January 13, 2004
Midterm Report from President Paul C. Burke
One year ago, the State Council of the Utah Youth Soccer Association elected me to serve as the organization's president. Now that we have reached the midpoint of my term, it seems appropriate to review the state of our state association.
We have made progress during the last year. The journey has not been without some mistakes and missteps, but overall we are moving in the right direction. We have worked to gain control of the Association's finances. We have increased services to membership while at the same time reducing costs and lowering administrative expenses. We have increased the Association's visibility and role in the community. And, most importantly, we have endeavored to better serve the players of our state by providing more and better soccer opportunities.
Here is a summary of some of our major initiatives and other events during the last twelve months.
Balancing UYSA's Budget. Shortly after my election, we learned that the Association had suffered a financial loss of almost $40,000 during the previous fiscal year. Because my term of office began more than four months into the next fiscal year, I was very concerned about the prospects for the 2002-03 fiscal year. My worries only deepened after learning about how expensive the 2003 AGM had been. Executive Director Scott Harward reviewed every line in the Association's budget, and we worked to achieve cost-savings and, where necessary, reductions in expenditures. I am pleased to report that the Association nosed into the black for the 2002-03 fiscal year by $15,703. We are proposing a balanced budget for the next fiscal year without any increase in the state association's registration fee. You should be aware, however, that fee increases have been proposed at the national level that, if enacted, would be passed through to UYSA's member organizations.
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Better Business Management. Last year, at the Annual General Meeting, we were greeted with the news that the Association's audit for the previous fiscal year was qualified due to numerous issues. The audit documented the Association's deficit and also identified a number of problems with the organization's financial practices. Upon taking office, I worked with Treasurer Tom Borrowman and Executive Director Scott Harward to address---and correct---these deficiencies. We also held an open forum meeting to discuss the problems in the past. The Board of Directors then authorized a special, six-month audit to measure our progress. I also appointed an audit committee to monitor the Association's finances. Today, I am pleased to report that the audit for the 2002-03 fiscal year is clean. This audit report will be released on the Association's website in the coming days.
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Financial Stability for ODP. Although the State Council had decreed several years ago that the Olympic Development Program should operate independently, its finances nevertheless remained commingled with the Association's general treasury. Worse, according to the audit for the 2001-02 fiscal year, ODP incurred a substantial economic loss. I am pleased to report that both of these problems have been remedied. Early last spring, separate, segregated accounts were established for ODP. Technical Director Greg Maas, ODP Administrator Gail Ellison, and ODP Treasurer Marlene Plumlee have worked hard to improve the program and ensure its financial stability. According to the audit, ODP finished the 2002-03 fiscal year with a slight positive balance.
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Advertising Campaign. In May 2003, the Association launched an advertising campaign to support the scheduled registration drives of its recreation leagues. A half page advertisement appeared in both the Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret Morning News. The Association also conducted a radio advertising campaign to complement the print advertisements. The Association also paid for advertising in local newspapers elsewhere in the state, including Logan.
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Field Development. We are working to encourage communities across the state to build new soccer facilities as well as improve those already in existence. St. George is building a ten-field complex, and Salt Lake City announced plans to construct a facility whose preliminary design includes 30 full-sized fields.
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Salt Lake City Proposition No. 5. The Deseret News declared that it was "doomed to fail." But the soccer community rallied to rescue this bond question and secure its passage by the voters of Salt Lake City. I served as the Co-Chairman of the Five for Our Kids Committee, which led the campaign for Proposition No. 5. Its passage will enable Salt Lake City to issue bonds worth $15.3 million to support construction of the Salt Lake Regional Athletics Complex.
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Utah Welcomes Women's National Team. The U.S. Women's National Team made its inaugural visit to the Beehive State, defeating Ireland 5-0 at Rice-Eccles Stadium in a match presented by the Utah Sports Commission. The Utah Youth Soccer Association helped to promote the match and sold thousands of tickets. Almost 20,000 fans attended the game, the largest crowd this year for the U.S. Women's National Team in a non-World Cup match.
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Website Development. Shortly after my election, the Association's website (www.utahyouthsoccer.net) was completely re-designed under the direction of webmaster Colleen Koelliker. Numerous features have been added to the website, including Greg Maas' popular column, "Technical Tuesday." The website set new records for hits and attracted notice for its coverage of the State Cup tournament and the Far West Regionals.
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E-Travel System. In July, the Association implemented an E-Travel System that allows teams to obtain permission to travel online without any fee. Utah became one of the first states in the country to take this step to simplify the travel process for its members.
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Online Feedback System. For the fall season of the State Competition League, the Association added a feature to its website that permits members to submit feedback and report concerns about league matches.
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Coaching Education Calendar. In early 2003, Technical Director Greg Maas prepared an 18-month advance calendar for coaching education courses.
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Referee Education Calendar. Later in 2003, Director of Instruction Bill Marsh released a calendar for referee education courses that is being maintained on the Association's website.
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Online Referee Reports. The Association implemented a program for the fall season of the State Competition League so that referees may submit match reports through an online reporting system.
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President's Cup. In an effort to attract more interest and improve the level of competition in the President's Cup (formerly the Commissioner's Cup), the Board of Directors authorized a program that allowed teams to earn State Cup seeding rights in the President's Cup. Although this program will be re-evaluated at the end of the seasonal year, the 2003 President's Cup attracted more entrants and a higher caliber of competition than the year before.
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The Board Hits the Road. During 2003, the Association's Board of Directors held meetings in Logan, Provo, Bountiful, and Salt Lake City. The organization serves a constituency across the state, and the Board of Directors traveled to show its commitment to building soccer within Utah's borders.
During my candidacy for the presidency, I encouraged the Association's membership to engage in dialogue about the future of soccer in our state. One of my goals as president has been to make this a continual process. I welcome your feedback and ask for your help to build and unify our state's soccer community. Indeed, let us rededicate ourselves to the mission of offering soccer opportunities to every child in Utah.
Paul C. Burke
President
Utah Youth Soccer Association
www.utahyouthsoccer.net
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