Seattle Youth Soccer Association (SYSA)

If you've ever wanted to get inside of a referee's mind, buckle up, here we go! Our interview with Duncan Munro who currently works as a Referee, Referee Mentor and is a member of the Washington State Referee Committee, covers a lot of typical officiating stuff yes, but also gives us a rare glimpse into the character development and love for the game that is behind a lot of refereeing. We hope that this dive into the world of reffing may have you looking at your next referee a little differently, and maybe even have you wanting to come out and give it a go yourself! https://lnkd.in/gRqC2wfh

Years ago, the G05 Woodland Swarmettes made a pact to stay together, to come back year and year and keep playing on their recreational soccer team, no matter where life took them. The teamed originally formed in 2011 when the girls were just 5 years old. This past fall, they finished up their senior season and went out with a bang, winning the 2023 Girls U19 Washington Youth Soccer Recreational Cup title. Not only are the Swarmettes taking a state championship with them as they graduate and move forward, but they are also taking with them the memories and experiences that every kid playing recreational soccer hopes to take with them: friendship, teamwork, community and character. Supporting this 12-year endeavor was volunteer coach Rebecca Wynkoop. Rebecca was recently named as one of 36 regional Coaches of the Year by Positive Coaching Alliance, the only coach in Washington state to receive this honor. We recently got the chance to sit down with Rebecca and talk about her time with the Woodland Swarmettes and what coaching means to her. Here's our interview with Rebecca: https://lnkd.in/gD2i8sU4

Here at SYSA, we look at youth soccer not just as an opportunity for kids to play the beautiful game, but a chance for them to create new friendships, learn to collaborate and work with others, build lifelong skills and HAVE FUN in a safe, caring environment. Our SYSA community is SO MUCH MORE than soccer - this community connects us all and brings us back to the things that really matter: the people around us. With that mission as our guiding light, we are asking for your support. We are entering the time of the year when Seattle Youth Soccer Association puts out a notice and call for volunteers to join our association’s Board. This is an opportunity to get involved on a larger scale and make an impact by helping keep our excellent program of youth soccer continuing in Seattle. Right now is an especially exciting time to get involved in Seattle's youth soccer scene as the city begins to gear up for the World Cup in 2026. CLICK THE LINK BEFORE FOR MORE DETAILS ON OPEN POSITIONS. And please share with anyone you think may be interested. Thank you! https://lnkd.in/gTf5CpQJ

Here at SYSA, we look at soccer not just as an opportunity for kids to play the beautiful game, but a chance to create new friendships, learn to collaborate and work with others, build lifelong skills and HAVE FUN in a safe, caring environment. Our SYSA community is SO MUCH MORE than soccer - this community connects us all and brings us back to the things that really matter: the people around us. With that mission as our guiding light, we are asking for your support. We are entering the time of the year when Seattle Youth Soccer Association puts out a notice and call for volunteers to join our association’s Board. This is an opportunity to get involved on a larger scale and make an impact by helping keep our excellent program of youth soccer continuing in Seattle. Right now is an especially exciting time to get involved in Seattle's youth soccer scene as the city begins to gear up for the World Cup in 2026. Our vacancies are listed here. Each position is a two year term with a once monthly meeting requirement, remote option available. If interested, please reach out to SYSA Executive Director David Griffiths (davidg@sysa.org) by February 29th, 2024 for next steps.

This past December the Woodland G05 Swarmettes became the GU19 State Champions in the 2023 Washington Youth Soccer Recreational Cup! Amazing work Swarmettes! What a way to cap off your senior season :-) #sysa #soccerplayers #seattlesports #soccerleague #youthsports #soccer #seattlelife #seattlesoccer #seattlekids #thisissysa #recreationalsports

Congrats to the winners of our annual fall photo contest! FEATURE CATEGORY - https://lnkd.in/gHAqhKZj

Congrats to the winners of our annual fall photo contest! ACTION CATEGORY - https://lnkd.in/gWXW2JsQ

The 2023 SYSA City Tournament came to a close last weekend with the final matches played on Saturday December 16th at the Shoreline A/B Field Complex and Shoreline Stadium. This special SYSA event is something that many players, coaches and families greatly look forward to taking part in every December. The SYSA City Tournament has been held every year since 1969 (with only the 2020 event cancelled due to COVID), and each year it continues to captivate the SYSA community as the thrill & competition of the double-elimination tournament format is the quintessential, highly anticipated ending to the SYSA fall season. Fun facts from this year's tournament: 161 recreational teams participated and ALL 12 NEIGHBORHOOD CLUBS had at least one team in the finals! We want to thank everyone for participating and making this an event to remember. Below is a list of all the winners and finalists! https://lnkd.in/dZZVnHyW

Seattle United Goalkeeper camp (December 27-28) Open to SYSA recreational players + Seattle United, boys and girls U8-U18 Location: Lower Woodland #2 Times: 9:30-11:00 Cost: $125, Capacity: 50 Players Link to register - https://lnkd.in/gktwteaR

On this weekend of giving thanks, we wanted to take the opportunity to express the overwhelming gratitude that we have for every member of our SYSA community. This community is SO MUCH MORE than soccer - this community connects us all and brings us back to the things that really matter: the people around us and the joy of the beautiful game. Whether you are a player, a referee, a coach, a parent, a volunteer, a sponsor, or a supporter in any way, we are extremely grateful because each and every one of you plays a crucial role in helping us cultivate this wonderful soccer community that we have all built together throughout the Seattle and Shoreline area. Not only are we grateful today, but we are grateful every time we step on that field because the game of soccer does not happen without the contributions of everyone. Just as we must always be grateful for our opponents (because we can't play a match without someone to go up against), we are always grateful for each individual member in our community and are very conscious of the value you provide to the whole. For our volunteers: parents & players - we ask that you help us in recognizing and expressing gratitude to those volunteers that made fall soccer possible for you this year. To our volunteers specifically, the time and energy that you freely gave allowed over 10,000 players to play soccer this season. Whether you were coaching, helping with administrative work, a member of a board, managing a team, or organizing any of the many moving parts, we are extremely appreciative of this gift that you have given to SYSA players and their families. Happy Thanksgiving to each and every one of you! We are grateful for the opportunity to serve this wonderful community and continue our mission of spreading the joy of soccer throughout the Seattle area. The SYSA Executive Director and Staff