Bluesprings Youth Soccer Association AFTER THE 1996 OLYMPICS TOOK PLACE IN ATLANTA, DAVID
and Debbie Bird wanted to bring youth soccer to Loganville, Georgia. With the help of Lee Saint Germain, they launched the Bluesprings Youth Soccer Association in August 1996 with just over 100 kids playing. Today, the club is thriving with over 1,500 participants while still retaining that family-first atmosphere. Samantha Snow, David and Debbie’s daughter, re-joined the club in 2016 as its new Executive Director. She has witnessed the club’s growth up close. Snow said, “In 1996, it was one field and about 100 kids playing. Now, it’s 16 fields from Academy-sized up to full-sized fields playing out here. Now that I’ve come back home and I’m seeing it, everybody that I grew up playing with is now out here coaching with their kids.” In addition to the beautiful outdoor complex in Loganville, David and Debbie have also opened an indoor soccer arena in Gwinnett County so they can serve their soccer families year-round. The Creekside Sports Center stays busy throughout the year so Bluesprings’ kids and adults can play at any time. BYSA is unique in that there is a team for everyone regardless of their level. The grassroots programs start with the 3 year olds in Kickeroos and goes up to the Junior League for high school-aged players. The competitive program begins with Academy Teams at 9U and 10U and goes up to 18U Girls and 19U Boys.
parents play in the adult leagues at the indoor center or play each winter in the Frosty Balls Tournament. The Junior League really stands out in Snow’s mind. She said, “Once they get to high school, we have the Junior League and it’s coed. It’s kind of an anomaly because it’s one of our biggest and most popular leagues. In lots of other clubs, once you get to high school age, kids are either playing at a high level or not playing at all. All of our high school kids get together, form their teams, and it’s pretty competitive.” With their growth, Bluesprings has been able to maintain their identity as building the grassroots side of the sport. Snow said, “I think it’s the most important thing. Without the grassroots, we’re not going to have the platform and the foundation to build off of. That is the foundation of soccer in America. It’s how we’re finding all of the kids to move up into the higher levels.” The club has been able to create an environment where grassroots soccer can thrive. Snow continued, “It’s so important for them to continue on whether they are playing or refereeing because that’s where we get our fans from. If they get into that elite side of the game and it doesn’t work out as a player, we don’t want them to leave the game completely. Then we lose our fans. The grassroots all the way up into the adults is so important.”