FYAA FAQs
About the Organization
Forest Youth Athletic Association (FYAA), is a private youth sports non profit 501(c)(3) dedicated to offering opportunities for area youth to participate in recreation sports.
Established in 1985, we are a private 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. EIN: 52-1275638. FYAA is a community partner to Bedford County and works in cooperation with Bedford County Parks and Recreation.
We rely on registration fees, donations, sponsorships, community partnerships, and local volunteers to serve local youth who want to want to the opportunity to play sports. We believe that no child should be turned away if they have a desire to play.
FYAA secures approximately 80% of the funds each year from registration fees, donations, and sponsorships. These funds cover costs associated with uniforms, building costs, utilities, insurance, league registrations, capital upgrades, as well as upkeep of the fields, grounds and playground, a percentage of pay for the referees, officials, and umpires for all sports, and other operational costs including accounting, security, and administrative costs.
Bedford County (through the Parks and Recreation department) provide approximately 20% of costs associated with county sanctioned sports: basketball, soccer, football, flag-football, baseball, softball, cheerleading). This portion of funds supports mowing and line the fields, provide some of the required sports equipment, trash collection, bathroom supplies, and a percentage of pay for the referees, officials, and umpires for county sanctioned sports.
As a private 501(c)(3) organization recognized by the IRS as tax-exempt - FYAA annually files the required 990 form sharing income and expenses for each filing year.
All 990s are open to public inspection at www.irs.gov and the past five years of FYAA’s 990 filings are found on our website HERE
Fees cover uniforms, building costs, utilities, insurance, league registrations, capital upgrades, as well as upkeep of the fields, grounds and playground, and other operational costs including accounting, security, and administrative costs. Although FYAA owns the 36 acres the park is situated on (as well as the building that houses the office, concessions and equipment storage), there is continued maintenance required..
Bedford County Parks and Recreation (BCPR) is a department of Bedford County. FYAA is a community partner to Bedford County and works in cooperation with Bedford County Parks and Recreation.
In cooperation with Bedford County, all residents are eligible for all sports through FYAA.
However, FYAA believes that no child should be turned away from the opportunity to play sports. We make every effort to be inclusive, but some sports are required to follow area boundaries due to league boundaries.
In baseball and softball, Little League residency boundaries are required to be followed.
FYAA runs as an almost entirely volunteer-based organization with incredible community support from participating families, local businesses and trusted partnerships.
There is one paid staff member for FYAA who is shared with BCPR (50/50) for a total of 30-32 hours per week. There is no doubt this position requires more hours than currently we are able to fund.
There is one sub-contractor who supports field preparation and maintenance.
FYAA is managed and governed by a board of directors (per requirements of a 501c3 non profit organization). All board members are volunteers. Available board seats are open for nomination annually each calendar year. New board members are interviewed and voted on for approval at one of the fall board meetings. Anyone can be nominated or show interest in being on the board. All candidates are brought in for an interview.
Every sport at FYAA has a commissioner. This is a volunteer role is responsible for leading the program including but not limited to: coordinating drafts, practice schedules ordering uniforms, answering questions, and regularly communicating with coaches.
Anyone can show interest and be nominated for commissioner. Qualified candidates are brought in for an interview with the board of directors.
FYAA Facilities & Park Information
FYAA owns the 36 acre park located at 3372 Thomas Jefferson Road, Forest, VA 24551. On this property are: (5) baseball/softball fields and (1) Tee ball field; soccer fields that can be lined for multiple age groups; lacrosse/football fields for games & practice; an outdoor batting cage; office building that houses meeting space, staff office, concessions and equipment storage; playground, and a restroom building.
This property is used first and foremost by FYAA teams for practice and games. Any additional availability can be used by Bedford County to support their other teams, as well as area school sports if they need additional space.
The fields and property can also be rented through a facility rental agreement for privately held tournaments, camps or other sporting events. Contact admin@forestyouth.org for more information.
YES! The fields and property can be rented through a facility rental agreement for privately held tournaments, camps or other sporting events. Contact admin@forestyouth.org for more information.
Tournaments held at the FYAA park are facility rentals. These rentals are helpful revenue that benefits the entire organization. The park property is used first and foremost by FYAA teams for practice and games.
Every facility rental is also evaluated by how they impact the current season schedules and reviewed by the Board of Directors.
The fields and property can be rented through a facility rental agreement for privately held tournaments, camps or other sporting events. Contact admin@forestyouth.org for more information.
On average our park fields are rented 4-5 times in a year.
Our rates are currently $150 per field per day. Contact admin@forestyouth.org for more information.
Yes - we have had rentals for area organizers and schools to host youth sports camps in the summer. Contact admin@forestyouth.org for more information.
We have a vendor to operate concessions at FYAA Park. There are a lot of opportunities for volunteers from each team to work concessions and in return raise funds for their sport. All funds raised will help with improvements for facilities and purchase new equipment.
All directions to fields on schedules for FYAA sports can be found here on our website: FIELD LOCATIONS
Registration Costs + Sponsorship
Each sport at FYAA is $75 per sport, per season. That registration cost provides a uniform (varies per sport), facility maintenance, referees, and operations. The registration fees do not even cover the full cost of a player per season. FYAA fundraises and seeks team and park sponsorship to cover the remainder of the costs.
Currently it is $75 to register for a youth sport season at FYAA, and $40 to register through Bedford County Parks and Recreation. The difference in cost comes down to FYAA being a private 501(c)(3) organiation -- the registration fees do not even cover the full cost of a season. FYAA fundraises and seeks team and park sponsorship to cover the remainder of costs.
Bedford County parks and recreation sports are funded in part by county tax dollars.
FYAA is a private sports organization that serves the Bedford County athletic community in Forest and surrounding areas. FYAA is not managed or operated by Bedford County.
Your sponsorship or donation is crucial to the growth and success of youth sports in our community. It is more important than ever to provide our youth and families with a positive, safe and enjoyable place to play, grow and belong. Help our community by ensuring FYAA can carry out our mission today and for generations to come.
Opportunities for sponsorship include:
- Team sponsors (min $200)
- Helps cover the cost of team equipment, facility, field maintenance, and officials/referree
- Benefits include logo on team shirts, website recognition and link
- Organization sponsors - (min $750)
- Helps cover costs of the entire organization and park
- Benefits include a sign at the park, website recognition and link
- In-Kind Sponsorships: (various)
- Extremely valuable and helpful to offset expenses of the organization.
- Gifts in-kind include but not limited to - lawn care, dirt, propane, solar panels, security, pavement, labor, maintenance, equipment, supplies, water, clean up, and volunteer help.
Did you know that team and individual photos through FYAA are a fundraiser? Much like your school offering for “Picture Day” -- when you purchase photos from FYAA’s “Picture Day” -- it’s a fundraiser for our organization. Team and individual photos are offered as a fundraiser for each FYAA season to help offset costs and support the overall needs of the organization.
Communication
The best way to find information on a sport is on our website - www.forestyouth.org
Follow us on Facebook at Forest Youth Athletic Association for all updates and season information!
Once you register as a player or volunteer, emails will be the main communication from sports commissioners, coaches, and FYAA admin staff.
Please note that responding to your questions and concerns is a high priority for our organization and is important to us. At this time, there is only one staff member in the office 25 hours each week who is responsible for not only responding to emails and phone calls, but also all other duties for the organization. Including scheduling practices, games, officials; coordinating with coaches; processing registrations, payments; ordering equipment and uniforms; and always preparing for the next season of sports.
Please check the website and our FAQs section to see if any of your questions can be answered there first. If not here are the best ways to contact FYAA below.
Email - preferred method of communication
admin@forestyouth.org
Email can be returned outside of office hours and can be delegated to the best source for a response -- a sport commissioner, a coach, or an FYAA board member. Your response may not come directly from this email address.
Phone
(434) 525-6866
Phone calls are returned in order of receiving and may need extended time to reply. If you also send an email, only one response will be made to your inquiry.
In-person
FYAA is located at 3372 Thomas Jefferson Road, Forest, VA 24551. The office is open Monday-Friday 9am-2pm. Please again remember there is only one staff member in the office at this time. You are welcome to make an appointment to meet with the staff member, a sports commissioner, or a board member.
Yes -- we do have Future Plans for Improved Communication. This will take time, fundraising, and volunteer help! If you are interested in helping as a volunteer or supporter -- please contact us at admin@forestyouth.org.
What’s been done so far?
- Improved Social media - FYAA Main Facebook page launched March 2023!
- Improved website experience - new website launched December 2023!
- Improved survey experience - sent after every season
FYAA is located at 3372 Thomas Jefferson Road, Forest, VA 24551. The office is open Monday-Friday 9am-2pm. Please again remember there is only one staff member in the office at this time. You are welcome to make an appointment to meet with the staff member, a sports commissioner, or a board member.
Officials
Under Little League guidelines, umpires are not required for games at the age level of tee ball, coach pitch baseball or softball. However FYAA tries to provide at least 1 umpire for the coach-pitch level. Due to challenges with available officials and recent shortages of people who officiate, we cannot always guarantee having an umpire.
If you are interested in becoming an official -- contact us at admin@forestyouth.org
Basketball - we make every effort to have two officials for division 7-8 Coed and up. There will not be refs for the instructional division 5-6 Coed.
Flag Football - we make every effort to have two officials at every game, with the exception of at least one official at division ages 5-7.
Tackle Football - we make every effort to have three officials at every game, but have a minimum of two officials. This is for every division and age level.
Soccer - we have officials at games for division U10 and up. There are no officials for the U6 or U8 divisions.
Lacrosse - we make every effort to have two officials at every game, with the exception of our youngest division.
Scheduling + Weather Cancellations
Making a decision based on weather conditions is a high priority for our organization. Several factors are taken into account including safety of our players and their families, our official, scorekeepers, facility staff, and the conditions of the grounds making sure they are safe for youth play.
These weather decisions and cancellations vary per sport.
Baseball and Softball
Field conditions for both baseball and softball are assessed and decided on by the facility on the day of a game or practice. If it is for an away game, the home facility will be the decision maker. For evening practices and games, the goal is to make a decision by 3:00 pm. However, Virginia weather is unpredictable especially with storms systems moving through. Please know that every effort is made to proceed with a practice or game if weather permits. The coaches are informed first, and it is the responsibility of the coach to inform players and their families as soon as they are made aware.
Soccer
Soccer fields can take on more weather and those decisions are made directly by the FYAA soccer commissioner who then informs the coaches. It is the responsibility of the coach to inform players and their families as soon as they are made aware.
Football
Field conditions for both flag football and tackle football are assessed and decided on by the facility on the day of a game or practice. If it is for an away game, the home facility will be the decision maker. For evening practices and games, the goal is to make a decision by 3:00 pm. Please know that every effort is made to proceed with a practice or game if weather permits. The coaches are informed first, and it is the responsibility of the coach to inform players and their families as soon as they are made aware.
Basketball
Since basketball uses local school gyms for practice and games, the school weather closings will directly affect a practice or game. If school is closed for weather, then there will not be practice or games that day. On a weekend FYAA and the basketball commissioner will confer with Bedford County Parks and Recreation staff to jointly make a decision. FYAA reserves the right to make cancellations if weather conditions worsen outside of school hours.
All of our sports commissioners and coaches are volunteers. When a coach agrees to volunteer their time to lead a team they provide their availability. Then based on field, gym or facility combined with the coach’s availability -- practice times are scheduled. Practice times and schedules are not pre-determined. It is only after the coach’s meeting are practice schedules created. After providing availability, coaches may not be given a choice as to their practice day/time or game schedules.
Game schedules take longer to finalize and vary by sport: created by Bedford County Parks and Recreation (BCPR), Central Virginia Regional Soccer Association (CVRSA), Seminole District Youth Football League, or coordinating with area teams for competitive play.
If we are aware before the teams are decided then we make every effort to accommodate your family’s needs. However we are fully dependent upon coach availability in your age groups as well as field or gym space availability. We understand that families are busy and have multiple commitments. Unfortunately we cannot guarantee that all requests can be accommodated.
If your sport runs a draft, it could impact which team your child plays on based on coach’s availability. Please let your coach know if you are not able to practice on their given practice day as soon as you are able.
Practice schedules are only set for coaches up until games begin in a season. Once games begin, field space and gym availability is much more limited. Weather changes also affect availability for practice. Games take priority for field space and gym space.
Coaches have to request practice times based on availability once games begin in the season.
Often times there is not enough field space or gym space for all of the teams once games begin. We are in need of more space to accommodate our growing community!
End of season tournaments vary by age level and by sport.
Baseball and Softball
The spring season has all star tournaments for both baseball and softball in the age levels of upper minors or older. There is a formal allstar player selection process.
The fall season of baseball and softball do not have a regular tournament. Each fall season, it may depend on the level of interest and the number of teams willing to play in a tournament. That will be determined by the commissioner and coaches.
Basketball
All age groups of basketball participate in an end of season tournament.
Flag football
All age groups of flag football participate in an end of season tournament.
Football
All age groups of tackle football participate in an end of season tournament.
Lacrosse
There is not end of season tournament for lacrosse.
Soccer
There is not end of season tournament for soccer.
Rules, Policies + Guidelines
In recreation sports, it’s about instruction and participation. While we understand the desire to play with a friend, it’s not always possible. There are several factors that go into how many teams we have in a sport each season and our overall goal is to make sure every team has enough players and all participants have a great experience. It’s also a great opportunity to make new friends or welcome someone new to our community who just moved to the area.
Again these challenges of team requests vary by sport. If there are enough players for multiple teams in the same age group, player drafts are held in basketball, baseball, softball, football, and flag football.
Soccer, lacrosse, and cheer commissioners work with the coaches on making sure each team has enough participants and players.
In our younger age groups 5 and under such as tee ball, requests are accepted but guaranteed.
Priority is given to siblings in the same agree group to be placed on the same team.
There is great importance of having multiple coaches per team - a head coach, assistant coach, and parent volunteers so they can support kids at all levels on each team.
If you are interested in coaching or volunteering, please contact us at admin@forestyouth.org.
If you have any questions or concerns plese reach out to the commissioner of your sport. Contact information for each are HERE on our website .
Every sport played through FYAA has written rules. All rules are supposed to be followed and agreed upon in all playing locations. Instances where they are not, please notify FYAA at admin@forestyouth.org.
Here are links to the rules in each of our sports:
- Basketball Rules -
- Football Rules -- Seminole Distric Youth Football League
- Flag Football Rules - https://nflflag.com/coaches/default/flag-football-rules
- Lacrosse Rules - https://www.usalacrosse.com/node/45
- Baseball Rules -
- Softball Rules -
- Soccer -
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