Instagram: SidekickSportsA

10/13/2026

🏈🏀🃏 THE STORIES BEHIND THE CARDS: A BASKETBALL GAME WITH THE PATRIOTS

What happens when a former college basketball player steps onto the court with four New England Patriots players?

You get an evening worth remembering!

In April 2018, Sidekick Sports Academy co-founder and Executive Director Zach Rocha, who played collegiate basketball at Lesley University, participated in a charity basketball game in Waltham, Massachusetts, featuring Scott Zolak, Duron Harmon, James White and Rex Burkhead.

Quite a lineup!

Zolak was a former Patriots quarterback who became one of New England’s most recognizable football broadcasters. Harmon was a defensive leader who would finish his career with three Super Bowl championships. White, also a three-time champion, had already cemented his place in Patriots history with his unforgettable performance in Super Bowl LI. Burkhead was building his own championship legacy as a versatile running back who would help New England win Super Bowl LIII.

For Zach, getting back into quasi-competitive basketball against some of New England’s most accomplished professional athletes was an incredible experience.

But the real purpose of the evening was even better.

The charity event brought together athletes and members of the New England sports community to support local youth programs, using the excitement of sports to create opportunities for children.

The event also reminds us of an important chapter in Sidekick’s history: the Boston Flag Football Association, a former division of Sidekick Sports Academy that was part of our efforts to expand access to youth sports throughout Greater Boston.

It’s a reminder of something we’ve believed since Sidekick opened: sports have a wonderful way of bringing people together.

As we approach our 15th year of operation, we’re revisiting the cards, photographs, people and experiences that have helped shape Sidekick Sports Academy.

And sometimes, the story behind a football card takes place on a basketball court!

A great afternoon for a great cause — and one we’ll always remember. ❤️🏈🏀

10/06/2026

🏀🃏 THE STORIES BEHIND THE CARDS: NATE “TINY” ARCHIBALD

Every once in a while, someone walks into a Sidekick clinic and gives everyone in the gym a moment they’ll never forget.

In January 2020, that person was Nate “Tiny” Archibald.

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer visited our Sunday afternoon Basketball Skills Clinic in partnership with Arlington Recreation, spending time with our young players and speaking to the group about the game.

For the kids — and certainly the adults in the gym — it was a thrill.

Archibald is one of the great point guards in basketball history. He was a six-time NBA All-Star, three-time All-NBA First Team selection and 1981 NBA champion with the Boston Celtics. He was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991 and later selected to both the NBA’s 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams.

And then there’s one of the most remarkable accomplishments in NBA history.

In 1972-73, Tiny averaged 34.0 points and 11.4 assists per game, becoming the only player ever to lead the NBA in both categories during the same season.

The opportunity came through relationships we were fortunate to develop with two longtime members of the Massachusetts basketball community: Marques Houtman and Claude Pritchard.

Marques starred at UMass Dartmouth, where he became a two-time All-Little East First Team selection and helped lead the Corsairs to the NCAA Sweet 16 before playing professionally and representing Cape Verde internationally. He was inducted into the UMass Dartmouth Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014 and has continued giving back through youth basketball.

Claude’s basketball work has included coaching at Roxbury Community College, founding E Skillz Academy and serving as a director for Nate Archibald’s camps and clinics.

Those connections ultimately brought an NBA legend into a Sidekick gym to connect directly with our kids.

Six years later, we can pull out a Nate Archibald card and immediately remember that Sunday afternoon.

That’s why these cards mean something different to us.

As Sidekick Sports Academy prepares for its 15th year, we’re sharing The Stories Behind the Cards — the people, relationships and experiences that have helped shape our impact in the community.

This was a pretty great one. ❤️🏀

09/29/2026

⚽🃏 THE STORIES BEHIND THE CARDS: SHALRIE JOSEPH

Some stories behind the cards go all the way back to before there was a Sidekick Sports Academy.

In December 2011, just a few months before Sidekick opened, co-founder and Executive Director Zach Rocha had an opportunity that was particularly meaningful on a personal level: working and playing alongside Shalrie Joseph.

At the time, Zach was the men’s head soccer coach at Anna Maria College in Worcester following his playing career at Lesley University. As a midfielder, he had long admired Shalrie and modeled aspects of his own game after the Revolution star.

Shalrie was leading a youth clinic in Dover through PROformance Soccer Academy, which he co-founded with former NCAA Division I player Miles Alden-Dunn. Zach brought his captains and coaching staff along for the experience — including Gustavo Nascimento, who remarkably still coaches with Sidekick today.

What stood out was watching Shalrie with the kids.

This was one of the most accomplished midfielders in Major League Soccer — an eight-time MLS All-Star, four-time MLS Best XI selection, 2009 MLS MVP finalist and longtime New England Revolution captain who helped lead the club to three consecutive Eastern Conference championships.

But that day, the résumé didn’t matter.

Shalrie played. He competed. He taught. He connected with the kids. He put everything into making their experience special.

For Zach, getting onto the field with someone he had admired and studied for years was an incredible personal experience.

We also love that all these years later, PROformance Soccer Academy is still going strong, continuing to provide quality youth soccer instruction in Massachusetts.

And just a few months after that clinic, Sidekick would open its doors.

As we prepare for our 15th year of operation, we’re going back through the cards, photographs and memories that tell our story — including a few from before Day One.

This is one of them. ❤️⚽

09/22/2026

Sometimes the story behind the card starts long before anyone knows there will ever be a card.

In the winter of 2013, Noel Buck and his older brother Joe, two young players from Arlington, were among the first-ever participants in Sidekick Sports Academy’s inaugural futsal skills clinics at the Boys & Girls Club in Watertown.

Those first winter sessions would eventually evolve into the Wolves Futsal Club and Northeast Futsal Association.

Looking back, the talent in those gyms was remarkable. Many of the players from that original group eventually competed at the NCAA Division I, II and III levels, and some continued into professional soccer.

Noel’s journey has gone particularly far.

We remember a hardworking, beautiful young player who always seemed to have a smile on his face. In January 2017, he helped the Wolves win the Beantown Cup championship while playing two years above his age group, starting every game that weekend.

From there, the hometown kid’s path continued upward.

Noel joined the New England Revolution Academy at 12, became its Player of the Year, began his professional career with Revolution II and signed with the Revolution as a Homegrown Player at just 16. He made his MLS debut at 17 and ultimately recorded 47 MLS regular-season appearances and five goals for New England.

His career has since included a loan spell with Southampton in England, international appearances for England’s U19 and U20 teams, and a move to the San Jose Earthquakes in 2025.

And there’s another piece of the story we love: older brother Joe Buck followed his own path through the Revolution Academy and Georgetown before signing professionally with Revolution II.

But when we pull out this Noel Buck card, our first thought isn’t about professional contracts or international soccer.

We think about that kid in the gym.

We think about the smile, the work ethic and a wonderful family that supported.

As we prepare for Sidekick Sports Academy’s 15th year of operation, we’re opening the archives and telling more of these stories — because sometimes the kids who helped build your earliest programs grow up to do some pretty remarkable things.

We’re so excited by Noel’s continued success and can’t wait to see where the game takes him next.

That’s the story behind this card. ❤️⚽

09/15/2026

Sometimes the story behind a sports card is better than the card itself.

In the spring of 2017, our U13 Girls Condors Soccer Club team had one of those experiences we still talk about nearly a decade later.

We held a Paint Night at the former ArtLounge in Arlington, Massachusetts — and joining our girls that evening were Boston Breakers players Rose Lavelle and Sammy Jo Prudhomme.

A huge thank you goes to their teammate Angela Salem, who helped make the experience happen.

Rose was at the very beginning of her professional career. Earlier that year, the Boston Breakers had selected her No. 1 overall in the 2017 NWSL Draft, and she had made her U.S. Women's National Team debut.

What happened next has been remarkable.

Rose became a 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup champion, scoring in the World Cup Final and earning the tournament's Bronze Ball. She won Olympic bronze in Tokyo and Olympic gold in Paris in 2024. She became an NWSL champion and 2025 NWSL Championship MVP, was named 2025 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year, and now, in 2026, is a Ballon d'Or Féminin nominee.

That's quite a journey from the young No. 1 draft pick who came to paint with our Condors in 2017.

And yet, when we think about that night, the trophies aren't what come to mind first.

Kind. Humble. Genuine.

Rose and Sammy Jo gave our girls their time and attention and made them feel special. It was a real treat for our young players — and an experience we've never forgotten.

That's one reason sports cards have become such an important part of the Sidekick Sports Academy experience. Cards give kids a connection to players and sports history.

And occasionally, we get to pull out a card and say:

We have a story about this one.

As Sidekick prepares for our 15th year of operation, we're excited to share more of the stories — and cards — that have helped shape our impact in the community.

Thank you, Rose, Sammy Jo and Angela, for being part of ours. ❤️⚽🎨

09/08/2026

Some sports cards are worth more than others — not because of their monetary value, but because of the stories behind them.

Sports cards have become a central part of the Sidekick Sports Academy experience over the years. Our players collect them, trade them, compare them and proudly bring them home.

For us, though, they’ve always served a bigger purpose.

Cards can introduce a child to a new athlete, team or chapter of sports history. They can celebrate effort and sportsmanship. They can spark a conversation between two kids who may not have known each other that morning.

And years later, they can bring back a memory.

This Diego Fagundez card brings back a pretty great one for us.

In 2012 — Sidekick’s inaugural year — Diego visited one of our very first camps, held in partnership with FC United in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Diego was still a teenager and already a pioneering figure in Major League Soccer. He was the first Homegrown Player in New England Revolution history and had made his MLS debut at just 16 years old.

Fourteen years later, it’s amazing to see that Diego is STILL playing in MLS, is back home with the New England Revolution…and is somehow also still only 31 years old! 😂

Swipe through these photos and you’re looking at some of the earliest days of Sidekick Sports Academy.

We were just getting started. But many of the things we still believe today were already there.

Sports should be fun. Kids should feel like they belong. Great coaches can make an enormous impact. And the best youth sports experiences give children memories that last much longer than the final whistle.

As we prepare to celebrate Sidekick’s 15th year of operation, we’re excited to open the archives and share more of the people, photos, moments — and sports cards — that have helped shape our impact in the community.

Fifteen years. A lot of memories. And a whole lot of cards. ❤️

08/28/2026

🐺 The Monthly Howl | August 2026

As summer winds down, the lessons learned through sports don’t disappear. Teamwork, resilience, confidence, focus, and perseverance are skills young athletes can carry from the field and court right into the classroom.

Did you know? Harvard sponsors 42 varsity teams, while Stanford sponsors 36 varsity sports — a great reminder that academics and athletics can thrive together.

Coming Up at Sidekick:

🍂 After-School Sports

🏀 Basketball

🏈 Flag Football

⚽ Soccer & Futsal

🥍 Lacrosse

🏒 Street Hockey

Summer may be ending, but the playing doesn’t have to. We can’t wait for another active autumn and winter at Sidekick!

READ NEWSLETTER: https://www.sidekicksportsacademy.com/so/70Q0qKdjM?languageTag=en

08/19/2026

🏀☀️ July Basketball Camp #2 in Arlington!

In partnership with Arlington Recreation, our athletes spent the week developing their basketball skills through shooting, passing, ball handling, defense, competitions, team challenges, and plenty of game action.

We loved watching our players improve throughout the week — but even better was seeing the confidence, teamwork, sportsmanship, friendships, and excitement for basketball that developed along the way.

A huge THANK YOU to all of our campers, families, and coaches for making another July basketball camp in Arlington such a memorable one.

08/11/2026

🏀🏈⚽🏃 Four sports. One awesome week!

That’s a wrap on another incredible Sidekick Sports Academy All-Sports Camp in partnership with Arlington Recreation!

Our campers spent the week learning, playing, and competing across basketball, flag football, futsal (soccer), and track & field. Each sport brought something different — from shooting and passing to catching, scoring goals, running, jumping, racing, and competing as a team.

But All-Sports Camp is about more than learning the games. We loved watching our athletes build confidence, practice good sportsmanship, make new friends, discover new interests, and simply enjoy being active.

Thank you to all of our families for another tremendous week of summer camp in Arlington! We can’t wait to see everyone again at another Sidekick program soon. 💙

08/04/2026

🎨🏀 What an amazing week at Hoops Camp!

Thank you to all of our incredible campers and families for making another week with Sidekick Sports Academy and Arlington, MA Recreation so memorable!

Each day was filled with creative art projects, basketball skill development, exciting games, team competitions, and plenty of smiles. Watching our campers grow in confidence, improve their skills, encourage one another, and make new friendships is what makes these weeks so special.

Address

Waltham, MA
02451-02454

Website

http://www.sidekicksportsacademy.com/

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