Oklahoma City’s Police Athletic League (PAL) is one of the top five PAL organizations in the nation, connecting children and young adults with officers who care about their future. OKC PAL’s mission is “Cops Helping Kids Succeed,” where staff and OKCPD officers provide opportunities for local youth.
OKC PAL offers sports for fifth and sixth graders in 13 OKCPS middle schools, filling the gap left by the lack of sports for this age group in the district. Without PAL, these students wouldn’t have the chance to play league sports through their schools. While club sports are an option, they aren’t affordable for all families.
OKC PAL runs 10-12 sports leagues, including football, soccer, futsal, baseball, softball, cheer and more, and is always looking to add new sports. But it’s not just about sports—OKC PAL also provides programs for students in grades 5-12 across the metro, offering both curriculum and activities.
OKC PAL offers a variety of programs throughout the week. On Mondays, high school peer mentors receive training such as CPR or Stop the Bleed certifications and participate in career days with companies like Pepsi and the FAA. They earn graduation hours and can serve as mentors and volunteers. Tuesdays focus on business skills through the Youth Business Leadership Academy. Wednesdays feature club activities like STEM, bot-ball, robotics, chess and more. On Thursdays, kids follow the National PAL’s Habit program.
OKC PAL also offers gaming computers, air hockey, foosball, ping pong and a Thunder court. Using snacks to engage kids, OKC PAL instructors teach 15-30 minutes of curriculum before the kids receive free time.
PAL Supervisor Lt. Fernando Hernandez emphasized the program’s importance, noting that it helps bridge the gap between police officers and the community.
“A lot of people say the youth are our future,” Hernandez said. “Well, in reality, our youth are our community now. I kind of changed my mind set on that.”
The program helps kids see that officers are just regular people, too. Police officers often have an “aura” around them, and a uniformed officer can seem unapproachable. Hernandez said that when officers interact with the kids, they are able to break down those barriers. For the police department, the program is about serving the community and fulfilling the mission of helping kids.
OKC PAL faces a few immediate challenges, including a need for coaches, volunteers and mentors. Coaches only need to dedicate one practice per week and an hour of game time on Saturdays. While coaching experience is helpful, OKC PAL values coaches who are positive influences and consistent in kids’ lives.
Another challenge is the low participation rate of girls in OKC PAL sports. Executive Director Josh Yager explained, “One thing we also noticed in our metrics is that there’s less of a participation rate with girls in our sports than the boys because a lot of communities or families have the mindset that girls don’t play sports.” To address this, OKC PAL hosts luncheons and discussions promoting equal opportunities for both girls and boys. You can find more information on their upcoming Girls Changing the Game Luncheon here.
The OKC PAL team expressed their passion for the program, recognizing its importance in supporting Oklahoma City children. Yager’s favorite part is attending games to see the kids in action. “The games are more about team philosophy – working as a team, being together, whether that be in succeeding or failing. Teaching the failures of losing a game or a match is equally as important as how to win.”
Hernandez finds it rewarding to see kids connect with each other and realize they’re part of a community. “To me, it’s great to see these kids not only envision themselves being on a team, but they are actually able to be on a team, playing on a field,” Hernandez said, adding that while some of the kids may never play in middle or high school, OKC PAL makes it possible for them to be on the field in that moment in time.
A key feature of OKC PAL is that all kids play for free. The program ensures that affordability is never a barrier to participation.
To learn more about the organization, donate or volunteer for OKC PAL, click here.
