Youth Programs

Youth Athletics

*VOLUNTEER COACHES NEEDED!

We are in need of volunteer coaches for the following youth athletics: Cheerleading, Tackle Football, Flag Football, Boys & Girls Basketball. If interested, please contact us at 540-564-3160 or recreation@rockinghamcountyva.gov


Start Smart Soccer

Start Smart was developed by top motor skill development specialists in the field of youth sports. Parent-child groups perform motor skill tasks that gradually build confidence in children while they are having fun at the same time. Start Smart participants will develop proper motor skills without the threat of competition or the fear of getting hurt that will allow them to enjoy and succeed in their youth sports future! Parents/guardians are required to stay during each session, adults will be asked to actively participate with their child. 
Registration link: Start Smart Soccer
Fee $45 | Register By June 5
June 21-August 9 | Wednesdays | 6-7pm
Ages 4-5 (Ages as of 6/21) | @Rockingham Park at the Crossroads



All Balls Camp

Let’s PLAY BALL! Does your little one love to bounce a ball, kick a ball, swing a bat, and learn about games that use a variety of balls? If you answered “yes” then this is the camp for them. We will learn about a variety of sports that use “a Ball” to play the game. Bowling, Basketball, Baseball, Kickball, Volleyball etc. Games will be modified based on developmental level of play. Let’s make a great team!  
Registration link: 
Ages 4-7
Ages 8-10
Fee $45 | Register By June 2
June 19-21 | Monday-Wednesday
Ages 4-7 | 9-11am
Ages 8-10 | 1-3pm
@John C Myers Elementary School



7th & 8th Grade Tackle Football

This competitive tackle football program is being offered in cooperation with our local high schools. Players will be placed on teams based on their residence/middle school. Practice is tentatively scheduled to start on August 28th at their respective High School facilities. The first game is tentatively scheduled for September 20th with a total of 6 games. Games will be played on Wednesdays at the High Schools unless otherwise noted. There will be an admission charge for all games. We have added William Monroe Middle School to the schedule, so depending on the final schedule, Parents may have to drive to Stanardsville, VA. A helmet, shoulder pad and a game jersey will be provided for the season but must be returned after last game or if a child decides not to play. Families of 8th graders should consult with area HS Football Staff on whether to play in the 7th-8th Grade program or JV football.
*This is a competitive based league, play counts will not be required. Registration must be done in person at our office, 20 East Gay St Harrisonburg, VA. 
Fee $55 | Registration & Fittings: June 5-23 8:30am-4:30pm
Grades 7th & 8th Grades as of 2023-2024 School Year
Season: August-October



Youth Cheerleading

Practices will be held 1-2 weeknights in your local areas and games will be on Saturday mornings (some week nights if needed). All games will be held at Rockingham Park at the Crossroads. Each participant will receive a t-shirt and poms. Other uniform pieces will not be available for purchase, but participants are welcome to buy or reuse skirts/shorts coordinating with their squad colors. All games will be played at Rockingham Park at the Crossroads and Smithland Athletic Complex.
Registration link: Youth Cheerleading
Fee $35 | Register By July 14
Grades 1st-6th Grades as of 2023-2024 School Year
Season: August-October



1st Grade Intro to Football

Prepare your first grader with this 4-session introduction to football clinic. Participants will learn the very basics of football to prepare them for their first year into flag football. Each session will consist of various skill stations to focus on the primary fundamentals of football. There will be no official games played. 
Registration link: 1st Grade Intro to Football
Fee $20 | Register By August 1
August 7-10 | Monday-Thursday | 9-10am
1st Grade Only Grade as of 2023-2024 School Year
@Rockingham Park at the Crossroads 



Girls Basketball

The season will begin with a minicamp hosted by your local high school coaches and players. The minicamp will run September 24th-27th. This will be a 4-day minicamp focused on drills and skills for them to take into the season. After the minicamp, players will be divided into teams and will start practicing the week of October 2. Teams will have two practices per week, Monday-Thursday (Locations/Times are TBD). Games will be played on Saturdays. Gameday dates/Locations are TBD. Each player will receive a reversible jersey. 
Registration link: Girls Basketball
*Starting in the Fall of 2023, we will not be considering any team requests.
Fee $45 | Register By September 1
Grades 1st-2nd, 3rd-4th, 5th-6th Grades as of 2023-2024 School Year
Season: October-November 









Youth Programs


Dino Days

Join us for Dino Days, where your little ones can explore the world of dinosaurs through sensory play and hands-on enrichment activities. This camp is designed for our younger children who are interested in dinosaurs and want to learn more about these prehistoric creatures. Sensory play will transport your child to the world of dinosaurs where they can uncover bones and fossils, look for dinosaur footprints, and explore a variety of textures and materials as they learn about the different types of dinosaurs and their habitats. Our Dino enthusiasts will also create crafts, play games, read books, and engage in hands-on activities throughout the week. Parents will be able to follow along with the fun as they watch the week unfold on Seesaw-a digital learning portfolio that will give you a glimpse into a roaring good time!  
Registration link: Dino Days
Fee $125 | Register By June 12
June 26-30 | Monday-Friday | 8:30-11:30am
Ages 4-6 | @Cub Run Elementary School



Princess Camp

Do you have a little princess in your home? If you have a child that loves music, dress-up, crafts and story time, then this is a camp for your little one. Each day we will celebrate a different princess and learn how princesses are beautiful from the inside out. We will make crafts, dance, enjoy some pampering and eat a yummy snack together. We will practice teamwork & explore our talents. Come enter a magical world of fun! Children are welcome to dress up daily or they can visit my collection of dresses.  
Registration link: Princess Camp
Fee $45 | Register By June 2
June 12-14 | Monday-Wednesday | 9-11am 
Ages 4-7 | @John C Myers Elementary School



Snapology's JR Builder & Bot Builder Camp

In this combination camp, we will divide our days between our Junior Builders program and Bot Builders with Cubelets® program. Does your little learner love to tinker and create new things? If so, they’re going to love Snapology’s Junior Builders program! This program will give your learner opportunities to build functional LEGO® DUPLO® models of amusement park rides, boats, ramps, cars and so much more! As your learner works alongside other little engineers, they will be learning the importance of teamwork and how collaboration is an essential component of engineering and design. In our Bot Builders with Cubelets® program, your student will begin to develop their computational thinking skills by playing with modular, robotic cubes known as Cubelets®! Every way your student snaps the magnetic cubes together creates a unique robot, but what really matters is how they figure out the perfect robot recipe to solve a challenge. They will work in teams to figure out how to create lighthouses, racer bots, wheelie bots, goofy animals, and so much more! Camp shirts included! 
Registration link: JR Builder & Bot Builders
Fee $165 | Register By July 9
June 10-14 | Monday-Friday | 9am-12pm | Ages 4-6
@Plains District Community Center, Timberville



Snapology's Scientist Camp

Does your child love to experiment and ask questions about the world around them? If so, it sounds like you already have a young scientist on your hands! Snapology’s Scientists program helps children explore their curiosities and cultivate a deep love for science by experiencing the different domains of scientific study & nature. Students will engage with concepts from the fields of astronomy, earth science, biology, chemistry, and physics using LEGO® bricks and other interactive learning tools. We make science fun, exciting, and approachable at Snapology! Camp shirts included! 
Registration link: Scientist
Fee $165 | Register By July 9
June 10-14 | Monday-Friday | 9am-12pm | Ages 7-12
@Plains District Community Center, Timberville 

Start Smart Football

Start Smart was developed by top motor skill development specialists in the field of youth sports. Parent-child groups perform motor skill tasks that gradually build confidence in children while they are having fun at the same time. Start Smart participants will develop proper motor skills without the threat of competition or the fear of getting hurt that will allow them to enjoy and succeed in their youth sports future! Parents/guardians are required to stay during each session, adults will be asked to actively participate with their child. 
Registration link: Start Smart Football
Fee $35 | Register By June 5
June 22-August 10 | Thursdays | 6-7pm
Ages 4-5 (Ages as of 6/22) | @Rockingham Park at the Crossroads



Youth Kickball League

Come out and enjoy a great game of kickball. We will have two groups that will be played on Mondays at Rockingham Park at the Crossroads. Players will be separated by grade (1st, and 2nd-5th) & (6th-8th) and teams will be selected each day. 
Registration link: 
Grades 1st/2nd-5th
Grades 6th-8th
Fee $20 | Register By June 23
Grades:1st/2nd-5th, 6th-8th
Grade as of 2023-2024 School Year
Season: July 10-31 | 6-7pm | Mondays
@Rockingham Park at the Crossroads



Youth Tackle Football

Practices will start in early August. Games will start on September 2nd and finish on October 7th. Games will be played at Rockingham County Park at the Crossroads and Smithland Fields. Practices are being held at a local location for all Areas (Broadway, East Rock, Spotswood, Turner Ashby). Players will be placed on teams according to their residence and grade. Grades as of School Year 2023-24.Helmet and shoulder pads will be provided for the season and must be returned after the last game or if a child decides not to play. Each player will receive a game Jersey that they will be able to keep. Physicals and birth certificates are not required but guardian/parent will need to verify grade level and sign the assumption of risk paperwork.
*Registration must be done in person at our office, 20 East Gay St Harrisonburg, VA.
Fee $55 | Registration & Fittings: July 5-26 8:30am-4:30pm
Grades 3rd-4th, 5th-6th Grades as of 2023-2024 School Year
Season: August-October



NFL Youth Flag Football

Our NFL Flag Football league is designed to introduce boys and girls to the fundamental elements of football in a fun, instructional and safe environment. From the moment your child steps on the field, our program is designed to assist each player with the advancement of their individual skill level and football knowledge while enhancing their level of play in a fun and structured environment. Each participant will receive an NFL branded jersey and a flag belt. Please make sure that you sign up for the correct district (East Rockingham, Spotswood, Turner Ashby, Broadway) depending on your current address. 
Registration link: NFL Youth Flag Football
*Starting in the Fall of 2023, we will not be considering any team requests. 
Fee $45 | Register By July 14
Grades 2nd-3rd, 4th-5th, 6th-8th
Grades as of 2023-2024 School Year
Season: August 21-October 7 
@Rockingham Park at the Crossroads



JMU JR Cheer Clinic

Come and learn some basic cheerleading skills for leading a crowd and entertaining fans. From motion technique, sign work, crowd dances and more! Camp will be held at Godwin Hall. 
Registration link: JMU JR Cheer Clinic
Fee $50 | Register By July 28
August 9 & 10 | Wednesday & Thursday | 9am-12pm | Age 5
@Godwin Hall, JMU



Boys Basketball

The season will begin with a minicamp hosted by your local high school coaches and players. The minicamp will run October 29-November 2. This will be a 4-day minicamp focused on drills and skills for them to take into the season. After the minicamp, players will be divided into teams and will start practicing the week of November 13th. Teams will have two practices per week, Monday-Thursday (Locations/Times are TBD). Games will be played on Saturdays. Gameday dates/Locations are TBD. Each player will receive a reversible jersey. 
Registration link: Boys Basketball
*Starting in the Fall of 2023, we will not be considering any team requests.
Fee $45 | Register By October 6
Grades 1st-2nd, 3rd-4th, 5th-6th
Grades as of 2023-2024 School Year
Season: November-December



Coed Basketball Clinic

Clinics will take place on the campus of Eastern Mennonite University (at Yoder Arena) and will be orchestrated by the EMU men’s and women’s basketball programs including their coaches and players. This will increase the quality of instruction, provide a much better player to coach ratio and a perfect facility to foster basketball skills development. Participants in 1st and 2nd grade will also be eligible to sign up for our basketball league. All participants will receive a shirt. 
Registration link: Coed Basketball Clinic
Fee $45 | Register By August 25
September 10-October 1 | Sundays
2-3:30pm | Grades k-2nd Grades as of 2023-2024 School Year
@Eastern Mennonite University






Dino Detectives

Are you ready to dig up some DINO-mite fun with your paleontologist pals? Come prepared to dive into the prehistoric world through hands-on activities and STEM explorations as you excavate, explore, and expand your knowledge of these incredible reptiles that once roamed the Earth. Our budding paleontologists will uncover fossils, design dinosaurs, learn about dino characteristics/habitats, get messy, and even erupt volcanoes as they work to unlock the secrets of the Dinosaur World. Parents will be able to follow along with the fun as they watch the week unfold on Seesaw - a digital learning portfolio that will give you a glimpse into the daily tasks and accomplishments of our Dino detectives!  
Registration link: Dino Detectives
Fee $125 | Register By June 12
June 26-30 | Monday-Friday | 12:30-3:30pm
Ages 7-9 | @Cub Run Elementary School



Snapology's Mining & Building Camp

Hey gamers, are you ready to travel all the way to The End with Snapology? Join us as we bring the game of Minecraft® out of the computer and into the real-world using LEGO® bricks. In this 4 day camp, you will go on adventures using your imagination and even design your own worlds, full of mobs, animals, buildings, and your very own LEGO® Minecraft® character. This program is from our creative building variety and students will not be provided with detailed building instructions. They will review a theme or principle of Minecraft® and then engage in LEGO® building activities around those themes. Camp shirts are included!  
Registration link: Mining & Building
Fee $132 | Register By June 19
June 20-23 | Tuesday-Friday | 9am-12pm | Ages 5-12
@Plains District Community Center, Timberville



Snapology's Mega Machines Robotics Camp

In this machinery-focused robotics program, your engineer will explore the basics of robotics while building some pretty spectacular vehicles with their classmates! We will use LEGO® Spike™ Prime robotic sets to build our various machines including a crane, snowplow, forklift, race car, space rover, and more! While working with a partner to complete various challenges, your student will be taught how to effectively utilize sensors, how different mechanical components work in their robots, and how programming is a challenging but rewarding skill that they can master with just a little practice. We will support them in the development of their coding and building skills and inspire them with creative building challenges. Camp shirts included! 
Registration link: Mega Machines Robotics
Fee $165 | Register By June 25
June 26-30 | Monday-Friday | 9am-12pm | Ages 8-14
@Plains District Community Center, Timberville



Snapology's Kinderbots Robotics

Children will begin to explore the world of LEGO® robotics as they build simple models that teach the fundamentals of robotic design. Whether learning about sensors while building drills and magic wands, or discovering ways that gears and pulleys create movement while building helicopters and robotic dogs, your child is sure to have a great time. Students will build the models with instructions and LEGO® WeDo 2.0 robotic sets, and then use a tablet and block-coding application to program the robot’s motor and sensors to perform tasks. Camp shirts included! 
Registration link: Kinderbots Robotics
Fee $165 | Register By June 25
June 26-30 | Monday-Friday | 9am-12pm | Ages 4-7
@Plains District Community Center, Timberville