You would be accurate to say that recent years have been turbulent for Brandon Youth Soccer Association. In the news and local dialogue for many of the wrong reasons, the organization reached rock bottom last summer when the Westman Regional Soccer Association declared BYSA to be a member not in good standing for a second time.
That’s around the time when Breena Murray, a local lawyer, and Lisa Rowley took it upon themselves as parents of kids in the program to be agents of change and ultimately force a new direction for the organization that was needed to right a ship that appeared to have gotten off course.
Several months later Murray has been given the role of President of BYSA with Rowley as Treasurer of an organization that has gone through the necessary steps to once again be in good standing with the WRSA and be in a position to be accepting registrations for the coming season. They are joined by three more on a board of directors that has three more vacant positions in the process of being filled.
A major stated goal of new leadership in an exchange with yours truly this week is to have better communication with parents, something that it’s been acknowledged was a big issue in the past. As an organization solely run by volunteers at the moment, emphasis going into registration is on digital forms of communication with a new and noticeably active Facebook account, a Twitter account and website being primarily used to connect with parents and players.
They are also in the process of conducting a survey to better understand the needs of parents and participants in the program, feedback from which I gather will go a long way toward shaping the future.
Registration is currently on for the spring youth soccer season via BYSA’s website. They will also be setup alongside ten other local youth sports organizations at Saturday and Sunday’s Sports for Youth Registration Event at Shoppers Mall as part of preparing for the coming spring soccer season. More info on that event and the organizations that will be attending can be found at this link.