By james art Q. Share a short bio about yourself.
Until November 2023 I had lived my whole life in Las Vegas and now I live in Reno. I was in the hospitality industry for years and then in 2016 I left and became the Executive Director of the Nevada Youth Soccer Association (NYSA). In 2018, I left to become the Tournament Director of one of the largest international youth soccer tournaments in the country, the Las Vegas Mayor’s Cup. When I moved to Reno, I rejoined the Nevada Youth Soccer Association as the Northern Nevada Director of Soccer.
Q. What is the Nevada Youth Soccer Association?
The Nevada Youth Soccer Association is a non-profit organization that oversees and manages youth soccer activities in Nevada. The NYSA serves as the state association of the United States National Youth Soccer Association. The association serves as the governing body for youth soccer and offers a variety of services and programs that promote soccer development for players ages 5 to 19.
Q. Why is NYSA important to the youth soccer industry across the country?
NYSA establishes rules and policies that ensure consistency and fairness across leagues, tournaments and teams. We offer coaching and referee training as well as parent training. As for players, we look at the Olympic Development Program as a pathway for players to get to college, pro and even the US National Team. For competition, we offer a Nevada State Champion Program that continues to compete in the USYS National Championship Series. We ensure that safety regulations such as concussion protocols, insurance and safeguarding policies are followed. Children’s safety is the most important responsibility we have. We require any adult who has any interaction with children to pass a background check and undergo rigorous safe sport training. SafeSport Training is a program designed to prevent abuse in sport by educating coaches, athletes, officials, administrators and volunteers about recognizing, preventing and responding to various forms of misconduct, including sexual, emotional and physical abuse. We simply want to provide the safest and most satisfying soccer experience for Nevada’s youth and their families.
Q. How has the business of youth sports in Nevada changed over the past few years?
Years ago, when organized leagues first started in Nevada, some dads put together church youth teams to play against the parish across town. If you were lucky, one of the players’ fathers might have been from a soccer nation and coached the teams. About 25 years ago you started to see the development of football clubs. These football clubs, in order to attract players, will hire professional coaches. These coaches would have to earn a salary so that the players’ families would pay the coaches’ fees. So, not only are these teams competing on the football fields, they are competing for players to help make their payroll. There is a lot of money in youth football and youth sports in general. This complicates our work as teams compete for players, training ground, fundraising tournaments and whatever else football clubs need to do to be financially successful.
Q: What do you think the future holds for youth sports in Nevada?
We see all the changes that happen in youth football, but it really seems to be the same in all youth sports. Soccer competes with lacrosse and soccer for the same field. One of the fastest growing youth sports right now is girls flag football. They will also compete for that valuable field space. The Reno area is currently underserved to provide fields for these sports. That’s one reason we’re seeing leagues like the Great Basin Youth Soccer League spearhead the development of new soccer fields in the area. The future of youth football and any sport will depend on having field space that can accommodate everyone.
Q: Is soccer still the top choice for youth sports or have competitive sports influenced the choice?
Well, there are certainly choices in youth sports, and I think there are opportunities for any sport to have successful programs. Although I am fully committed to youth football, I believe that parents should encourage their children to play any sport they like. The Great Basin Soccer League offers a great product for kids to play soccer, but there are other sports that kids should try as well. If they do well in football and have fun with their team, they will stay. It’s really about providing a safe and fun activity for kids that will get them moving and learn some teamwork and social skills along the way. Other sports do too, I just like to watch more football.
Q. What are some of the resources that NYSA offers?
NYSA can offer a wide range of resources to support the development of players, coaches, referees and leagues. These include player development programs such as the Olympic Development Program and training and licensing courses. Referrers can take advantage of certification, training and mentoring opportunities. There are health and safety resources such as concussion protocols, risk management, supplemental insurance. In addition, NYSA organizes tournaments, including the state championships. NYSA also provides background checks and safe sports training for any adult involved with the players.
Q. What is the importance of discipline on the field as it applies not only to the youngsters but also to the parents and spectators of the game?
This is an ongoing problem not just for youth soccer, but for all youth sports. I am also on the NYSA Board of Directors and was elected Vice President of Discipline. Unfortunately, we have to deal with a lot of parental behaviour, not only abusive referees, but also parents behaving inappropriately towards each other. It’s interesting because every parent you talk to will agree that any negative actions by spectators towards referees, parents and especially players is unacceptable, but some still do it. They get so caught up in the competition that they forget what it’s really about. They are especially difficult because often the child has nothing to do with it. You can’t really punish a kid because his parents are acting like jerks. So we put a lot of the responsibility back on the clubs and make them hold their spectators accountable. If not, poor viewers will have to watch from the car.
Q. For youth football, explain how the fitness aspect and the team building aspect are good for them physically and mentally.
Soccer is the perfect sport for children. Offers a fun way to stay active while developing important life skills. On the field, players build strength, speed and coordination, improving their overall fitness and health. But the benefits go far beyond the physical. Soccer promotes teamwork, builds confidence and teaches discipline. For those who know the game, soccer is as much a game of chess as it is a sport. Children learn to work together, think on their feet and develop resilience while making friends and having fun. It’s the ultimate combination of fitness, friendship and personal growth.
Bob Briare, Nevada Youth Soccer Association, Northern Nevada Director of Soccer.