Mission Youth Soccer League: Club History
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Started playing soccer in the summer with 6 children, 8 years old and younger, and two licensed coaches. By the fall of this year, there were over 20 players in the U-8 division, and the first two teams were formed. They participated in the San Francisco Viking League.
1993
In February of this year the number of children grew to 30. We brought our players to the Colombia Park Boys and Girls Club of San Francisco, and began an indoor soccer program, combining our players with their members. This program is still very much alive, and part of Colombia Park's weekly schedule.
By the summer of this year, a new team of 12 year old children, U-12 was started. Now three teams were playing in established summer soccer leagues. In the fall of this year, all three teams participated in the Vikings League. We now had 4 licensed coaches.
1994
In January our membership grew to 50. More new teams were added, participating in both indoor and outdoor tournaments hosted by the community. We were part of the Citys Cinco De Mayo Parade, joining our players with the Soccer in the Streets program, to play soccer with other children from minority communities as a parade event.
Membership continued to grow to over 100 children. U-8, U-10, U-12, and U-14 teams were registered to participate in several tournaments and established league programs.
Several field trips were organized by parents and coaches to bring the children to see professional soccer games, including the Clash and Team USA.
MYSP formed a board of directors and applied for non-profit status. Our coaching staff was working with over 300 hundred children, had developed 6 teams, and became a popular addition the Colombia Park's curriculum.
1995
MYSP now participates in a wide variety of city soccer leagues and tournaments, incl. PALS, Viking, Mission, YMCA. We offer a year round soccer program, guided by 7 licensed coaches and volunteer parental help.
Received our non-profit status with the state and federal government.
We have collaborated with Soccer in the Streets on a weeklong soccer clinic in which over 200 children participated.
We held our own clinic at Franklin Park, sponsored by the Tobacco Free Project and the Mission Housing Program.
We have been planning a trip outside the United States to participate in an international soccer tournament.
We have held our first fundraiser at Good Samaritan raising $2,000.00, and are holding a raffle this summer.
Joined the Central American Resource Center CARECEN. Under CARECENs umbrella, with the Raza Family Institute, the Mission Girls Services, and the Central Latin Cuzcatlan, the MYSP can now offer the Mission people a collaborative effort focused on helping them with the proper care for their childrens health, education and well-being.
Other collaborative efforts with the Mission Language and Vocational School, and the Institute for Sustainable Science are currently in the works.
Two of our MYSP coaches have now been Nationally certified. They have been working with members of the National Soccer Federation, exploring new ideas and techniques for coaching children, and ways to strengthen our current coaching staff.
Organized field trips for the players to see professional soccer games continue, they are also invited to watch a rehearsal at the San Francisco Ballet this summer.