"SYA MOMENTS"
Capture the Moment with SYA

January, 2021 Newsletter
The SYA Moments is a monthly e-newsletter to keep you informed on all
SYA sports and community events
SYA Offers 14 Different Sports!

Babe Ruth Baseball, Basketball, Cheerleading, Cricket - NEW!, Field Hockey, Tackle and Flag Football, Lacrosse, Little League Baseball and Softball, Rugby, Soccer, Track & Field, Ultimate Frisbee (NEW SPORT coming), Volleyball and Wrestling

SYA Also Offers Travel Programs
SYA Registration For Winter Sports is OPEN!!

SYA Registration for Spring Sports is also NOW OPEN!!!


With the current COVID pandemic, all youth sports programs have had to modify their programs as well as adjust their normal registration periods.

Winter sports (Basketball and Wrestling) will begin (or has begun) soon! We will need to be flexible to the constant changes by FCPS but we know that we will have to adjust. Please be patient as our programs are working hard to get things moving forward.

We will continue to monitor and make changes if necessary. PLEASE NOTE - with the current conditions at the schools that are permitted to us, there is the chance that you will show up for a scheduled practice/game and the gym is closed. Lets all understand the challenges we face during these times and please respect the schools for last minute decisions that we may not be aware of. We will do our best to reschedule as needed.

After a successful fall season outdoors, we are fully expecting to resume normal activities for our spring sports and have opened registrations for those as well. We fully expect to be on the fields as we normally would be with regular start and ending periods. We will of course monitor Fairfax County guidelines and protocols to follow and keep you posted by newsletter, email and social media.

Please also consider volunteering as a coach, assistant coach or any other volunteer positions in our winter and spring programs.

SYA is committed to following all CDC, VA state and Fairfax county guidelines for return to play. Please visit our website and click on the header NEWS for all the documents.

We look forward to seeing you all soon. Stay safe!

Are You an Amazon Shopper? Support SYA While You Shop!




For those Amazon shoppers, here is a way to shop and donate to SYA!
SYA is a registered organization in the Amazon Smile program. Amazon Smile is a simple way for you to support SYA every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you will find the same prices and selection as Amazon.com with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to SYA.

To participate go to smile.amazon.com/ch/51-0139457  and lock this in as your standard Amazon link so that you can donate easily to SYA! You only need to do this the 1st time you go to smile.amazon.com. Shop as you normally would and Amazon will donate 0.5% of your qualified purchase to SYA. It’s that simple!!
SYA's Fields of Dreams SPORTS PARK
THE SPORTS PARK IS CLOSED FOR THE WINTER!

* Note about dogs. SYA is pet friendly, however we must ensure the safety of our fields and our players. Please remember no dogs within 10' of any fields and
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON PLAYING FIELDS AT ANY TIME.
Please feel free to bring your pet, but please also keep your pet on a leash at all times and respect all participants and fans. Clean up after your pet. If you wander on our trails also be aware that there is wildlife that inhabit our woods, so please be careful and do not feed the wildlife. Thank you.

Located at 6626 Bull Run Post Office Rd, Centreville VA 20120
Visit our Sports Park website - click here
Get to Know Your SYA Board!
Each month we will highlight one of our SYA board members.

Meet Our Football Commissioner Jason Mullins!

SYA Football Commissioner, Jason Mullins, has been involved with SYA for 11 years when he started coaching flag football. While the program was still very new, he coached his eldest son Austin's team. He then moved on to coach basketball and tackle football as his two sons moved through the SYA programs. Jason has coached three teams at once during flag football season for both the house and travel leagues and achieved five championships during flag football seasons. He was also the field coordinator for many years.

In SYA's basketball program, Jason has coached and assisted house and travel basketball teams, and his teams have won two championships.

He is most dedicated to tackle football and enjoys being part of the program. He has been an assistant coach for 9 seasons and amassed four championships with his sons. Two championships were back-to-back with his youngest son, Jackson, who was also nominated as SYA Anklebiter Player of the Year. Jason runs the snack shack during flag and tackle seasons, assists with inventory, and helps with putting together tackle skills camps. Jason had been working with the board prior to officially joining the SYA football board in 2013. Jason was honored two years in a row for the SYA Football Volunteer of the Year award.
 
Jason grew up playing youth sports, including baseball, wrestling, football, and basketball. Jason developed his coaching skills from lessons learned playing in the youth sports leagues and at Falls Church High School. Asked what he feels is the biggest reward, Jason said "The biggest reward is coaching these kids from five years old until they get to high school, and then watching them play through high school, and some in college. You see them off the field, and court, and they come up to you and give you a hug and that special handshake and still say, 'Thanks for everything, Coach.'"
 
Jason lives in Centreville and has two boys, Austin and Jackson. Austin played in SYA from kindergarten through 8thgrade and is now playing freshman basketball and football for Westfield High School. Jackson started playing SYA at the age of four and is currently playing for SYA and in the 4th grade. Jason is excited to continue to support the SYA football program. Jason loves anything outdoors which includes hunting, fishing, ATV riding, snowboarding, and camping with his two sons. 
SYA Social Media Part Time Position 

  • 40 hours per month average 
  • Works remotely, office time occasionally 
  • Reports to CEO and Executive Board of Directors 


Position goals and scope of duties:
 
SYA is seeking to hire a part time Social Media/Marketing person to recommend and execute a social media and marketing strategy that will increase our membership and support our fundraising efforts. This position will be dedicated to increasing our brand awareness, social media presence, SEO optimization and provide us with a well-rounded strategy for growth. We are looking for someone, preferably associated with SYA, that has a graphic designer background with a nod towards creativity and strategic thinking to help lead our growth efforts. 
Tasks will include but may not be limited to the following: 
  • Perform a complete review of our existing brand guidelines, policies, platforms, and strategies 
  • Provide recommendations for a social media and marketing strategy focused on increasing membership and fundraising 
  • Execute an approved plan to include production of creative materials (videos, photo’s, flyers, etc) 
  • Develop and execute online marketing campaign (such as Facebook, Twitter, and others) 
  • Website enhancement within existing platforms (we have two websites) 
  • Newsletter enhancements (open to complete redesign) 
  • SEO (Search Engine Optimization) improvement 
  • Recommend and determine how to capture video/photo in a “library” for use in approved plan 
  • Assist with Brand Awareness and compliance 
  • Other communications and/or marketing-related assistance as required 

If interested, please submit your resume to ADMIN@SYAYOUTHSPORTS.ORG and type “Social Media Position” in the subject line. Applications will be accepted through January, 2021 with expectation for selection soon after.  
Ten Tips For First-Time Sport Parents

  1. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the excitement of youth sports – we all want our children to succeed. But before your child’s season starts and emotions run high, write down your goals for your child in sports. Keep this list close by and refer back to it throughout the season to help maintain your focus on the bigger picture.
  2. There are a lot of youth sports organizations out there. Take the time to evaluate options for where your child may play. Look at various organizations’ websites to understand their mission statements and what kind of training they offer their coaches. Talk to other parents whose kids have played in those organizations to learn what kind of experience they had. You may want to take as much care in this matter as you would in selecting the school your child should attend.
  3. Learn the names of the other kids on the team, and during a game cheer positively for all the players…even the other team! You can try “no-verbs cheering” or otherwise limit yourself to shouts of encouragement. Either way, let coaches coach and don’t confuse or overwhelm your child by shouting instruction from the sidelines or stands.
  4. Sometimes, parents or other spectators behave in a way that feels out of place or just too intense for the situation – berating officials or screaming at their children or other players. You may be unsure how to respond. One key is to consistently model the appropriate behavior. Then, if you want to help an over-exuberant spectator, sometimes all it takes is a glance or a gesture, such as lowering your palms to indicate “calm down.” You might choose to distract them with conversation about another aspect of the game, or if you feel comfortable, you can remind them about the role of parents in upholding a positive sports culture.
  5. After the game, resist the temptation to critique. Ask open-ended questions that elicit longer responses, “What was your favorite part of today’s practice?” Kids love sports so much they will even talk to their parents about it! When they do, listen. Put the phones away. Maintain eye contact. Nod and interject and smile so your child knows you’re engaged.
  6. When you do have that conversation with your child about their teams or games, focus on the life lessons available from the experience. If your child seems discouraged by his or her performance, reinforce a sense of self-worth with “You’re the kind of person who…” statements: “I know you are disappointed with the loss, but one thing I like about you is you’re the type of person who bounces back and tries hard the next time.”
  7. Coaches put a lot of time into planning practices and ensuring a successful season, so be sure to acknowledge their efforts often! Encourage your child to thank the coach after each game or practice. Offer to help the coaches however you can. That may mean anything from occasionally helping out at practice to creating the snack schedule or coordinating carpools. Coaches need parents’ support, and your children may appreciate seeing how enthusiastically you support their team.
  8. One key to a positive relationship with your child’s coach is a pre-season parent meeting, where the coach explains his or her philosophy and goals for the season to the parents or guardians of all the players on the team. If any of your children’s coaches do not call such a meeting, be sure to ask about their goals so that you know what to expect.
  9. If you’re asked to coach, or to be an assistant, strongly consider accepting! You do NOT need to be a sport-specific expert to provide a fun environment for kids to participate. Good organizations provide training and resources to coaches to help them do great work with their players. Remember, the top goal of a coach at this age is to be positive and create a fun and safe place for kids to play!
  10. At every possible turn, let your children know that you love them unconditionally (by saying it!), regardless of their athletic performance.

Enjoy your child’s time in youth sports. It is fleeting, and you will want to look back, in conversation with your grown children, on the good old days.
THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SYA SPONSORS

Want to be a sponsor? Contact Scott below:

Questions? contact Scott Liskey - sliskey@syasports.org
All funds raised support the SYA Sports Park and All SYA SPORTS!
THANK YOU for Supporting the Southwestern Youth Association!
SYA (Southwestern Youth Association)
5950 Centreville Crest Lane
Centreville, VA 20121
703-815-3362
admin@syayouthsports.org
www.syasports.org
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