McLean Youth Soccer Association

MYS is embarking on an unprecedented field development initiative. The plan is to convert 10 fields from grass to artificial turf over the period 2008-2010 and to continue to cultivate premier grass fields where possible. This is a bold and ambitious undertaking and will require the support and involvement of the entire club. We believe, however, that it is a necessary step if we are to effectively serve the needs of our members, and it will increase the enjoyment of every player in the club.

Over the past few years, MYS has successfully built two premier fields - LP2 and the MYS field - and worked with a community partner, Capital One, to gain partial access to two other premier fields. These fields are great assets for the club, and there is no question that practicing and playing on better surfaces significantly enhances the experience, regardless of the level of play or the player. 

MYS spends a great deal of money every year on maintaining and improving its grass fields. Nevertheless, without irrigation systems, without the ability to control the usage of the fields, and without access to the number of fields needed to periodically rest and restore deteriorating fields, the fields are challenged by droughts, soil compaction, over usage, and damage..

As a result, the MYS Board has determined to make the creation of artificial turf fields and, where appropriate, the general improvement of our grass fields, the club's number one priority for the next four years.

Two large fields at Spring Hill Park are currently closed for conversion to synthetic turf and reopened for play during the fall 2008 season. The turf installed will be a newer type than what was available for LP #2, providing a playing surface very similar to grass. The fields are being designed to allow play for multiple age groups, with the ability to overlay lines for small-sided games for younger players.

The financing of this project has gone very well. MYS was able to fund 87% of the cost of Spring Hill Park from cash reserves and will shortly repay a bridge loan for the remaining 13%. We continue to benefit from the generosity of the many members who add a contribution to their registration fee and from travel team families, who conducted a fundraiser during the first half of 2007. In addition, higher fees and aggressive cost management have created an annual operating surplus that has attracted the interest of several local banks to provide debt financing. We will conclude a relationship with one of these banks over the next few weeks. We thank our members for their support in paying higher fees and making contributions to the project.

We are also pleased to report that the relationship with our neighbors at Spring Hill Park is in good standing. From the beginning, we committed to an open and transparent process of information and review. Just last week, we met with many interested citizens to show them the preliminary engineering drawings for the project and will have a second meeting when the final drawings are available.

That leaves us with the next 8 fields. The news here is less positive. Despite MYS’s willingness to fully fund the cost of conversion, the county has found a number of ways to insert political and bureaucratic obstacles in our path. We have been successful in navigating these issues so far and are firmly resolved to see the entire initiative to its final goal, but they have caused a delay in starting the second phase of the project. We will keep you informed of our progress at periodic intervals.