“Hut, hut, hike…grunt, shove, thump….ow”
One of the peculiar properties of amateur sports in general, and football in particular, is that they encourage antithetical fantasies in adults and children. Boys, of almost any age, play with a ferocity and abandon that, they imagine, mimics the style of their heroes. Men, on the other hand, run around, heedless of their age, imagining themselves once again young and impervious to harm. That is until some part of their body is twisted in a manner that hasn’t been familiar in twenty years. Contributing to this confusion is the crisp tang of autumn air and the damp smell of leaves in late November. What better place for such fall inspired fantasy then the rolling (and hopefully forgiving) fields of Central Park?

Football (touch or flag only) can be played at the recently renovated North Meadow. Permits are required, and cleats are prohibited.

Field Day Kits can be borrowed at the North Meadow Recreation Center which include, among a variety of sports equipment, a Football. Kits may be checked out with valid photo ID.

Location: North Meadow, mid-Park at 97th Street

When: Football is allowed from September through November, with a permit.

Permit Requirement: NYC Department of Parks/Recreation issues permits to league, teams, and other groups, to reserve specific athletic fields at specific times. The public can obtain athletic field permits for a session on one of the fields by completing and submitting a permit application to the permit office at the Arsenal. Members of the public who wish to join or set up a league should call or stop by the permit office as well. A permit application also can be requested by phone by calling the Permit Office. Athletic permits cost $8 per session. Permits are free for applicants who are supervising a league composed of players 17 years old and younger. For additional information, call the Permit Office at (212) 408-0209.