Massachusetts Youth Soccer - April 2023

FINAL SCORE

Mass Youth Soccer

CONNECTING SOCCER FAMILIES ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS

Charting a Path Forward: Mass Youth Soccer President Addresses the AGM

At the 2023 Mass Youth Soccer Annual General Meeting (AGM), David Amidon expressed gratitude to attendees and highlighted the organization's accomplishments over the past year. The virtual format, adopted during the COVID-19 outbreak, has significantly increased membership participation by eliminating the need for travel.

The President extended heartfelt thanks to board members, staff, sponsors, and volunteers for their dedication and support. These individuals have helped the organization become a leader in youth soccer and youth sports in general for almost 50 years.

Despite the many successes of the past year, David urged members to collaborate and contribute to the organization's goals. Addressing concerns about a decrease in volunteerism, David encouraged everyone to get involved, whether through coaching, refereeing, joining a local board, or assisting with various tasks.

Looking forward to 2023 and beyond, David outlined key objectives for Mass Youth Soccer:

1. Deliver programs that are responsive and relevant to the evolving youth soccer landscape.

2. Break down systemic barriers for underrepresented groups, including women, people of color, those with disabilities, and the LGBTQIA+ community.

3. Grow the game by creating more opportunities for inner-city, rural, and under-served communities.

4. Ensure safe and healthy soccer environments through risk mitigation policies and measures, such as SafeSoccer and concussion awareness training.

5. Utilize technology to improve registration, communication, and safety measures.

6. Partner with the Boston organizing committee and other national efforts to maximize interest and participation in soccer during the upcoming Women's World Cup in 2023 and Men's World Cup in 2026.

David concluded the address by emphasizing Mass Youth Soccer's role as trailblazers and leaders in youth sports. By working together, the organization can continue to create a lasting legacy for soccer families in Massachusetts.

David Amidon discusses recent accomplishments, goals, and the importance of volunteerism

Mass Youth Soccer's Remarkable Achievements

NATIONAL WINNER STEPHEN DE GARAVILLA

Executive Director, Mike Borislow presents how Mass Youth Soccer is empoweing communities and creating opportunities for young atheltes

Mass Youth Soccer has accomplished many significant achievements in the past year, showing a strong commitment to building a better community through soccer. From building relationships with partners to implementing new programs and initiatives, the organization has demonstrated a clear dedication to fulfilling its mission, vision, and values.

One of the most notable accomplishments of Mass Youth Soccer is the increased sponsorship income and partnerships. This, along, with the successful partnership with a new apparel provider has helped the organization to deliver more quality programs and services to its members.

The relationship with NE Revolution and collaboration on events and relationships with club soccer through the NECSL has helped play at the highest levels through USYS National League Conferences and PRO division and have been important in advancing the organization's mission. Mass Youth Soccer has welcomed new licensed coaches to its Town Select League coaching staff, increasing the total number of coaches to 48-all with a license. The organization has also introduced a new bi-monthly electronic magazine and virtual leadership workshops.

Mass Youth Soccer has also obtained US Soccer Innovate to Grow Grants and other grants supporting Urban and Underserved Community programs. The increased focus on the TOPSoccer Program and the formal creation of the DEIB group show the organization's commitment to inclusivity and diversity.

The organization has completed a turf field replacement and property improvement project on budget and ahead of schedule, increasing its field crew capabilities with new and improved equipment. This has led to improved employee morale and retention of field crew employees. Additionally, Mass Youth Soccer has modified several areas of the facility to promote safety, aesthetics, and efficiency. Property maintenance has also improved due to the ability to get a large amount of work done, thanks to lower than normal snowfall.

The organization has delivered more coaching education courses and identified the need for more. The Technical Department is poised for great success under the leadership of newly appointed State Technical Director Tommy Geis. Mass Youth Soccer has also formed partnerships with new hotels to provide much-needed inventory for large tournaments.

While achieving sustainable growth, the Town Select League has consistently aligned with Mass Youth Soccer's mission, vision, and values. The organization has partnered with Players Health to ease the misconduct reporting burden for its member organizations, and has introduced a library of new tutorial videos focused on registrations and member management roles.

Mass Youth Soccer has streamlined State Cup administration tasks with an increase in registrations, and the ODP has grown with players and staff. The District Select Program team card is virtually filled, and the Genesis Referee Program is gaining momentum.

The Annual Financial FYE 2022 audit was very successful, and Mass Youth Soccer has introduced new employee education and training seminars focused on mental health and well-being. The organization has also implemented statewide accepted and required Codes of Conduct for Coaches, Parents/Guardians/Spectators, Players, and Referees, as well as a Zero Tolerance Policy.

Overall, Mass Youth Soccer's commitment to its mission, vision, and values has been total and unwavering. The organization has achieved many significant accomplishments in the past year, and its dedication to providing quality programs and services to the community is commendable. Mass Youth Soccer's remarkable achievements are a testament to the organization's commitment to building a stronger community through soccer.

Massachusetts Youth Soccer Announces Succession

of Rob

Holliday as Executive Director

Lancaster, MA - Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association, representing 150,000 players and 25,000 registered adults in the Commonwealth, is proud to announce the appointment of Rob Holliday as Executive Director, effective June 1. Holliday will be taking over for Mike Borislow, who has served as Executive Director for nine years and will remain at Mass. Youth Soccer as its Interim Manager for Safeguarding and Participant Safety.

A graduate in Economics and Finance from the University of Southampton, Holliday has been integral in the success of Mass. Youth Soccer for the past nine years, serving as Director of Operations, Marketing and Communications in addition to roles in the Olympic Development Program and Technical Department as a Coach Educator. Rob holds a US Soccer A License, National Youth License, and SHRM CP HR Qualification, in addition to being a Certified Instructor for the US Soccer Grassroots License Pathway. In addition to overseeing facility operations, programming, and events at Mass. Youth Soccer, Rob has several years’ experience as a Technical Director for both Club and Town based programs in Massachusetts.

“It is a great honor and privilege to have the opportunity to lead Mass. Youth Soccer’s talented and passionate staff and collaborate with the Board of Directors to serve our members and continually strive to provide more and better safe, fun, affordable, inclusive, and equitable playing environments. Mike Borislow has been a transformational leader for Mass. Youth Soccer and I am delighted that we will continue to have the opportunity to leverage his knowledge and expertise in participant safety”, said Rob Holliday.

“Our association is so very fortunate to have attracted internal candidates for key roles and the wisdom to groom them for succession planning, all to the ultimate benefit of our membership,” said Dave Amidon, President of Mass. Youth Soccer. “Having just gone through a seamless internal transition in the leadership of our technical department, our board and I have every confidence in Rob’s ability to build on the superb foundation that Mike has built that is our state office. Rob brings a wealth of experience, passion, and commitment to youth soccer generally and our association in particular, and we are very excited for what the future holds.”

Holliday will officially assume his new role as Executive Director on June 1, 2023. He will be responsible for leading all aspects of the organization, including programming, operations, fundraising, and collaborating with the Board of Directors for strategic planning.

Borislow to Lead Safeguarding and Participant Safety

Mike Borislow has been a key figure in the development of Mass. Youth Soccer for almost 20 years. After nine years on the Mass Youth Soccer Board of Directors, Mike stepped down from the board and accepted the Executive Director role on a three-month temporary basis that became a nine-year term at the helm of the largest state youth soccer association in the country. During his tenure, Borislow has transformed the association’s relationships with member organizations and leagues, focusing on servicing the needs of the players and registered adults to provide safe, fun, affordable, and inclusive playing environments. Borislow’s professional experience in insurance and risk management enabled Mass. Youth Soccer to be at the forefront of participant safety initiatives. The organization is indebted to his leadership and dedication.

As Interim Manager of Safeguarding and Participant Safety, Borislow will lead Mass. Youth Soccer’s Risk Management and Registration staff in all aspects of player safety. Borislow will also remain as chair of the US Youth Soccer Risk Management Committee, ensuring that participant safety continues to be at the forefront of regional and national agendas.

“I couldn’t be more pleased with the incredible strides Mass Youth Soccer has accomplished over the past 9 years,” said Mike Borislow. “We are so fortunate to have the best leadership with our board of directors, staff, and thousands of volunteers throughout the state. It has been a true honor to be able to help our members provide our state’s children with the finest soccer experience possible. We are all focused on helping them become the best person they can be, it just happens to be through the game of soccer.” Borislow adds, “Rob Holliday is poised and ready to help guide Mass. Youth Soccer down the path to maintaining our state’s presence as a national leader in youth sports. He is most certainly up to the task. Lastly, I plan to continue my dedication to all participants’ safety in my interim role for the near future”.

Celebrating Dedication and Commitment: Honoring Individuals and Organizations in the TSL Community

On April 4th, at the Town Select League Spring Kick Off meeting, several individuals and a few town organizations were recognized for their dedication, support, and or contributions to the program since it’s inception in the fall of 2016,

for their 7 years of service to the TSL.

Current TSL Coaches Mike Blanch, Janet Gargan, and Chad Pfeil, were honored

Sharon Clement, Jeba Dharmaraj, Ted Doucette, Peter Ferrera, Jason Fournier, Hussein Issa, Garo Kiroukas, Lawrence Kikuchi, Kevin Madden, and Ivan Silva were recognized for 5 years of service.

Former TSL Director Jeff Chambers, was bestowed the TSL Legacy Award for his contributions to the vision of the TSL Program during his work within 2016 – 2017.

Other recipients of recognition were the Gratitude Award to Hamilton-Wenham Youth Soccer & Danvers Youth Soccer for their use of their beautiful fields since the start of our program and Courage Award to TSL Coach Robert Weatherbee, for his commitment & participation this past fall while undergoing treatment for cancer.

The Town Select League is grateful for these individuals and organizations for their contributions to the blueprint of the TSL Community and Culture.

Registration is now open for the 2023-2024 TSL Season: https://www.mayouthsoccer.org/town-select-league-tryouts-june-2023/

TOPSoccer: The Program Bridging Communities Together

Providing Young Athletes with Disabilities a Safe Haven and Law Enforcement an Opportunity to Learn and Connect

TOPSoccer is an outreach program that provides young athletes with disabilities the opportunity to participate in soccer. This program allows them to be part of a team and play the beautiful game. These kids often experience anxiety, and TOPSoccer aims to provide them with a safe and calm environment where they can enjoy themselves

However, TOPSoccer's benefits extend far beyond just providing a fun activity for these kids. The program is also reaching out to law enforcement in the hope of building connections and understanding between them and the kids. The program believes that providing law enforcement officers with a chance to interact with these kids in a positive environment could help them in stressful situations.

By involving law enforcement in the TOPSoccer program, the goal is to also help officers gain a better understanding of how these kids interact. It is hoped that this understanding will help officers to deescalate situations that may arise in the future. In turn, this will help to create a safer environment for all members of the community.

TOPSoccer is helping to bridge the gap between law enforcement and people with disabilities. The program not only helps to provide young athletes with disabilities the opportunity to participate in sports but also provides a platform for communities to come together and understand each other better.

In conclusion, the TOPSoccer program is a great initiative that provides young athletes with disabilities the opportunity to play soccer. The program not only provides a fun activity for these kids but also helps to create a safer environment for all members of the community. By involving law enforcement in the program, the goal is to build connections and understanding between the two groups.

WE ARE PROUD TO SUPPORT

Boston-area Women Competed in South African Soccer Tournament

Three teams of women in their 50s, 60s, and 70s traveled to South Africa for a four-day tournament at the end of March. Sixteen teams from across Africa, Europe, and the U.S. competed in this first-ever Grannies International Football Tournament in the Limpopo province. The Beka Ntsanwisi Foundation and the Vakhegula Vakhegula Football Club, affectionately known as the Soccer Grannies, hosted this inaugural celebration of older women from around the world who love the beautiful game.

The festivities commenced with a parade of drum majorettes, a marching band, and teams in their traditional attire carrying the flags of their country. The townsfolk of Nkowankowa lined the streets cheering, slapping high-fives, and posing for photos with the players. Upon entering the stadium, we passed by tents of dignitaries and squads of dancers awaiting their turn to perform at the opening ceremony.

The three Boston teams, sports ambassadors for a few days, were members of the Breakers, the Ground Breakers, and the Lexpressas teams. Many of the Massachusetts women regularly compete in the USASA Soccer Fest tournament, the Eastern Mass Women’s Soccer League (EMWSL), and the Teamworks over-50 league. They can also be spotted at various all-women and co-ed scrimmages across the greater Boston area.

These women have been grateful for their connections to local soccer organizations as players, mothers of players, coaches, refs, and volunteers. Some of the women—youngsters in their 50s—benefited from participating in the MA Youth Soccer leagues as girls. Mary Alice Vallarino of Arlington, MA started playing in kindergarten, was involved in the MA Youth Soccer program, and now enjoys EMWSL. Kim Brookes of Malden coaches for Malden Youth Soccer, attended their courses, and often refers to their online resources. However, many of us older women started playing as adults; there were no girls soccer teams at our high schools or colleges in those pre-Title IX days. No matter how long we have been playing as individuals, we will keep chasing that ball as long as we can.

The South African Soccer Grannies also found their way to the pitch as adults. At first, they encountered ridicule from townsfolk who said they should be at home watching their grandchildren. They were told it was undignified to be wearing shorts. As we fellow soccer players can attest, the Soccer Grannies were having way too much fun with their new passion to be dissuaded. The camaraderie of their teammates helps these strong and resilient women triumph over life’s challenges.

The U.S. connection with the Soccer Grannies dates to 2010. South Africa was hosting the World Cup and the international spotlight focused on these grandmothers as an endearing human interest story. Our players in Massachusetts saw one of those news clips and were inspired by these women—even older than us—enjoying the game we loved. We invited the team to visit the U.S. to participate in the 2010 USASA Veterans Cup tournament. A sequence of last-minute miracles brought nineteen South Africans streaming through Logan Airport. The women captured our hearts with their zest for life and their singing and dancing on the sidelines of the soccer field. A contingent of players visited South Africa in 2011 and our relationship as sister soccer teams has thrived ever since.

You can imagine the thrill when the first game of this 2023 Grannies International Football Tournament was slated as the host South Africa Vakhegula Vakhegula team versus the U.S. Lexpressas—a magical reunion. Our teams lined up in the tunnel as if it were the FIFA World Cup. Once on the field, we put our hands on our hearts as the national anthems of the U.S. and then South Africa blared through the speakers. We assumed our positions on the field. The ref blew the whistle and the game started. Sunny temps in the mid 80s felt hot for us from the northern hemisphere, but we were glad to be running again after those long travel days. The U.S. scored two quick goals. The roar of the crowd was so loud that it was impossible to hear subs calling our names. The final score was a 3-1 win for the U.S. We thanked the Soccer Grannies for the fun game with hugs.

Three days of tournament games ensued. The atmosphere in the stands was jubilant with fans leaping to their feet to dance at every goal. Rita Wilkas, the oldest U.S. player at 79, scored on a penalty kick and again in her next game when she was perfectly positioned in the box. The crowd chanted, “Ri-ta! Ri-ta!” The semifinals found two South African teams competing with two U.S. teams. Several of the games ending with penalty shootouts. At the conclusion, the U.S. Breakers hoisted the three-foot tall trophy at the closing ceremonies in a shower of champagne. The Breakers’ goalie presented the trophy to the host Vakhegula Vakhegula team—without whom this memorable tournament would never have occurred.

The U.S. players will never forget how South Africa welcomed us with open arms. Literally. Countless embraces with team members and fans, the joyful music and singing, the TV interviews, and playing in front of a packed stadium are memories we will treasure. It was an honor to be part of this history-making tournament. We will long remember this opportunity to celebrate, empower, and honor older women, to focus on improved health, and to share the camaraderie across race and culture through sport.

Interested to learn more about the lives of these soccer-playing grandmothers from Limpopo? One of the Massachusetts players, Jean Duffy, has written a book, Soccer Grannies: The South African Women Who Inspire the World, to be published on 10 May 2023. All book proceeds are being donated to the Beka Ntsanwisi Foundation. Please check out JeanDuffy.com for more details.

If you are a Boston-area mother or grandmother not yet playing soccer, come join us! Email SoccerGrannies@gmail.com and we will gladly provide information about the options for joining the Breakers and the Lexpressas on the field for fun and fitness.