National Alliance for Youth Sports
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.
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) 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
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.
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.
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.
Membership/Education
NAYS’ membership/education programs are designed to properly train and prepare adults for their roles and responsibilities in youth sports.
National Youth Sports Coaches Association (NYSCA)
Official logo of the National Youth Sports Coaches Association
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.
Parents Association for Youth Sports (PAYS)
Official logo of the Parents Association for Youth Sports
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
