NCYS'
past year has been full of energy
and exciting growth for the benefit
of the NCYS members and the youth
sports industry. In previous years
NCYS explored new territories to
find its niche, the last few years
the NCYS mission and vision really
started coming together; but this
year proved the Strategic Plan to
be right on target. We have truly
made our mark hitting a bulls-eye
with specific areas that are unique
to NCYS and respected by our members,
the media, the government, corporate
America, and the leaders in and
around our industry.
NCYS
was founded in 1979 by the Sporting
Goods Manufacturers Association.
In 1988 we had 14 members. In 1998
we had 74 members. Today, 2006,
we boast 182+ member organizations
that represent more than 52-million
participants in organized youth
sports programs!
Last
year I told you that, "since
NCYS' inception, the leadership
has sought a specific program to
put its arms around that would set
us apart from all others. We now
have THREE! Three phenomenal programs
that have gained NCYS a well deserved,
valued reputation as the proven
leader of the youth-serving industry."
The highlight of this year's report
is to inform you that our three
major programs are solid, growing
at a good pace, creating exciting
momentum, gaining recognition, and
most importantly are valued by our
membership.
HERSHEY'S STRIVE AWARDS
STRIVE stands for: Sports Teach
Respect, Initiative, Values and
Excellence.
NCYS' Hershey's STRIVE Award is
in its third year. This recognition
program honors outstanding individuals
from all across the United States
in four categories: Local Administrator,
National Administrator, Coach and
Volunteer of the Year. The award
ceremony events are conducted in
each award winner's hometown. They
are honored in front of their peers,
public officials, their community
leaders, colleagues, parents and
the children who they mentored so
well.
This
past year's events were as varied
as the honorees themselves. They
were held on the tennis courts full
of children at a park; on a state-of-the-art
softball field; at a national meeting;
and at a black-tie hall of fame
dinner. The quality of these fine
dedicated individuals is so awe-inspiring
and makes one so proud to be part
of such an incredible organization.
Each award winner is a remarkable
leader, a respected mentor, and
has made such a significant positive
difference in the lives of children.
Media
coverage increases each year with
local, regional and national newspapers
and magazines, radio, and television
praising our STRIVE honorees. This
year in particular the U.S. and
State Senators and Representatives
came out in force with letters of
commendation, proclamations, state
flags, and passionate congratulatory
tributes.
NCYS
encourages everyone to send in nominations
with testimonials. Notify your affiliates
of the STRIVE program. We will supply
you with STRIVE postcards to send
your members in bulk for them to
distribute. Or duplicate our emails
to your colleagues. Spread the word!
STRIVE is a great program with good
publicity for your program and a
fun celebration of youth sports.
A
most sincere thank you to Hershey's
for allowing us this wonderful opportunity
to recognize the best of the best
as America's hometown heroes!
NCYS
CERTIFIED SPORTS ADMINISTRATOR PROGRAM
Youth sports industry executives
and managers have really caught
on the benefit of NCYS' Certified
Sports Administrator program. We
know that the rapidly changing sports
market is requiring more sophisticated
marketing and greater fiscal responsibility
from sports organizations. At the
same time, sports industry managers
do not often have the time, resources,
or opportunity to earn an advanced
management degree.
Thanks
to the generosity and forward-thinking
NFL Youth Football Fund, the NCYS
hired the internationally renowned
The George Washington University
to develop and deliver a customized,
flexible and affordable educational
program that provides management
related courses to youth sports
executives.
Courses
offered are: Marketing Sports Organizations;
Sponsorship & Negotiations;
Risk Management; Event Management;
Fund Sports Organizations; and Management
& Leadership of Sports Organizations.
The
key to the success of the Certified
Sports Administrator (CSA) program
is member organizations offering
the CSA courses at their national
training meetings and conventions.
This is a top-notch education opportunity
that broadens the knowledge base
and provides for better-trained
professionals delivering sports
programs.
All
six courses are offered online through
the NCYS website www.ncys.org. And
NCYS and member organizations will
continue to offer the CSA's in a
traditional setting throughout the
year. The online distance learning
opportunity has been very popular
allowing individuals to take the
CSA courses at their own pace at
their convenience.
Completion
of all six courses earns one the
prestigious CSA designation along
with a signed and sealed Certificate
from The George Washington University
and the National Council of Youth
Sports!
CRIMINAL BACKGROUND SCREENING
PROGRAM
Without exception, NCYS is the industry
leader on complete and comprehensive
criminal background screening program
for youth serving organizations.
Several
years ago NCYS began a nationwide
movement to protect our children,
volunteers and administrators, and
organizations from the possible
loss of personal or organization
assets because of costly litigation.
Without it poses a liability risk
that literally threatens the future
existence of organized youth sports.
At
the request of our members, we created
the "NCYS Recommended Guidelines
for Volunteer Background Screening
in Nonprofit Youth-Serving Organizations"
to assist the youth serving industry
with best practices, policies and
procedures. Our goal, of course
is that these guidelines will evolve
into the industry standard. To further
that goal, we helped create the
National Center for Safety Initiatives
(NCSI) in order to provide the very
best national background screening
service solely dedicated to youth
serving organizations.
NCYS
has engaged the insurance companies
into our child safety program initiative
in order to prove our youth serving
industry is taking on the responsibility,
implementing best practices and
properly protecting them against
the liability exposure. NCYS is
also active on Capitol Hill keeping
a pulse on all legislation affecting
our initiatives in order to secure
the safest possible environment
for the children in our care.
The
National Center for Safety Initiatives
(NCSI) is the only national background
screening services specifically
dedicated to the protection of children.
NCSI is the only licensed company
authorized to apply the NCYS Recommended
Guidelines to its volunteer screening,
focusing its efforts, systems, and
expertise directly into seven identified
risk factors using multiple vendors
to ensure client organizations will
meet and exceed due diligence. NCSI
is the only company that serves
as a resource for NCYS members in
terms of criminal background checks,
educational training, policies,
and other important activities.
The
staff and leadership at NCSI are
150% dedicated to this cause with
passionate determination as the
first-line of defense in the protection
of the children under the care of
the youth-serving industry. NCYS
is profoundly grateful for their
unwavering commitment.
PUBLIC POLICY/GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
Another mainstay area of work for
NCYS is Government Relations. NCYS
has become a regular resource in
Washington D.C. for the U.S. Senators
and House of Representatives, their
staffers and the Congressional committees.
We are the "go-to" unified
voice of youth sports and recognized
as such on Capitol Hill.
For
many years now, NCYS has carried
the advocacy banner on legislative
issues supporting athletic fields
and recreational facilities, as
well as physical education and obesity.
NCYS proved itself credible and
influential and U.S. Congress responded
directing NCYS to participate in
the PROTECT Act.
Having
gained the respect of the U.S. Congress,
we now look forward to advancing
public policy by supporting legislation
to provide immunity for nonprofit
athletic organizations in lawsuits
arising from claims of ordinary
negligence relating to the adoption
of rules for athletic competitions
and practices.
We
will continue to advocate for immunity
for those youth-serving organizations
involved in lawsuits who follow
the "NCYS Recommended Guidelines"
and show due diligence. We will
continue to work hard to pass legislation
that overhauls the way that we register
and monitor sex offenders. We will
look to our members help in mobilizing
a grassroots coalition whenever
there is public policy that affects
our industry, advances our ethical
values and good character, and/or
enhances the youth sports experience
in America.
Future
plans for NCYS call for a CEO Summit
in Washington D.C. whereby our executive
members will fly-in to our nation's
capitol, we will have a legislative
briefing, and schedule appointments
for them to meet their members of
Congress face-to-face as well as
for their Representatives to hear
directly from their constituents.
MARKET RESEARCH
The "NCYS Report on Trends
and Participation in Organized Youth
Sports" is a much sought
after document. We are well known
for producing credible market research.
No other entity produces such a
publication for the organized youth
sports industry. We are hopeful
to receive funding in the upcoming
year to produce an updated version.
NCYS WEBSITE
The NCYS website continues to be
our most valued area of communication,
brand marketing, and source of expansion.
It is our "face" to the
youth sports industry we represent,
and our website drives new business
to us everyday.
The
STRIVE program is completely online,
our Certified Sports Administrator
program is online, and NCSI is online.
The addition of us now accepting
credit cards online has served as
a convenience and benefit to our
members. Membership renewals, conference
registrations, distance learning,
merchandise, etc. are all available
for purchase online.
NCYS
receives exceptional feedback on
the appearance and the ease to navigate
through www.ncys.org. We receive
a lot of attention from those searching
the Internet for youth sports related
information thus broadening and
marketing our brand in a positive
way!
THE FORECAST
There are five key areas that the
Board of Directors identified as
priority issues in the newly created
NCYS Strategic Plan: "Vision
2010" and they are: Identity/Credibility/Visibility;
Partnership; Funding; Member Services;
and Leadership & Organizational
Structure. The complete document
is being published and will be sent
to the full membership summer 2006.
IN CLOSING
Believe it or not, creating this
report is actually one of the most
favorite parts of my job because
I get to share with you, the youth
sports industry leaders, a piece
of the excitement and joy that I
live with every day. As diversified
as we all are, we are unified. It
is amazing the difference we make
when we pull together our collective
brains and move forward as a powerful
force for youth and for sport.
A
sincere thank you to the NCYS membership.
Your incredible dedication to your
work is such an inspiration. When
the going gets tough, the youth
sports industry leaders are JUST
getting going!!! At the end of the
day, you can have nothing but extreme
pride to do what you do for the
children and society as a whole.
Thank
you to NCYS Board of Directors.
They are amazing individuals who
lead with a true passion, an open
mind and great vision to be certain
NCYS best serves the needs of the
youth sports industry. And a very
special thanks to President Rutledge.
Wanda is completely dedicated to
the constructive advancement of
the NCYS. She, like all the board
members, always make themselves
available to me even at moments
I know they are frantic with their
"real" jobs!
Thank
you; too, to our generous corporate
partners whom we are most appreciative
to and without them, we absolutely
would not exist. It is this combined
commitment of unwavering support
that keeps my enthusiasm and passion
at its peak motivating me to drive
youth sports forward in a positive
way.
My
expectation is that you will leave
Lexington really charged up - more
excited about youth sports than
ever before. And that you return
home so darn proud to be in this
industry that you'll want to take
advantage of all the opportunities
and challenges we have presented
and more!
Thank
you for all that you do each and
every day to make a child's life
more fun and more complete. And
thank you for this extraordinary
opportunity to serve NCYS.
