Play Time! Ready to Have Fun in Nampa, ID?

Nampa Parks & Recreation

Whether you want to play ball or just watch it, there are numerous sports in Nampa and the surrounding region. Residents can participate in all manner of activities, including golf, softball, pickleball and even futsal (a soccer-based game played on a basketball-type hardcourt). Sports programs geared toward youth also run the gamut of recreational opportunities. 

As for spectators, Nampa and the surrounding communities offer sports events for all seasons. There is baseball in the summer (the minor league Boise Hawks); hockey in the winter (the minor league Idaho Steelheads in Boise); and collegiate sports throughout the year with the NCAA’s Boise State University Broncos and Nampa’s own Northwest Nazarene University Nighthawks. 

“When people are choosing a place to live, one of the main things they look at is what kind of activities there are that they can participate in,” says Darrin Johnson, director of Nampa Parks & Recreation. “It’s just a huge quality-of-life issue to be in a place that has a lot to see and do.” 

Enjoy the Parks and Facilities in Nampa

Nampa ensures that there is much more to do within the city’s 27 parks other than just walk around (though you can certainly do that, as well, on the 14-plus miles of paved pedestrian trails). Fields and equipment are spread out across more than 360 acres of parkland, providing plenty of places to play for both children and adults. 

For example, 44-acre Lakeview Park (the city’s oldest park, dating to 1888) has a baseball/softball field, basketball court, soccer field, sand volleyball court and swimming pool, and Johnson says there is a long-range goal of possibly adding an ice-skating rink. 

A much newer green space can be found at Optimist Park, which was developed in 2002 in partnership with the Nampa Optimist Football organization. Three years later, Nampa Valley Little League Baseball created two fields at Optimist, making the area a multisports complex. 

Over at Lions Park, sports enthusiasts can enjoy facilities for baseball/softball, basketball and swimming, as well as tennis and pickleball. Meanwhile, West Park has four softball fields and one of the city’s three disc golf courses (along with Osborne Park and Orah Brandt Park). Midway Park, covering 52 acres, is home to the city’s newest futsal court. 

Nampa’s first indoor sports facility, Mettle Sports, is a 33,000-square-foot complex that opened in 2020 with four basketball courts, a speed-and-agility training center and a competitive dance studio called The Spot. 

In addition to being used for various youth camps, Mettle’s courts also are the site for the regular Crash the Boards basketball tournaments. Founded in 2010, Crash the Boards is the largest youth basketball program in Idaho, with weekend tournaments held throughout the year that attract 50 to 100 local and regional teams. 

Root for All the Home Teams

It’s also OK to just sit and watch others play, which is why they’re called spectator sports. The Nampa region has that covered as well, most notably through the athletic teams at Boise State. The football and basketball programs garner much of the national attention, but during the 2022-23 school year, the Broncos also earned team and individual accolades in softball, tennis, gymnastics and track. 

During the summer, as the college games go quiet, the Boise Hawks take over. The minor league baseball club has been a fixture in the area for nearly 35 years, providing what team General Manager Mike Van Hise calls “fun, affordable family entertainment.” 

“Our games are cheaper than a movie ticket,” Van Hise says. “We have 48 home games a year, and we have some sort of promotion every game. Fireworks, giveaways, celebrities. It’s all about creating an atmosphere where our fans can come out and have a quick three-hour vacation away from their regular day. Having organized sports teams is important to draw people to the area, and to keep people here. They provide a gathering center for the community. And if you’re a sports fan, we have everything for you around here. There’s always a game to catch.” 

A Great Golf Destination

Nampa Mayor Debbie Kling says the city’s golf venues have maintained their popularity and allure through the years. 

“We have stayed extremely busy at our three courses – Centennial, Ridgecrest and RedHawk – and I think it’s largely because we are centrally located in the Treasure Valley,” Kling says. “Each course is affordable, scenic and well-maintained, and all three are easily accessible right off Interstate 84.” 

The golf scene made big news in 2023 when the City of Nampa purchased both Centennial Golf Course and Ridgecrest Golf Club. The city had been leasing the two golf course properties from the State of Idaho for 40 years. The $6 million purchase in 2023 gave Nampa full ownership of the courses. 

“The city can now make the necessary investments so that Centennial and Ridgecrest continue to be great golf destinations,” Kling says. “Our first investment is remodeling the Centennial clubhouse and upgrading the parking lot, and that project will hopefully be completed in time for spring 2024. We are also putting in an indoor golf simulator at Centennial.” 

Nampa hosts the Mayor’s Golf Tournament every May. Proceeds go toward scholarships for graduating area high school seniors, with the tournament providing $240,000 in scholarships throughout its history. 

“The 2023 event raised $12,000 in total scholarships for four college-bound students,” Kling says. “The tournament also raises money for summer youth golf programs in the city. Golf remains very popular in Nampa.” 

– Kevin Litwin contributed to this article.