NAYS Celebrates 40 Years
A look back at the industry highs and lows
By John Engh
Photo: NAYS
2021 marks 40 years since the National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS) was founded as the National Youth Sports Coaches Association. There have been so many milestones for the organization since my dad (Fred Engh) founded it in 1981, but none have had more impact than the Academy for Youth Sports Administrators, created in 1995. Thousands of youth-sports professionals from around the world have joined the ranks as Certified Youth Sports Administrators.
I have been at NAYS for 33 years. And notably, some key staff members, Senior Director of Communications & Content, Greg Bach, and Senior Director for Youth Sports Professionals, Lisa Licata, have also been on staff at NAYS for more than 30 years. It’s amazing to have that kind of dedication and experience to rely on as the leader of an organization. Bach has published 10 books on youth sports, and if anyone has presented more educational sessions on topics important to youth-sports professionals over the years than Licata, I would be surprised.
I acknowledge these two professionals because, with their combination of almost 100 years of experience, I wanted to reflect on some of the changes that have occurred in the field during our tenure—and the list is significant. I gave them each 10 minutes to decide what they felt were the biggest changes—positive and negative—they have seen in the last 10 years. I made a list, too, and our reflections were similar. Here’s a summary of those lists and some of the challenges that were encountered:
We all agreed there has been a major shift in who is organizing youth-sports programs now versus in the 1980s and 1990s. Now, a majority of the programs, both sing-sport and multi-sport, are run by volunteer-based youth organizations. These groups are well-meaning, and many do a fantastic job. But the revolving door of mostly parent-run boards creates challenges related to consistency from year to year, versus programs run by the local parks and recreation department. Overseeing these groups has become one of the biggest challenges for youth-sports administrators.
Another major change has been an awareness of safety concerns. Whether the health issues are concussions or sudden cardiac arrest and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), or the safety of children as related to sexual predators, or even preparing plans for extreme emergencies like an active shooter, the importance of these issues has increased. The good news is that, because this awareness has increased, so have the solutions, and many organizations have policies in place to deal with most—if not all—of these issues.
Each of us may recall, when we were 10 to 12 years old, that most programs were recreational in nature. Serious competition didn’t start until middle school. Now, at the same age, many one-sport athletes are specializing and playing year-round in tournaments and on travel teams, which have taken over from many of the recreational programs. Many parents now hire personal trainers for their young athletes, and numerous negative factors, both physically and mentally, inevitably result—like burnout and overuse injuries—that continue to be major challenges. In short, FOMO, or the fear of missing out, has crept into the mindset of participants, and especially parents.
My colleagues and I agree that many of the changes in the youth-sports world have been positive, but many challenges remain. Because of the increased competition at younger ages, parents continue to be very emotionally involved in their child’s activities. Parental behavior—both among spectators as well as by coaches on the field—is still the top concern for administrators. Bad behavior has created a national shortage of officials. So many well-meaning adults are now refusing to volunteer for mostly low-paying jobs that are so essential to programs. Don’t believe me? Just Google “youth-sports official shortage,” and see how many stories pop up. While we should be encouraging students and former players that officiating is a great way to stay involved in a sport they love, all they see is conflict that doesn’t seem worth the effort.
On the positive side, the professionalism of those overseeing youth sports has risen. Many recreation departments require staff members to have certification in youth-sports administration. Technology has made overseeing user groups much easier for administrators. From checking background-screening results, to overseeing training, to communicating dangerous weather conditions to parents, everything can basically be done instantly. Dedicated youth-sports administrators are staying on top of these issues and continuing their education by attending conferences and workshops every year. These are the people who truly make the difference in communities that decide whether programs have positive or negative results.
Of course, we would like to think we at NAYS have contributed to some of these positive changes in the last 40 years. We now see that many—if not all—of the youth-sports organizations in the country require multiple training sessions for coaches, as well as background screenings to be eligible to run programs. At NAYS, we are proud of the thousands of relationships we have created with local recreation agencies, as well as the youth programs on every U.S. military base worldwide.
It’s been a great 40 years, and we can’t wait to see what the next 40 have in store!
John Engh is executive director of the National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS) in West Palm Beach, Fla. He can be reached via email at jengh@nays.org. To join more than 3,000 communities by starting a NAYS Member Organization, visit www.nays.org, email nays@nays.org or call (800) 729-2057.