San Antonio Police Athletic League (PAL)

The San Antonio Police Athlete League (PAL) is a program designed to steer youth away from negative behaviors, such as gangs and drugs, by directing their energies toward athletic activities. PAL uses off-duty police officers to teach approximately 9,000 at risk children between the ages of six and sixteen the concepts of team play, fairness, safety and respect for parents and teachers. The Foundation provides funding for the purchase of equipment, uniforms and other supplies for young athletes within the community.

The San Antonio Police Athletic League is the largest organization of law enforcement agencies formed to prevent juvenile crime and violence utilizing a recreation-oriented juvenile crime prevention program that relies heavily upon athletics, recreational activities and education to help kids go right and stay right. Through their crime prevention programs their mission and commitment is to “Filling Playgrounds, Not Prisons.

In its fifteenth year of operation, the San Antonio Police Athletic League is experiencing its largest increases in enrollment yet. In 2005, San Antonio PAL programs reached numbers well over 2000 children, an incredible growth period compared to previous years (490 kids in 2003 and 1072 kids in 2004). That means that to continue its policy of not turning any kid away, the league will need more money. All of PAL’s healthy sports activities are paid for by the generous donations and contributions from the San Antonio community, including the San Antonio Bar Foundation.