Did watching the 2016 Olympic Games inspire your inner athlete? If so, Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) has a number of ways for you to practice some of your favorite Olympic and Paralympic sports.
With 6,300 acres of parkland, 120 miles of trails, 26 community centers, 204 athletic fields, and countless opportunities to join a sports class, camp or league, we’ve got everything you need to start training. So lace up your sneakers, grab an oar, or pick up a tennis racquet and let the excitement of the 31st Olympiad inspire you to start preparing for the 2020 Tokyo games!
Basketball
Organize your own Dream Team and play a pick-up game at one of our 205 basketball hoops spread out across the city at our parks and community centers. We also offer seasonal youth basketball leagues to provide young athletes the opportunity to learn and solidify the fundamentals of basketball while participating in weekly organized games and practices.
Rowing
We are blessed to live in an area with water at our doorstep, and SPR offers a variety of ways for residents to get out and enjoy it. The Green Lake Small Craft Center and Mount Baker Rowing and Sailing Center offer youth and adult rowing crew leagues. Rowing on a team is a great experience! As part of our youth crew, young people gain a sense of accomplishment and pride, working to meet the sport of rowing’s physical and mental challenges. We also have novice, intermediate and competitive rowing crews for adults, as well as Paralympic paddling programs and special events on Green Lake using modified flatwater racing canoes and kayaks.
Tennis
SPR has what you need to become the next Serena Williams or Roger Federer! We have 165 courts, from the tucked-away single court at Victory Heights Park, to the impressive Amy Yee Tennis Center, which offers 10 indoor courts and six outdoor courts. SPR also offers an array of tennis programs for youth and adults, and we host more than 100 United States Tennis Association (USTA) League, Junior Team Tennis, and Cup League games over the course of the year.
Swimming
Did you know that there are 16 Olympic swim events in the pool, and four Olympic swimming strokes—butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle? You can practice all of them at one of our eight indoor or two outdoor pools. Whether practicing lap swimming, or getting fit with one of our aqua jog, water exercise or master workout classes, there are plenty of ways to enjoy our pools.
Cycling
Seattle has some pretty amazing bike trails that take riders along a variety of impressive scenery. Running from Golden Gardens Park in Ballard, and connecting to the Sammamish River Trail in Bothell, the Burke-Gilman Trail offers more than 18 miles of multi-use trail perfect for cyclists. Seward Park boasts 300 acres of beautiful forest land, and is home to eagle nests, old-growth forest and a 2.4 mile bike and walking path. Extend your trip by several miles by biking from Seward Park to Mount Baker Park Beach along Lake Washington Blvd. If you prefer a shorter jaunt, Myrtle Edwards Park features a 1.25-mile winding bike and pedestrian path along Elliott Bay, and has fantastic views of the Olympic Mountains, Mount Rainier and Puget Sound.