Southwest Youth Services (SYS) History:

Since 2004, SYS has used soccer as its venue to grow partnership and programming. In 2007, SYS partnered with the New Mexico Youth Soccer Association (NMYSA) which led to the creation of Native American Soccer Start (NASS). This program was created to introduce the game of soccer to Native communities and offer youth soccer skills and coaching skills. In its first years SYS lead introductory soccer clinics in 19 Native communities across New Mexico, reaching about 500 participants each summer.

The Indigenous Soccer Cup stemmed from the great success of NASS and a wonderful experience after the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) in 2006. NAIG is a tri-annual celebration of sport and culture featuring Indigenous athletes from the United States and Canada. Over 450 youth soccer players representing, eight different Canadian territories and the U.S., delegations competed in 2006. SYS lead two U-15 teams to Denver, the boys took bronze and the girls team took home silver. The following summer 275 Indigenous youth from across the United States and Canada gathered at the University of New Mexico to compete in the 1st Annual Indigenous Soccer Cup (ISC). SYS was able to partner with various Native American organizations to provide youth leadership workshops, life skills, college preparatory components while promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Also in 200, SYS partnered with the New Mexico Forum for Youth in Communities to receive its first two AmeriCorps VISTAs. Each served as a progam coordinator that worked to expand the vision and goals of SYS while serving the community. In the Fall of 2009, SYS was awarded a 3-year contract as an AmeriCorp VISTA sponsor site in New Mexico to create the Native Youth Wellness Corps Project (NYWC). The NYWC will focus on the pressing youth development needs of at least 21 Native communities to develop and increase the capacity of Native youth resiliency, health & wellness and prevention support. The overall goals of the NYWC is to create youth lead positive youth development project that will evolve and have sustainability within each partnering Native community.

One of SYS’ most important partnerships has been established with the Native American Community Academy (NACA), where SYS offices are currently located. Founding Board Member and NACA Principal, Kara Bobroff, has been an active and supportive member of SYS and its programming. SYS has been apart of NACA since the start in 2006. The successful introduction of soccer at NACA had lead to a 25% participation rate of the total student population.