Prime Time Games

Created in 2004, the PRIME TIME GAMES (the GAMES) is Team Prime Time’s full-inclusion, peer-mentor sports program wherein the TPT students coach and play alongside children with developmental disabilities. As the centerpiece of the TPT Leadership component, the GAMES give at-risk middle school students the opportunity to give back to their community by creating an invaluable social and recreational environment that is truly a win-win situation, with both “athlete” and “coach” enjoying benefits that last a lifetime. For many of the “athletes” the GAMES represent the only chance to participate in a “real”, structured sports program.


The GAMES began with 20 athletes from six LAUSD schools in the Fall of 2004. By Spring of 2005, the program had nearly tripled in size. To date, over 250 athletes have participated in the GAMES.


At the core of the Prime Time Games (the GAMES) lies the very simple premise that bringing two “high-risk” populations together, united by a shared love of sport, will generate lasting benefits for everyone involved.


In order to maximize the number of participants, TPT has been able to adapt the format of the program without losing sight of this focus. In so doing, TPT has created a program that meets the needs of the families, the host-schools and the community at large.

The Prime Time Games After-School Program

After undergoing an extensive “coaches” training program at the beginning of the Fall semester, TPT students are joined at Webster MS each Thursday by approximately 100 “athletes” ranging in age from 5-17”, for 10 weeks. The Fall season features boys basketball, girls basketball and soccer. The Spring season includes Flag Football, softball and soccer. Each season culminates in the ever-popular CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY, a celebration of sport attended by hundreds of adoring fans.

The Salvin Special Education Center After-School Program

In an attempt to overcome transportation obstacles and involve an even greater number of children with developmental disabilities, TPT, in partnership with the Salvin Special Education Center, reversed the format of the program and decided to bring the “coaches” to a school with a high concentration of “athletes”.

In order to accomplish this goal, TPT began working primarily with Loyola High School’s community service department to make sure that its students met twice a week at Salvin. The program was an immediate success— over 30 “athletes” joined the program during its first season, Spring 2006, and the numbers continue to increase.

The Prime Time Games Summer Camp

The “GAMES Camp further capitalizes on the social focus of the program by bringing the kids together for an entire week during the summer. The camp runs alongside Prime Time Sports Camp, giving the group greater full-inclusion opportunities as well.

Team Prime Time would like to those friends in the community that have made the Prime Time Games possible:

Cynthia L. & William E. Simon, Jr. Foundation
Westcoast Sports Associates
LA84 Foundation
Westside Regional Center
SHARE, Inc.
Women Helping Youth
Isadore and Sadie Dorin Foundation
The Gaskin Family
Jonah Gadinsky
Charlie Bennett
Beveridge Family Foundation
Fanny Warren
Adam Yankelevit