Specialized Sports Programs by Kids In Sports -Staff

Coach Mike - Owner & Director
Athletics have been a focal point of Coach Mike Strutt's life since childhood. In the Dutchess County neighborhood where he grew up, sports were a daily ritual. It was at this young age when Mike developed an intense enthusiasm and passion for many sports - baseball and soccer in particular. Coach Mike was fortunate to have received superb instruction in sports at a young age and he now imparts his detailed and expert knowledge of sports to the hundreds of children in the KIS program.

After serving in the United States Marine Corps, Mike attended Hunter College, earning a B.S. in Physical Education. He captained Hunter's soccer team to the 1995 New York City Championship. After college, Mike taught physical education and coached at the Allen Stevenson School. Coach Mike is also a certified personal trainer, with over ten years of experience. Proving that competitive sports can be an exciting aspect throughout life, Coach Mike presently plays and coaches a men's baseball team in the National Association of Baseball America (NABA).

Coach Kenny - Owner & Director
As a child growing up in the Bronx, Coach Kenny Colon became aware at an early age of the need to be creative with sports and games in a limited-space, urban environment. This skill has carried over to his stewardship of Kids in Sports where an emphasis is placed on varied and challenging sports and activities for youngsters. Knowing that children often lose interest easily Coach Kenny emphasizes multiple sports and exercises to instill the child with an early appreciation of the fun of sports as well as keeping the children mentally and physically engaged during their Kids in Sports classes.

Coach Kenny holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology from Hofstra University. In addition to playing collegiate football at Hofstra, Kenny also played Arena Football for the New York City Hawks. After his playing days concluded, Kenny moved on to personal training at the New York Sports Club where he created Sports Conditioning, a group fitness class for adults. Before starting KIS with Coach Strutt in 1999, Coach Kenny worked with children at the Allen Stevenson school – coaching JV and Varsity football and at CATS (Children’s Athletic Training School) where he worked with children aged one to six. Currently, Coach Kenny plays competitive flag football and competes on a travel tournament team.

“Without practice sports would not exist”. - Coach Kenny

Coach Kevin - Director

Coach Kevin studied Psychology at Houghton College, where he played on the soccer team that reached the 1995 NAIA national tournament. After earning his degree, Kevin taught Phys. Ed. and coached the basketball and soccer teams at Manhattan Christian Academy from 1996 through 2002. Kevin has been with Kids in Sports since 2002, where he has become the Assistant director of the Pre-school program. He is a specialist with young children where his patience, extraordinary humor and natural love for children are just a few of his gifts to Kids in Sports.

Coach Becky - Director

Since finishing school, Becky Clarke has had a love of working with children and has made it her career. Becky began by working in both a day care center, as well as a cooperative nursery school in her hometown of Huntington, Long Island. Becky moved into Manhattan and has spent the last six years working in after school programs. Sports has been a driving force in her life both as a participant and as a passionate NY Jets fan. Coach Becky has an exceptional talent for working with the younger students at Kids in Sports and is elated to bring new programs such as Creative Athletes, holiday programs and more to the curriculum.

Coach Ira - Director

Ira has participated in numerous sports his entire life, focusing on ice hockey as young as three years old, a sport he continues to play as an adult. He has continued to keep sports in the forefront of his adult life by working with and coaching children. Ira has spent the last ten years working in New York City after-school programs and is thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of the Kids In Sports family. In the summer months Ira continues his work with kids as for the last 8 years he has been a director of the same sleep away camp which he attended as a child.