The Southwestern Youth Association (SYA) was established in November 1973 with 350 participants. Its purpose was to be a place to play and a community cornerstone built on recreational, competitive sports for the youth of Southwestern Fairfax County and open to all kids regardless of their financial status or athletic ability.
Southwestern Youth Association started with a $1,500 donation from our founder, Carl Mullins. This league began with a spring Soccer program made up of 10 teams. Baseball followed this with nine teams and a girls’ Softball league with eight teams. Football followed soon after in the fall.
Today, the Southwestern Youth Association serves over 13,000 children ages 4-19 and over 5,000 families in Centreville and Clifton, Virginia, as well as some surrounding locations. SYA is a non-profit program whose operations and daily affairs are executed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors. The organization is dedicated to providing the children of Southwestern Fairfax County with a safe, positive environment through sports competition.
SYA was organized under an all-volunteer Executive Board of Directors consisting of the President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The SYA Executive Board of Directors positions are held for a one-year term. Applicants must be in good standing with SYA and at least 21 years of age. The election meeting is held annually in September for the following year.
The 2020 Executive Board of Directors includes:
President
CEO
Vice President
Treasurer
Secretary
Legal Counsel
SYA offers sports opportunities year-round in 13 different sports, including Little League Baseball and Softball, Babe Ruth Baseball, Track and Field, Soccer, Football, Volleyball, Rugby, Field Hockey, Lacrosse, Cheerleading, Wrestling, Cricket, and Basketball. With such a diverse list of programs, volunteers are the backbone of SYA, with approximately 2,500+ volunteers each year. As board members, coaches, assistant coaches, referees and umpires, team parents, field and equipment maintenance, scorekeepers, fundraisers, and program coordinators, volunteers are needed. Each sport is organized under a Volunteer Board Commissioner, recommended annually by the sport membership and approved by the SYA Board of Directors by vote.
A more recent milestone for SYA has been the purchase of the SYA Sports Park, a 120-acre parcel of land that we’re developing into a premiere sports complex for the youth of our community, featuring 11 ball fields, parks, jogging trails, and more. The SYA Sports Park grand opening was held on March 25, 2006. The SYA Sports Park includes three full-size rectangular fields, two 60-foot diamonds, a cross-country course, a fitness course, a pavilion, a snack bar, a playground, and batting cages.
Please visit us and provide input and feedback anytime through our office at [email protected].
