Our Athletics Program
Looking for a competitive atmosphere while staying in shape and taking a break from school? The New York Film Academy has a growing roster of sports teams that you can join — or create! NYFA students have built teams for basketball, volleyball, soccer, softball, kendo, hiking, and there are endless opportunities for students to introduce new sports and create new teams.
Men’s Basketball
Former NBA player and UCLA Hall of Famer, Lucius Allen, and Steve Goldstein coach our men’s basketball team. The team has 2 League Championships.
Women’s Basketball
Women’s basketball is coached by Steve Goldstein, who provides 30 years of leadership and educational experience.
Elise Cregg, a former USA Volleyball player and NCAA athlete, runs the men’s and women’s volleyball program. Since the team’s establishment in late 2015, both teams have moved up in league ranking. The volleyball teams practice on Sunday mornings (10am-12pm) and compete Saturday mornings (between 9am-1pm).
Roy Lev-Ari runs the men’s soccer program. Since the team’s establishment in 2014, men’s soccer has earned two 1st place trophies and three 2nd place trophies. Right now, the men compete in a practice league on Monday nights but their regular season beings in March, competing Sunday afternoons (between 12pm-5pm).
The New York Film Academy’s College of Visual and Performing Arts Women’s Soccer team is coached by passionate educator and animator, Pablo Diaz. Coach Diaz has been playing soccer for 20+ years, bring old-school tactics and new traditions to his program. “Soccer is about discipline and respect; discipline in your training and respect for your team and opponent. This game is also about teamwork and passion, dreaming and defining; it’s about visualizing your goals and making them a reality.” This game allows for young artists to further develop themselves as visionaries in addition to identifying themselves in a role, working towards one common goal.
Shigeru Mitani, who holds the highest ranking in kendo, runs the kendo program. Kendo club competes in multiple tournaments throughout the year, giving students the opportunity to move up in rank. Since starting at NYFA in 2015, 3 students have reached a higher level of achievement.
After several European countries transformed a military form of training called “swordplay” into a prestigious art form, fencing gained significant popularity, debuting at the first Olympic Games in 1896. Otherwise known as the “physical game of chess”, fencing uses tactical training to outsmart an opponent mentally and physically, developing valuable strengths such as agility, perseverance, and resilience-enhancing dexterity, character. Coupled with an ambitious attitude, this becomes a blueprint applicable to not just athletics but also academia and in life. The New York Film Academy’s fencing club is taught by 12-time Soviet Pentathlon gold-medalist and international gold-medalist, Tigran Shaginan. Reflecting on his career, Tigran believes consistent training and hard work is the recipe for success. “Talent is great but without diligence, discipline, and commitment, you cannot achieve success.”