Recently, I spent two evenings at local ski shops helping students select snow clothes and helmets, while chatting with their siblings and parents. All of these students are participating in the Youth Sports Alliance’s after-school learn-to-ski/snowboard programs. Some children were excited to get back on the slopes with their classmates. A few were nervous about making their first tracks. One mother proudly told me that her daughter was the first person ever in her family to learn to snowboard. She relayed a little about her own childhood, which shed light on why this opportunity to be outside on the mountain was so important to her.
Time and again, parents expressed appreciation that these programs were available for their children. The amount of gratitude directed at YSA was far beyond the hours that my colleagues in the office and the YSA board put into providing opportunities for children to get outdoors. So much of YSA’s success comes from community-driven accomplishments that have left an indelible mark on the future of our children.
This past year was remarkable. A record-breaking 2,426 students challenged themselves to learn new skills through our programs. They skied, biked, boxed, sailed, cooked, welded and 40 other activities. This initiative translated into more than 20,000 hours of screen-free time for young people in our community. YSA forged a new alliance with Kodiak to inspire students living in the Wasatch Back to live healthy, active lives. Additionally, a unique opportunity with Jaguar Land Rover North America resulted in a donation to YSA from each sale of 20 Range Rover Sport Deer Valley Edition vehicles.
But for us, the pinnacle came late in the year in the Land Rover Defender Service Awards — YSA won the Outdoor Accessibility & Education category by popular vote. YSA was selected as one of the five finalists in this category.
Through the process of the popular vote, we saw the power of our community rallying behind us to get out the vote. It seemed like wherever we went across the Wasatch Back over the 20 days of voting, we encountered people who told us that they’d voted for us, often every day. We were grateful to meet so many new people at concerts, outdoor movies, the Park City High School homecoming game, church breakfasts and more events across the Wasatch Back.
We were humbled by the number of organizations, Olympians, and just regular folk who helped get out the vote on their social media, in their newsletters, and in texts to their friends. Every day there were dozens of shares and original content posted across social platforms.
The grand prize? A custom Land Rover Defender 130 with features to support our programs — whether towing bikes to a trailhead or transporting students to a venue. A vehicle that can drive our mission even further.
2023 was a collective triumph for a community that believes in the power of investing in its youth. To every donor, sponsor, supporter, volunteer, Land Rover Defender Service Awards voter, and program participant, we extend our deepest thanks. Together, we have proven that when a community unites behind a shared vision, incredible things can happen.
Emily S. Fisher
Executive Director, Youth Sports Alliance