CYSA Leadership Committee takes first step

8/21/2015

Earlier this year the National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS) introduced the CYSA Leadership Committee.

The committee consists of Certified Youth Sports Administrators (CYSAs) from around the world. CYSAs pave the path of youth sports administration. They operate youth sports programs with integrity and professionalism to offer activities that are fun and safe for kids.

The CYSA Leadership Committee is the voice of professional youth sports administrators and provides support and direction for community youth sports programs nationwide. The committee’s mission is to:

• Make the CYSA credential the certification standard for all youth sports professionals.
• Raise the credibility, value and recognition of those who have the CYSA designation and encourage others to earn the CYSA designation as well.
• Take stances on topics that affect positive policy reform in youth sports.

“Recognizing our profession is vital to the communities that offer youth sports. While participating in sports, children learn values and morals that provide a foundation for adulthood," said Eddie Martinez, park, recreation and open spaces manager III at Miami-Dade (Fla.) County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces and a CYSA Leadership Committee member. "We owe it to our kids to work together and ensure that each community has a trained professional on staff."

The committee's initial steps included organizing three sub-committees to focus on specific areas.

“Any time you have a large committee, it is essential to break down into smaller sub-committees in order to get any work accomplished,” said David Guthrie, youth sports director at MCCS Cherry Point in North Carolina and a CYSA Leadership Committee member. “Trying to make decisions about topics and issues with a large group of people all voicing their views is not feasible,”

The CYSA Leadership Committee sub-committees are:

• Professional Development: Conduct internal review of continuing education requirements for CYSAs.
• Youth Sports Congress Participation: Committee members will host a roundtable forum at the NAYS Youth Sports Congress in New Orleans, La.
• Topic Identification: Address important issues and policy areas of youth sports administration and provide recommendations.

“Additionally, breaking down into sub-committees allows for committee members to work primarily in their areas of expertise and special interest,” Guthrie said.

"I am a firm believer in the wonderful power of youth sports and its positive effects on a community,” said CYSA Leadership Committee member Lacy Bienkowski, recreation programmer with the City of Mesa (Ariz.) Parks, Recreation and Commercial Facilities. “I couldn’t be more excited to be working with a group focused on changing and guiding the culture of youth sports."

The CYSA Leadership Committee has 26 members from municipal park and recreation agencies, Boys & Girls Clubs and U.S. military youth sports programs worldwide. Learn more about the CYSA Leadership Committee HERE. 

CYSA Leadership Committee Professional Development Youth Sports Congress

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