On Thanksgiving, we posted a Gratitude List on our social media accounts: We're grateful for athletes, coaches, parents/guardians, game officials, association leaders, partnerships, and life lessons learned through sports.

As we wrap up 2023, I wanted to expound on that list because it ties into our mission at MYAS and all those we are fortunate to serve.

Sometimes we get caught up in focusing on the big achievements. But I think it’s more important to appreciate the small wins within the Minnesota youth sports community:

• I'm grateful for the high volume of participation over the course of 2023. We hosted and helped with so many wonderful events and tournaments, including 1,543 teams over the three weekends of the Grade State Basketball Championships; 615 teams at the Gopher State Tournament of Champions; and 2,606 teams over the course of 14 weekends of the Gopher State Spring Basketball Series.
   
• I'm grateful for the nearly 250 organizations that were able to significantly fundraise for the benefit of their programs and athletes through MYAS programming.
   
• I'm grateful for the strides we made to add to elevate and enhance the experience by providing recaps, images, and videos that added enrichment and excitement for participants and their supporters.
   
• I'm grateful that the collective effort to be proactive in communicating expectations around conduct and behavior made a difference. There was a marked decrease in negative incidents, and most of the environments we saw were positive.
   
• I'm grateful for the positive shift with officials and umpires. Again, through proactive efforts, we're seeing more people signing up for training and going through background checks to become officials. We're seeing more athletes and alums who view officiating as a way to give back to the game that they love.
   
• I'm grateful that in basketball and baseball, the associations we work with are openly promoting officiating within their own communities and networks to address the major shortage of officials.
   
• I'm grateful that parents and spectators are honoring the pre-tournament and on-site messages that highlight the importance of showing respect to officials and others. More people are willing to let stuff go and not always feel the need to vocalize their opinions on calls or decisions. It felt like there was a lot more grace shown toward officials, which is a great sign.
   
• I'm grateful for the grace and patience of participants and association leaders as we transitioned to RegisterPlay, a new event management and database system. The overall consensus in baseball has been positive, and we have launched RegisterPlay for basketball, too.
   
• I'm grateful for the progress we have made with the MYAS Community Impact Fund which provides support in the form of scholarships for individuals, teams, and associations for tournaments, leagues, and other events. Through the Impact Fund, we've also been able to help improve facilities and fields so that student athletes can continue participation in their communities. In 2023, we had the opportunity to provide more than $60,000.00 in funding to youth sports associations and individual participants.
   
• I'm grateful for my teammates at MYAS. I have so much pride in their influence and the positive promotion of participation, which is no small thing. According to the Aspen Institute's Project Play "State of Play" study for 2023, Minnesota was a close second to Massachusetts for the highest participation rate in the United States. The survey asked parents of children ages 6-17 if their child played on a sports team or took sports lessons, and 62.8 percent of Minnesotans surveyed said yes.
   
• I'm grateful to our MYAS Board of Directors, who have been wonderful to work with. There are so many talented individuals on our Board, with several of them serving in their roles for just over a year. We have welcomed a major infusion of new members, and it's been awesome.
   
• Lastly, I'm grateful to celebrate the start of my 24th year with MYAS. Wow! What a privilege it is for me to work for this organization and to work alongside so many great people throughout our state.

I want to conclude by sharing a few of the wonderful notes of thanks and encouragement that we have received in 2023.

“I just wanted to thank you and all of your staff for a great event this weekend at the All-Star game. It’s a lot of work for everyone but events like these are memories of a lifetime for the boys. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

“On behalf of (our) families, we would like to express our sincere thanks for your efforts in allowing our team to play in the Gopher State Tournament. We realize it was our mistake that caused us to not be on the schedule. We also know it required a lot of rework and time spent on a day off/ holiday to accommodate us. We know it was a team of people involved to make this happen for us, but we would like to especially thank Jesse for his efforts on his day off. Thank you so very much for giving the boys on our team the opportunity to compete in your tournament. We are very much looking forward to representing our team by being good sports, respectful, and appreciative of this opportunity.”

“I'd also like to thank Jeremy and Kelly from MYAS/RegisterPlay. The tournament couldn't have been such a success without their help. Being one of the first tournaments of the year, they were quick to respond when something came up or if I needed help. Jeremy also did a great job of putting together the schedule so games were all played in the same location and within a reasonable amount of time which I received many compliments on.”

“First off I want to say THANK YOU for putting together this tournament. Like you, I LOVE the concept behind this tournament. Getting a chance to match our team against other teams in the same high school class is a great measuring stick for our program. I really hope this takes off in the future, and I think it will!”

“Mankato Basketball Association is not only grateful for the tangible benefits provided by the Minnesota Youth Athletic Services (MYAS) but also for the impactful support through the MYAS Community Impact Fund. This fund has been instrumental in furthering our mission to positively influence the community through basketball by making it more affordable for players in need of scholarships. With free tournament listings on the MYBA Tournament Index and exclusive eligibility for the MYAS Grade State Championships, our association has been able to market our own hosted tournaments and allow our teams to compete at a quality level. The MYAS partnership has truly been a beacon of support for the Mankato Basketball Association, fostering both athletic excellence and community impact.”