Letter To Mansfield Youth Soccer Members
Dear Mansfield Youth Soccer Member:
As you know some of the Plymouth Street Soccer Fields are need of significant renovations. During spring and fall seasons of 2006, MYS had to cancel/reschedule more games than were played due to poor field drainage. In addition to last year, during this spring 2007 season, we have already had to cancel numerous practices and over 75 games. These cancellations included games on Opening Day, which although it was sunny, the fields still had standing water and were unplayable.
The kids need to play, and we all need to take action! MYS is kicking off their Fields of Green fund raising campaign, how can you help ?
The MYS soccer board decided that it is time to take action and a leadership position to resolve the issues at the Plymouth Street fields.
- The board authorized payment for a detailed field study to obtain cost estimates for both grass field renovations as well as the installation of multi-purpose turf fields.
- The cost of these projects range from $450,000 to $1.4 M. The board is in the process of identifying and evaluating all renovation ideas to determine what is the best and most feasible solution for the long term benefit of Mansfield Youth Soccer.
- The addition of at least one multi-purpose turf field or renovations of several grass fields would solve many problems, but more importantly it will offer more playing time to Mansfield youth sports.
As we know, MYS soccer does not own the fields, but has a use permit that is issued by the Town Of Mansfield. Currently, the Town is under extreme pressure with the school and municipal budgets, and it would be unrealistic to believe that the town could pay for these renovations or a portion of the renovations. The Town, however, does currently provide the field maintenance and other services to MYS free of charge.
Several MYS sub committees have been formed during the past two months. These committees will be exploring ways to raise funds for the fields such as:
- grants
- miscellaneous charitable gifts
- donations
- corporate sponsorships
- other funding mechanisms
The majority of the money will have to be raised by private donations.
We need to reach out to our community to help with and use the power of membership networking to gain momentum and key supporters. One of the first fundraiser efforts your family will be able to contribute to is the attached MySportsDream mailing drive. In addition, we need your help to identify corporate and local company sponsors and contacts.
The fund raising committee has established various levels of corporate sponsorship, including the naming of leagues, tournament and/or fields for key sponsors of MYS. Our league reaches out to over 1,300 Mansfield players as well as Boston Area towns who visit Mansfield for their travel games. League and field sponsorships may be of interest to large companies headquartered in Mansfield, and to regional companies that want to increase their business in the greater Mansfield area.
Questions to ask your self, friends and family:
- Do you have access/contacts to senior level decision makers of local companies who may be willing and in a position to help us reach our goal ?
- Do you know someone who does or has done large fund raisers as a profession and who may be willing to guide our committees ?
- Do you have an inside track/contacts to any of the stores coming to the Mansfield Crossing mall ?
- Do you know of any grant programs for youth sports we could pursue ?
Again we are looking for networking or contacts right here in our soccer community to help us kick off our campaign. Please contact our sub committee members to discuss what you can offer to our campaign by using the fund raiser contact page at http://www.mansfieldyouthsoccer.com/fundraising/fundraising.shtml. Our fund raising pages have more detail about our project, please visit it frequently.
Together, we can make Mansfield "a better place to play sports".
Thank you in advance for your support,
MYS Board Members
Synthetic Turf Soccer Field – Conceptual Plan
Plymouth Street complex, Mansfield, MA
