On any given day across the westside, there's a good chance that a birthday party, sports camp, field day or school event is being led by Coach Joel Cedeno or a member of his team. Through his company, Children's Sports Academy (CSA), "Coach Joel," as he is affectionately known, has spent more than 13 years helping children move, play, learn and grow through sports. Whether he's organizing relay races at a backyard birthday bash, leading a summer camp, teaching a child how to dribble a basketball for the first time, helping a youngster learn to ride a bike or encouraging a hesitant student to join a game, his goal remains remarkably simple: make sports fun, accessible and welcoming for every child.
Long before he became one of the area's most recognizable youth coaches, Coach Joel was simply a sports-loving kid growing up in Echo Park, just steps from Dodger Stadium. Athletics were woven into his childhood. He played recreational sports throughout his early years and spent as much time outdoors as possible. His love of the game was encouraged by his parents and sisters, but perhaps no one shaped him more than his dad. "My father taught me everything I know about how to be a man," Coach Joel says. "But the greatest lesson he gave me was how to serve others first." Those words would eventually become the foundation not only of his career, but of his life.
Today, Coach Joel views coaching as a form of service. Every class, camp and event is an opportunity to encourage, support and connect with children. His father's passing a few years ago only deepened that sense of purpose, and CSA became a way to carry forward the values he was raised with: faith, family, humility, leadership and love. "Everything I do through CSA is a way of honoring my father," he says. "My hope is that every child I coach feels even a small piece of the love, patience and guidance he gave me."
The dream of working with children through sports began earlier than most people might expect. Coach Joel still remembers sitting in PE class as a teenager and looking around at his teachers. While many of his classmates were beginning to think about traditional careers, he found himself fascinated by the idea that these adults spent their days moving, playing sports and working with young people. "I remember telling myself that if I could one day become like them in any way, I would know I had made it in life," he says. "Simply because I would be able to touch a ball, shoot a basketball and use sports as part of my everyday work."
Years later, that dream became Children's Sports Academy. What started as one coach with a love of sports and a desire to serve has evolved into a thriving company. Through CSA, Coach Joel and his team lead everything from birthday parties and sports camps to field days, enrichment programs, recess support, community events and large-scale school celebrations—reaching hundreds of children and families throughout Los Angeles each week. Over the years, CSA has become woven into the fabric of daily life at many local schools. The company partners with institutions including Brawerman West, Wilshire Boulevard Temple, The Center for Early Education, Canyon Crest Preschool and Cassidy Preschool, where Coach Joel and his team work with students through ongoing sports programs, enrichment classes, camps and school-day activities. CSA is also regularly called upon to lead field days, school parties and community events for Brentwood School, Curtis School and many others throughout the westside.
For Coach Joel, these partnerships represent something much bigger than business growth. "Schools and families trust us with their children," he says. "That's something we never take for granted." That trust has become one of CSA's defining characteristics. Whether working with a small preschool class or coordinating an event for hundreds of students, Coach Joel and his team are known for bringing structure, organization, professionalism and positive energy to every program they lead.
Just as importantly, they know how to connect with children. Yet some of his favorite moments happen away from the spotlight. Some children arrive eager to participate. Others linger on the sidelines, unsure if they want to join. He still finds joy in watching a child who begins the day hesitant eventually jump into a game, make a new friend or discover a skill they didn't know they possessed. "Watching a child gain confidence right in front of you is one of the best parts of what we do," he says.
That ability to engage children of all ages has earned Coach Joel an especially loyal following among local families. "There is no one more creative—or more adored by both children and parents—than Joel," say longtime clients Alexis and Ryan Draizin. "His ability to engage a group of kids, whether it's four or forty, is truly unmatched. He has a remarkable talent for making each experience fun, meaningful and memorable.”
That approach has also earned him the trust of countless families who have watched him become part of their children's lives year after year. "Few people outside a family have the opportunity to impact children as deeply as Coach Joel has impacted ours," say Samantha and Michael Auerbach. "We have watched him build athletes, but more importantly, build character. At the same time, we've had the privilege of watching him grow from a young coach into a husband, father, entrepreneur and leader over the last decade. He has become part of our family's story.”
Today, Coach Joel is a husband and father himself, raising two young children while continuing to build the company he started more than a decade ago. Becoming a parent has given him a new perspective on the work he does. He now understands firsthand the trust families place in the adults who spend time with their children—a responsibility he doesn't take lightly. For Coach Joel, however, the focus has never been on building a business or earning recognition. "It's never really been about sports," he says. "Sports are just the vehicle. What matters is helping kids feel confident, capable and supported."
Now, as CSA continues to grow through new school partnerships, camps and community programming, the mission remains unchanged. "My dream is to keep creating spaces where kids can move, play, learn, grow and feel connected," he says. "Sports changed my life, and now I get to use sports to impact theirs."
Children’s Sports Academy
626-316-9758
csala.info