Oakland Yard Athletics

We had my son's birthday party here. The kids had a lot of fun running around and playing flag football. The flags and footballs were provided by Oakland Yard. Plenty of tables for the adults to sit and the staff was great! It is very busy. There was an event that did not end until our party was supposed to start, and another that started right after ours ended. The staff did help with set up, but clean up was our responsibility. Overall, great value for the price because we did not pay per child.

Unfortunately, I am writing this review regarding this past weekend’s softball tournament at Oakland Yard Athletics. As both a coach and a parent, I am extremely disappointed in how the tournament was handled from start to finish. Friday Night Issues We played two back-to-back games Friday evening. During the second game, the umpire told our girls they were not allowed to cheer for their teammates, stating it was a rule. This was never outlined anywhere in the tournament rules, and cheering was allowed during our first game without issue. Additionally, that same umpire repeatedly called balls on bunting attempts that were clearly strikes and not pulled back. The bat was over the plate, yet they were ruled balls. When I respectfully tried to address the situation, the umpire was dismissive and rude, refusing to even hear the concern. To make matters worse, two bartenders working in the north tent began screaming at four young kids for opening an exterior door, which caused part of the tent to shift slightly. The way they yelled at children was completely inappropriate and unacceptable. They continued loudly addressing the situation as they walked toward the south dome, creating a very uncomfortable and unprofessional environment. Saturday Concerns Saturday morning, before we even took the field, one of our parents informed me that the IRISH 9U team who beat us Friday by two runs was contesting the ages of our players — specifically our pitcher. We were not even scheduled to play them again unless both teams advanced to the championship. When I approached tournament director Joe to address the concern as head coach, I was told our pitcher was not 10U eligible under “their rules.” However, per current age eligibility guidelines, a player who turns 11 after August 31st is still eligible for the 10U season. This is standard across many teams, not just ours. When I asked that all teams’ birth certificates be checked if this was going to be questioned, I was told no. During the conversation, Joe told me to “zip it,” which was incredibly unprofessional. Two other coaches had to step in to confirm they also had 11-year-olds on their 10U rosters under the same eligibility guidelines. Championship Game Issue When we advanced to the championship game — against that same IRISH 9U team — they brought in an older player last minute. The player was not listed on their GameChanger roster. She was referred to by two different names that did not match the roster, and her jersey number did not match either. We formally contested this. However, the head umpire refused to check her eligibility or birth certificate, stating, “We aren’t doing this.” After earlier disputes, it felt like we were being denied the same respect and fairness we were subjected to. Awards & Overall Experience After paying $750 to participate, this was by far the most poorly run tournament we have experienced. To add to the disappointment, after winning the championship, there were no medals, no trophy — nothing aside from a plain $12 t-shirt. The lack of professionalism, inconsistency in rule enforcement, poor communication, and overall environment made this an extremely disappointing experience. Unfortunately, we do not plan to return

Very cool facility! We had a softball scrimmage here and it was very comfortable. The girls enjoyed it all and the parents enjoyed watching them and the few tvs for football as well! We will definitely have to keep this place in mind of winter play for the future! Great place!

I can’t say enough good things about Oakland Yard. It’s my happy place, where my husband and I go multiple times a week with our friends to play various sports. The atmosphere is energetic and welcoming. Although understaffed at times, each employee continues to treat their guests with respect and maintains a good attitude. I have so many fond memories here and I’m excited to keep making more. If you’re looking for a great spot to stay active and have fun, this is the place to be! It’s like an adult playground.

Amazing atmosphere and great staff. Very fun place. I have played soccer here in an adult coed league for years and play volleyball on the summer and it's a blast. Nice outdoor bar with a bonfire in the summer that's a great place to hang out after.

I would give Oakland Yard 10 stars if I could. My son attends camp there every summer and he so looks forward to it! It's the best summer day camp around - reasonable pricing, flexible drop off and pick up to accommodate working parents, and a good balance between structure and freedom for the kids. We love Oakland Yard!!!

This is hands down the BEST day camp for kids EVER! My son absolutely adores it and the owners and coach’s are fabulous, caring, kind and reasonable. 1000% recommend!

Nice indoor soccer/baseball facility. Turf fields can be set up several ways. There is an area with high-top tables to sit and watch the games, and plenty of space to set up your own chairs. The turf has seen better days, but overall it's a fine place to play/watch. Note, they do have concessions and sell beer, too. Parking can be a tiny bit tight. Exercise patience when you're leaving, too, as traffic can back up between games.

Props to Oakland Yard for doing everything possible to get our kiddos back on the indoor field. The staff here is always friendly, accommodating and helpful. I am looking forward to spending many more hours in the parking lot for upcoming practices and look forward to games, too!

The staff at Oakland Yard Athletics are extremely professional and a pleasure to work with. I booked my son's birthday party at Oakland Yard Athletics. The facility seemed perfect for a child's birthday party and the advertised price was more than fair. I toured the facility before booking, and all staff were professional and genuine. The party areas were large adequate for the event. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 and the shelter in place order, my son's party was cancelled. The owners were extremely accommodating and offered solutions to make our experience better. While we weren't able to have the party that I had planned, we were more than satisfied with the level of customer service, the professionalism, and the experience we received when working with Oakland Yard Athletics.

What an awesome place for families. We went for a soccer tournament and packed for bear. There is absolutely no need at this location. They had an outdoor bar area where you can sit and have a drink (stiff or otherwise) while your children play on the variety of cool stuff. There are several soccer fields, a giant slip-n-slide, a really fun rope jungle gym, volley ball, a giant sand box and more. There is an indoor athletic arena which is where we watched the games. They also offer amazing summer camps. I think I even saw flying lessons :) Very cool place!!!

We first tried this for camp this year and have been beyond pleased. Such a caring staff with many activities for the kids to choose from (sports, legos, ropes course, games, arts, baking, gizmo, guitar - I could go on and on). And then there's the 200' Slip and Slide...Awesome! Thay've got it all covered and a great system for drop-off and pick up. And the kids even get a free t-shirt every week! Friday nights in the summer are a blast with the outdoor bar and and still plenty for the kiddos to do. So much more they offer with leagues for all ages - check it out - you'll be glad you did! It's a piece of serenity and how summer should be!

We live in Royal Oak and drove 40 minutes each way to take our kids to their camp, it is by far the best in MI! Offering the coolest and most up to date options (Nerf, Minecraft, Harry Potter, etc.) with an amazing staff and fun activities for any age. WE also have our son's birthday party their every year! Get the entire dome, staff who runs the party, food and drinks included. Actually enjoy your child's birthday without worrying about entertaining, feeding or clean up!

My son took a class this week and I picked him up from his half-day Pokemon camp and he had been physically assaulted. No one did anything to help him or attend to him. I brought it to the manager and assistant managers attention and they could have cared less. They were negligent in providing a safe environment for my child. I would never leave my child at this camp. I want all moms to know that they do not provide a safe environment. I had to take my son to the doctor after picking him up from this camp. Still, they did nothing.

I really like this place a lot. A few of my friends play flag football here and they like it as well. In the summer time, they switch their athletics outdoors, and in the winter they have a large dome that they play in. The dome is heated and is very nice with enough seating for many people. There is a lot to do, and in the summer they even have a giant slip and slide down a hill, and a bar at the top of the hill. I've found the staff to be very nice, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who has children and is looking to get them involved in team sports!

This place has it all! Great setup! Outside large bar, seating area, fire pit, 2 sand volleyball courts, a large sandbox, the biggest slip n slide I've seen & a nice full size soccer field. Something for everyone & the staff is very nice.

I have never been to a softball tournament here and seen more than one umpire. The umpire's hired by this facility are some of the most uneducated umpire's I have seen in my 10 years of watching girls fastpitch softball. To charge the amount this facility charges and not have two umpire's ( that actually know the game) is totally ridiculous. Good luck to all who play in this dump of a facility. When you enter the bathroom it is a total disgusting mess,the stench is terrible and it's probably gonna have no soap to clean up with. If they hired a janitor, cleaned up the place and maybe hired a few umpire's for tournament maybe our team would come back. But after the same disgusting venue and the same terrible umpire's for three tournament in a row we will just keep our team funds and go somewhere a little more professional. The staff even offerd us one hundred dollars back after our poorly umpired championship game.They said use to come again for another tournament. We told them to keep it and use it for cleaning or umpire's, it looks like you need it more than us. Just really dissatisfied with the whole venue period. Hope everyone who plays here has a better experience than we did. Good Luck all!!!

Oakland Yard is the ultimate play place for children. The staff & coaches at the "Yard" are absolutely wonderful people. The staff are respectful and supportive to all children and their parents. Phillip & Marty make a conscious effort to learn all the names of the parents & children that participate in the leagues & activities at the facility. Even the youngest of coaches are trained to be friendly & approach the guests with a welcoming personality. Just recently, I observed a teenage coach reach out with a handshake to introduce himself a new parent with a friendly smile and learn the name of the child & parent. I don't often see teenagers with such a willing attitude to be friendly and outgoing. This is a testament to the mentoring & training that the leadership provides for these young people. The grounds are clean & safety is the utmost priority. We've sent our son to a variety of summer camp sessions & he loves going to camp. The best part about camp is to see that my son has gained confidence & is learning good sportsmanship. I can only hope that one day my son will want to be a counselor & coach at the "Yard". He is learning & growing with every experience at the Oakland Yard. I'm so pleased. I would recommend that every child experience a summer camp session. The cost is affordable and the experience is priceless. There is so much to do there with the variety of activities. The ropes course is a favorite hangout for climbing and adventure. The outdoor soccer fields are turf, so there is no mud or dirt. The sandbox & volleyball courts are a young child's dream come true! Every Friday night there are food trucks and the bar is open. Children are running around, laughing & having fun! It's worth a visit to check out the excitement.