Something I've always loved about the MYAS is our authenticity.

We're proud of our impact on hundreds of sports organizations throughout the state, across multiple sports, ultimately serving hundreds of thousands of young athletes on an annual basis.

It is incredibly rewarding to reflect on my nearly 25-year career with MYAS, knowing that we've had the privilege to enrich the lives of over 2.5 million youth participants through our tournaments, leagues, events, programs, and services.

As a nonprofit, we rely on the generosity of others to support us in fulfilling our mission to the Minnesota youth sports community. But we don't hold a fancy gala, where guests dress in tuxedos and formal gowns and purchase $5,000 tables. That's why I think our MYAS Community Impact Fund is so representative of who we are and what we aim to do.

Our goal for our 2023-2024 fiscal year was to raise over $40,000 and we far surpassed that goal, raising over $70,000 in many small and modest ways. We held drawings for first pitch at a Twins game, special packages at the 3M Open in Blaine, or promoting preseason Vikings game tickets at a discounted rate, with all proceeds going to the Community Impact Fund. We even had a Youth Sports Night at the harness racetrack at Running Aces.

That — and many other efforts — enabled us to raise $70,500, and all those little things fit who we are as an organization.

I'm just really thankful and feel blessed because up until 2022, we didn't have anything like the MYAS Community Impact Fund. We had to utilize dollars from our general fund to provide free or reduced entry fees for teams to participate in our basketball or baseball programming, provide individual scholarships for youth fall baseball, or other things like that.

We now have a formal opportunity whereby anyone can donate to the MYAS Community Impact Fund, including setting up memorial donations in the name of the Fund.

The main priority of the CIF is to provide scholarship opportunities for Minnesota young athletes to participate. The secondary reason for the MYAS Community Impact Fund is for educational benefits, utilizing funds for coach clinics or for our Trusted Coaches to get trained, screened, and educated. We've also been able to use some of the funds to provide equipment for baseball umpires and basketball uniforms to help remedy the great need for officials across all sports.

Different benefactors sometimes have conditions, and we do our best to honor them. For instance, some want their funding to flow back to specific communities.

In August, we opened up a 2024 Fall Association Scholarship application, with the primary focus on scholarships to provide access to greater participation. We received requests from 57 organizations — and the needs were broad and inspiring.

In total, $48,420 was granted to 34 youth sports organizations in Minnesota.

One girls’ basketball organization requested $2,100, which would cover an interpreter for one of its players who is deaf. Another organization requested $1,700 for their coaches to attend an upcoming clinic and to receive training, screening, and education through our Trusted Coaches program.

This is just another special way for us to improve and enhance how we engage with others, and we are humbled each time we hear testimonials about the reach of the MYAS Community Impact Fund.

Since launching with some initial seed money from our general fund, the MYAS Community Impact Fund has brought in $120,409.67 since October 2022, and we've given over $125,441 to 92 different organizations.

This is just the start, but I know one thing: Don't expect to attend any MYAS fundraising events in four-star hotels in the city. We'll keep helping in our own unique way.

If you’re interested in finding out more information about the MYAS Community Impact Fund or making a donation, please head to our website to get started: https://www.myas.org/community-impact-fund.

2024 Fall Scholarship Recipients Photo Gallery