Welcome to our 'People of SYSA' series! This series is where we talk with players, coaches, administrators, parents, referees and volunteers from all across SYSA and learn a little bit about them and why they love being a part of Seattle Youth Soccer Association.
For this edition of 'People of SYSA' we sat down with James Mayton, a volunteer with Mount Baker-Lakewood Soccer Club. James wears many hats on the admin side of things at MBL. He's the Mod Program Coordinator and Fields Coordinator, and he has recently stepped into the role of Community Outreach Director as well.
James is a fantastic example of someone who understands the value of volunteering one's time as it relates to the larger picture of cultivating community and inclusion in the neighborhoods that we live. He values soccer for its ability to be that connecting piece that brings everyone together.
Let's dive into our conversation with James:
GETTING INVOLVED WITH SYSA
James and his family originally got involved with Mount Baker-Lakewood Soccer Club about four years ago when his son expressed interest in playing. James's older daughter then decided to try it out after seeing her brother enjoying it so much. The family has been playing in MBL ever since.
Right away, James wanted to help out. "This is a volunteer driven association so this type of thing is important," he says. He started out by getting involved in the Mod Program as a parent drill leader for his son's U6 team. After that he slowly got more involved in coaching and then eventually moved over to the administrative side of things. James jokes that he "signed up to be Fields Coordinator after realizing that was the only way to know what field my kid would be practicing on." But in all seriousness, James wanted to use his organizational and management skills to benefit the nonprofit organization.
THE VALUE OF VOLUNTEERING
James doesn't look at volunteering as a chore, he looks at it for its value, both in regards to what it brings to his community and to himself personally.
"Putting yourself in a volunteer role where others around you are also really passionate and dedicated has been a really good social support for me through these pandemic years. Being able to support kids who are struggling and have been sheltered indoors, and the parents of these children, by bringing them back outdoors, in a safe setting where they can see their friends and play soccer - just being able to help in that capacity has been really rewarding."
When it comes to volunteer coaches, James emphasizes how much he appreciates rec soccer coaches and their ability to understand that the most important part of ALL of this is giving kids a social outlet to interact with their friends and have fun playing this wonderful game in a safe, supportive environment.
"During these Covid years, recreational soccer has been a super stable thing and support for kids going through these troubling times. It's been great for my kids personally, I've seen them benefit from it and a lot of that has to do with the culture that is created by their rec soccer coaches. I really appreciate that," James says.
If you are thinking about volunteering, but just haven't committed yet, James's advice is to "start small, that way it won't overwhelm you. You can grow it over time, but taking the first step is always the hardest, especially these last couple of years with everything else that has been happening in the world. Most folks that do take the first step keep on walking."
THE MOUNT BAKER-LAKEWOOD COMMUNITY
Recently, James has gotten more involved in community outreach and has been focusing on growth of the organization's impact and reach within their club boundaries.
"A distinguishing factor for MBL Soccer Club is that we have a lot of socioeconomic diversity. Working towards more equitable participation with everyone in our boundaries is an important thing for us right now," James says. In his new role as Community Outreach Director at Mount Baker-Lakewood, James is helping the club look at and analyze the current soccer landscape, including participation and resources, to see what steps can be taken to make soccer more accessible for folks of all households and all socioeconomic backgrounds.
"The soccer landscape in Seattle right now, it's different north of 1-90 than it is south of 1-90. It's a bit of a soccer desert between the 1-90 and and Starfire. Some organizations are coming in and trying to change that: you've got RAVE Foundation building new fields specifically located in South Seattle, and others delivering new programs and service ideas such as free soccer camps, which is great. We want to be a part of that changing landscape. At Mount Baker-Lakewood Soccer Club we want to be recalibrating things to be more inclusive and meet people where they are in life."
{Related read: Seattle Sounders RAVE Foundation to build 26 soccer fields by 2026}
LOOKING AHEAD FOR MBL SOCCER
Looking to the future, James sees a lot of good stuff in the works for Mount Baker-Lakewood Soccer Club. Stuff that he is excited to be a part of.
"We have good momentum behind our U6 program. We've been working to set a solid foundation for registration growth, focused on the Mod Program. One of the big things we are doing with the Mod U6 program is working to bring in professional support for coaches. One of the hardest things is to get parents into the roles of coaching, so we want to help parents gain confidence in regards to leading activities and drills in practice, right away at U6, so that next year, in U7, they have the skills and confidence they need to step into head coaching roles."
In his dual roles of Field Coordinator and Community Outreach Director, James also says that one of the biggest challenges for MBL is the extreme north/south distance that their soccer club covers. It can take up to 25 minutes to drive to a field sometimes, which isn't easy for parents, especially ones with multiple kids playing. So looking ahead, one of the things James is excited to experiment with more, is figuring out to most effectively group teams geographically both east/west and north/south so that socioeconomic diversity is still happening in the team's makeups, but also so that players get the opportunity to practice at a field that is close to home, and preferably even within walking distance.
Regardless of what he is currently working on for Mount Baker-Lakewood, James continues to volunteer and stay involved because he is driven and motivated by the immense benefits that this nonprofit organization brings to the community. From the fun and excitement that the game generates, to being a great social outlet for both players and parents, to finding ways to make sure everyone who wants to play soccer gets the opportunity to play - this is what volunteering is all about to James.
Thank you so much James! You are doing amazing work at MBL. It is volunteers like you that make SYSA what it is.
