OUR KIDS ARE WORTH IT
AYSA Mission Statement
AYSA is founded on Christian principles and exists to promote the highest ideals of teamwork, sportsmanship, honesty, trust and respect for authority with the specific purpose of influencing kids and adults to become better individuals.
AYSA Vision
AYSA is committed to the healthy growth and development of each child in a vibrant family-friendly community, and a path for excellence and continued growth of organized youth team sports.
In partnership with local youth leagues, AYSA is committed to providing the necessary organizational structure and recreational facilities needed for an environment of growing participation, safety, fun, and healthy competition for children ages 5 - 18.
2008 BUSINESS PLAN
GENERAL OVERVIEW
The Abilene Youth Sports Authority (AYSA) originated in 2004 and is the result of a grand vision to create a centralized community resource to facilitate a healthy and growing environment for organized youth sports in Abilene and the Big Country.
The creation of this "healthy and growing environment" in our youth sports community involves two main functions:
A COMMUNITY YOUTH SPORTS ORGANIZATION
- A full-service ONE-STOP-SHOP youth sports office serving the community with youth sports information and registrations.
- The full-time administrative services and volunteer coordination needed to successfully facilitate continued growth for instructional, recreational, and competitive activities (leagues, tournaments, camps, clinics) for all interested children and adults who voluntarily participate in these various youth sports programs.
A MULTI-PURPOSE YOUTH SPORTS RECREATIONAL FACILITY
- Professional management and maintenance of the first-class youth sports complex which will serve as the home for the centralized youth sports office, multiple current and new youth sports leagues, a major attraction for hosting year-round local, regional, and state-wide youth tournaments, and other community youth programs and events.
2008 BUSINESS PLAN OVERVIEW
FINANCIAL
Goal: To continue building a strong financial base of broad community support for the operations of AYSA
AYSA is blessed by the visionary charitable contributions of Founding Partner businesses and the significant revenues that have been generated from successful events. This revenue has provided the operating capital for the foundational planning for the overall vision of AYSA and will continue to provide numerous services and benefits to the youth sports community of Abilene and the Big Country.
2008 now involves a stronger focus of efforts and finances towards the Facility Capital Campaign itself, while also raising the level of excellence in the daily operations and events AYSA currently provides to the community.
Objective 1: Strengthen relationships with active Founding Partners through monthly communications and updates
Deadline: Monthly - Beginning in January 2008
Objective 2: Update AYSA Advertising programs to reach $7,500 in Advertising revenues.
Deadline: August 2008
ADMINISTRATION
Goal: To provide effective marketing, advertising, and communications for all local recreational youth leagues.
We have seen over the last 3 years that the most accepted and appreciated services we can offer the current local leagues at this point is advertising their programs to the public and assisting with communications to their league families.
These are also two of the greatest initial services needed by the community, which gives an opportunity for AYSA to become synonymous with the benefits of a central youth sports office.
Objective 1: Increase circulation of the LOCKER ROOM NEWS to include all families registered with the 16 local recreational youth leagues.
Deadline: April 2008
Objective 2: Complete development and implementation of the AYSA website administrative functions.
Deadline: April 2008
TOURNAMENTS / EVENTS
Goal: To improve the quality and attendance of the unique community events and youth sports tournaments conducted by AYSA.
2008 will be the third year for several community events and youth tournaments created by AYSA. Because so much of our efforts are required for the Capital Campaign we are focusing on polishing and improving our continuing events and adding only one new event for 2008.
Objective 1: Increase attendance and revenue for the third annual West Texas Sports & Fitness EXPO
Deadline: February 16, 2008
Objective 2: Increase participation for the two Prime Time Sports Boys & Girls Basketball Tournaments
Deadline: April 2008 & September 2008
Objective 3: Increase participation in the third annual AYSA/FCA Future All-Stars Youth Football Camp & Coaches Clinic
Deadline: June 7, 2008
Objective 4: Conduct the first High School Boys Basketball Team Camp in Abilene
Deadline: June 27-29, 2008
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
Goal: To successfully secure $30 million through a Public / Private Partnership for the capital funding of the construction of the Abilene Youth Sports Multi-purpose Complex
We are confident the very nature of the campaign and operations of the youth sports facility will be an attractive opportunity that the public, businesses, foundations, and individuals will want to play a significant role in.
- An initial $10 million donation of land and infrastructure is an incredible kick-off.
- An opportunity for the entire community to participate by approving the use of dedicated Economic Development Sales Tax funds.
- A year-round family sports complex with expected first year attendance exceeding 300,000 people and over $11 million in new annual spending is a huge benefit for the city of Abilene.
- The operations and facilities of the youth sports organization serving a Big Country population over 300,000 people adds value & recognition to Abilene as a regional Hub.
- A strategic central location on I20 within 200 miles of 10.3 million people is an appealing investment for regional and national businesses.
Objective 1: Gain voter approval in the May 2008 Municipal Election for the use of Economic Development Sales Tax revenue to help fund the construction of the sports complex.
The proposed referendum is a smart public/private partnership that would provide both an economic boost to Abilene and new facilities for youth sports WITHOUT raising taxes.
Deadline: May 10, 2008
Objective 2: Implement the Private Capital Campaign to secure $15 million from all possible private funding sources.
The success of the private funding capital campaign depends on the energized, focused, and tireless efforts of the AYSA leadership and supporters. This campaign is expected to require 12 - 18 months to complete, with multiple naming and contribution options offered to local, regional, and national companies, organizations, foundations, and individuals.
Deadline: Private Funding Campaign efforts will begin in January 2008
2008 BUSINESS PLAN SUMMARY
As a community we can no longer sit on the sidelines watching and complaining about how the culture of sports and youth sports in particular places increasing pressure on younger kids that winning is more important than participating and having fun. We know that kids love to play team sports and can learn so many important life lessons such as teamwork, discipline, sacrifice, and winning and losing with grace, but at the same time we see growing examples of poor sportsmanship from parents, fans, and participants.
AYSA is committed to being an agent of change and growth, working with and supporting the current local youth recreational leagues as well as the hundreds of volunteers that will help create new sports and leagues to effectively serve our community with positive youth sports programs for years to come.
Just like the visionary leaders before us that founded the city of Abilene, built the Abilene EXPO Center and Abilene Civic Center, brought a Zoo to Abilene, and renovated Shotwell Stadium - we have the chance to build another legacy with the central organization and first-class facilities that will serve the population of area families with growing character-building youth sports programs and bring new and needed family tourism to the community for years to come.
2008 is the year to put all of our research, planning, relationship building, and vision casting into action with the Abilene Youth Sports Complex Capital Campaign. With a strong commitment from our Board of Directors and the community, we have faith that the momentum of support for the project will explode in 2008 and the reality of this large vision will happen even sooner than we think.
Large visions birth large projects that require large efforts and provide large benefits. No doubt, the Abilene Youth Sports Complex is a large project. The hope and desire of AYSA is that this project is only the beginning of even bigger and better visions and accomplishments for the community of Abilene in the 21st century.