National Alliance for Youth Sports
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| Type | Non-profit organization |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1981 as NYSCA later renamed National Alliance for Youth Sports in 1993 |
| Founder(s) | Fred Engh |
| Headquarters | West Palm Beach, Florida, United States |
| Area served | Worldwide |
| Key people | Fred Engh President and CEO John Engh Chief Operations Officer Yolanda Williams Chief Financial Officer Emmy Martinez VP-Membership Programs Greg Bach VP-Communications Lisa Licata VP-Community Relations |
| Website | www.nays.org |
The National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization based in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.A. NAYS provides a variety of programs and services for everyone involved in youth sports, including professional and volunteer administrators, volunteer coaches, officials, parents and young athletes.
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[edit] Mission
NAYS seeks to make the sports experience safe, fun and healthy for ALL children. In addition, NAYS promotes the value and importance of sports and physical activities for the emotional, physical, social and mental development of youth. NAYS believes that participation in sports and activities develops important character traits and lifelong values. In addition, NAYS believes that the lives of youngsters can be positively impacted by their participation in sports and physical activities if the adults involved have proper training and information.
NAYS is committed to making sports safe and positive by providing programs and services that add value to these activities. NAYS believes this happens by:
- Providing children with positive instruction and building basic motor skills
- Training administrators (both professional and volunteer), volunteer coaches and officials on their roles and responsibilities
- Having parents complete an orientation program to understand the important impact sports has on their child's development
- Using the National Standards For Youth Sports (2008 edition) [1]as a guide for operating youth sports programs
- Helping organizations understand the importance of conducting their youth sports programs in accordance with the Recommendations for Communities [2]
[edit] History
Fred Engh, the President and CEO of NAYS, founded the organization in 1981. He has been involved in youth sports for more than 35 years as a coach, athletic director, sports educator and parent of seven children. In 1999, he wrote Why Johnny Hates Sports, a book that examines the state of youth sports in America and provides solutions to many of the problems plaguing organized programs.
Originally named the National Youth Sports Coaches Association (NYSCA), the organization initially focused on educating volunteer coaches on their wide range of responsibilities and the importance of meeting the needs of every child. NYSCA is a volunteer coaches training program that has been utilized by more than 2.5 million volunteer coaches worldwide. With the realization that volunteer coaches are only one aspect of the youth sports equation, NYSCA evolved into the National Alliance for Youth Sports in 1993.
Today, NAYS is the nation's leading youth sports educator and advocate with national programs that educate administrators, coaches, officials and parents about their roles and responsibilities in youth sports, in addition to offering youth development programs for children.
NAYS programs are provided at the local level through dynamic partnerships with more than 3,000 community-based organizations, which include parks and recreation departments,[3] Boys and Girls Clubs, Police Athletic leagues, YMCA/YWCAs, Catholic Youth Organizations and other independent youth service groups throughout the country. NAYS also has a strong presence on military installations worldwide.[4]
[edit] Timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1981 | - NYSCA founded. - Board of Directors formed. |
| 1982 | - Stokely-Van Camp, Inc., maker of Gatorade Thirst Quenchers, sponsors NYSCA |
| 1985 | - DeKalb County, Georgia becomes the first to mandate that its volunteer coaches complete the NYSCA certification program. |
| 1990 | - Hook A Kid On Golf established with its first Introductory Clinic. United States Golf Association announces $90,000 matching grant program and Professional golfer Bob Murphy (golfer) becomes the national spokesperson. |
| 1993 | - NYSCA evolves into the National Alliance for Youth Sports. |
| 1994 | - Stuart Smart Sports Development Program launched and first program held in Naples, Florida. |
| 1996 | - National Youth Sports Officials Association certifies 1,040 officials during its first year. - The Alliance website launches. - Bob King, director of the Bradley County Parks & Recreation department in Cleveland, Tennessee certifies NYSCA's one-millionth coach. King receives a special letter of recognition from President Bill Clinton. |
| 1997 | - 228 recreation professionals from 44 states and 12 countries attend the first Academy for Youth Sports Administrators in Mobile, Alabama. |
| 1998 | - Start Smart unveils sport-specific soccer and baseball programs to prepare children for a smooth transition into those sports. - The doors to Hook A Kid On Golf's first-ever state office open in Illinois, thanks to the passionate efforts of Jerry Rich. |
| 1999 | - More than 100 youngsters from 16 cities nationwide arrive in Peoria, Illinois for the first Hook A Kid On Golf Traditions of Golf Challenge. - Why Johnny Hates Sports, written by Alliance President Fred Engh, hits bookshelves nationwide. |
| 2000 | - The Jupiter-Tequesta Athletic Association becomes the first organization in the country to make the recently launched Parents Association for Youth Sports program mandatory. More than 2,000 parents file into Roger Dean Stadium for the first mandatory PAYS session, which is covered by the NBC Nightly News, ABC World News Tonight, CBS Evening News, ESPN, Sports Illustrated and CNN, among others. - The National Youth Sports Administrators Association program is launched for league presidents, board members and other volunteer administrators. |
| 2001 | - National Summit on Raising Community Standards in Children's Sports held in Chicago. - Olympic gold medalist Marion Jones becomes Time Out! for better sports for kids national spokesperson. Time Out! website is launched to support national public service campaign. |
| 2002 | - Recommendations for Communities, which were established from the National Summit on Raising Community Standards in Children's Sports, are released. - More than 300 delegates convene in San Antonio, Texas, for the first-ever Youth Sports Congress. Award-winning writer Lester Munson of Sports Illustrated delivers the keynote address. |
| 2003 | - Time Out! kids Tammy and Sammy created. - Parents have the opportunity to go through the Parents Association for Youth Sports program from the comfort of home thanks to unveiling of the on-line program. - The International Alliance for Youth Sports formed. - First International Summit held in Atlanta, Georgia. |
| 2004 | - After thousands of NYSCA clinics that have been held in big cities, small towns and on various continents, the 2 millionth coach is trained. |
| 2005 | - High-ranking sports officials from more than a dozen countries throughout the Caribbean, as well as Mexico and Zambia, gather in Roseau, Dominica, for the first-ever Caribbean Conference on Children's Sports. - SportingKid magazine becomes the official member publication of NAYS. The full-color magazine delivered to volunteer coaches, parents, administrators and officials six times a year is packed with information to enhance the youth sports experience for everyone involved. - Game On! Youth Sports, a first-of-its-kind approach that creates opportunities for children to participate in healthy physical activities that otherwise wouldn't have the opportunity to do so, is launched in Dominica. |
| 2006 | - Alliance celebrates its 25th Anniversary as the leading advocate for positive and safe sports for children. - Youngsters tee it up in Hawaii at a Hook A Kid On Golf clinic at the Hokuli's Golf Course in Kailua-Kona. - Alliance releases background check guidelines to assist leagues based on findings from a special session on background screening held during the Youth Sports Congress in Denver. - Delegates throughout Africa take part in the first-ever Game On! African Summit in Lusaka, Zambia. - International Alliance for Youth Sports establishes office in Queretaro, Mexico. |
[edit] Programs, Services and Events
The National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS) has three divisions: Membership/Education, Youth Development and the International Alliance for Youth Sports (IAYS).
NAYS publishes SportingKid magazine, a quarterly publication that is a resource for adults involved in youth sports that contains news on the latest trends, issues, research and products affecting the youth sports world.
[edit] Youth Sports Congress
The Youth Sports Congress is NAYS’ annual event, a three-day comprehensive educational training that covers cutting edge topics in the field of youth sports. The Congress provides administrators from around the globe with the chance to discuss issues that are pertinent to youth sports, and interact with their peers to obtain practical information regarding their youth sports community. Leading experts in a variety of fields related to youth sports also conduct sessions and share valuable information and research throughout the event.[5]
[edit] Excellence in Youth Sports Award
The Excellence in Youth Sports Awards honor programs that do superior jobs of conducting diverse activities with a focus on providing safe and positive experiences for all participants, including children, parents and coaches. Developed by the National Alliance for Youth Sports and Athletic Business magazine[6], the first Excellence in Youth Sports Awards were presented in 2000 and are given out annually at the Youth Sports Congress.
[edit] Membership/Education
NAYS’ membership/education programs are designed to properly train and prepare adults for their roles and responsibilities in youth sports.
[edit] National Youth Sports Coaches Association (NYSCA)
The National Youth Sports Coaches Association (NYSCA) is a membership organization and the most widely used volunteer coach training program in the nation, having trained more than 2.5 million coaches since its inception in 1981. More than 3,000 community-based agencies and organizations offer this opportunity.
[edit] Parents Association for Youth Sports (PAYS)
The Parents Association for Youth Sports (PAYS) is a one-time educational seminar designed to make parents aware of their roles and responsibilities and ways they can make the youth sports experience more enjoyable and positive for their child.
[edit] National Youth Sports Administrators Association (NYSAA)
The National Youth Sports Administrators Association (NYSAA) is a membership organization of volunteers responsible for the planning and implementation of out-of-school sports programs. The program provides training, information and resources for volunteer administrators, such as league presidents, boards, commissions and representatives.
[edit] Academy for Youth Sports Administrators (AYSA)
The Academy for Youth Sports Administrators (AYSA) is a comprehensive professional youth sports administrator certification program that offers cutting-edge information on critical topics in youth sports today. Upon successful completion of the Academy, administrators earn the Certified Youth Sports Administrator (CYSA) credential. Currently, more than 1,600 CYSAs have graduated from the Academy.
[edit] National Youth Sports Officials Association (NYSOA)
The National Youth Sports Officials Association (NYSOA) provides training, support and continuing education to officials in out-of-school youth sports programs. The training shares information on characteristics common to all successful sports officials, the importance of being a role model, first aid and safety, and many other important areas.
[edit] Youth Development
NAYS’ youth development division is comprised of two innovative and dynamic youth sports programs – Start Smart Sports Development Programs and Hook A Kid On Golf.
[edit] Hook A Kid On Golf
Hook A Kid On Golf is an innovative youth golf program provided by the National Alliance for Youth Sports. Hook A Kid On Golf provides communities with a comprehensive youth golf program that eliminates all the obstacles that discourage youngsters from learning and continuing to play golf while instilling in them an understanding of golf's rules, golf etiquette and history.[7]
[edit] Start Smart Sports Development Programs
Developed by top motor skills development specialists in the field of youth sports, Start Smart Sports Development Programs are designed to offer instructional sports programming for children ages 3 to 5. Parent-child groups perform motor skill tasks that gradually build confidence in children while they are having fun at the same time.
[edit] International Alliance for Youth Sports (IAYS)
Established in 2003, the International Alliance for Youth Sports (IAYS) serves as the global arm of the National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS).
Led by an international advisory board, IAYS aims to build the value of sports for children worldwide. IAYS addresses the issues that hinder youth sport participation throughout the world – including lack of trained volunteers and programming, nonexistent facilities and poor equipment – through its Game On! Youth Sports program and the Global Gear Drive.
[edit] Game On! Youth Sports
Game On! Youth Sports was developed by IAYS as a mechanism to provide countries with sports programming for children at the school, after-school and community levels.
Game On! Youth Sports programs are designed to give children the ability to develop sports skills while learning how to make healthy lifestyle decisions and avoid the negative behaviors that lead to the dangers of crime, violence, drug abuse and obesity, as well as diseases such as HIV/AIDS.
[edit] Global Gear Drive
A program of the International Alliance for Youth Sports (IAYS), the Global Gear Drive (GGD) is an international initiative dedicated to placing sports equipment in the hands of underprivileged children around the world. The GGD obtains new and gently used sports equipment from various sports organizations, leagues and communities and donates them to underprivileged youngsters living in various remote regions all across the globe. Founded on the belief that all children should receive the benefits of a safe, healthy and positive sports experience, the GGD strives to provide youth with the equipment needed pursue athletics both recreationally and competitively. The GGD is also supported by the Sammy Wilkinson Memorial Foundation, an IAYS fundraising initiative that relies on contributions from schools, corporations, churches, universities, local businesses and individuals. GGD collects a variety of different sports equipment including soccer balls, baseballs, baseball gloves and bats, volleyballs, nets, basketballs, as well as uniforms and sporting apparel.
[edit] References
- ^ "National Standards For Youth Sports (2008 edition)". NAYS. http://www.nays.org/CMSContent/File/National_Standards08FINAL(2).pdf. Retrieved on 2008-09-04.
- ^ "Recommendations for Communitites". NAYS. http://www.nays.org/CMSContent/File/nays_community_recommendations.pdf. Retrieved on 2008-11-30.
- ^ "The National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS)". http://www.miamidade.gov/parks/about-park-watch_NAYS.asp. Retrieved on 2008-08-15.
- ^ "Shaw JCC demands accountablility from youth sports coaches". http://www.ohio.com/community/readernews/26404009.html. Retrieved on 2008-08-07.
- ^ "Athletic Business Conference 2008 Brochure". http://www.athleticbusinessconference.com/brochure/2008/. Retrieved on 2008-09-01.
- ^ "All Work and All Play". http://www.athleticbusiness.com/articles/article.aspx?articleid=1922&zoneid=35. Retrieved on 2008-12-01.
- ^ "CHALLENGE: It's more than just the score". http://www.pjstar.com/sports/x1386717348/CHALLENGE-Its-more-than-just-the-score. Retrieved on 2008-08-05.
