Who We Are
Creating Meaningful Change
DYSA, or Developing Young Student Athletes, has been making a significant impact in the Dallas metro area for over a decade. Our mission is clear: We are dedicated to empowering young student-athletes by providing them with the opportunities and resources they need to succeed. Our journey began with the inspiration drawn from the experiences of our founders Jabari Moore and Idris Haroon, who grew up in the ghettos of Houston and Orlando to earning Division 1 scholarships at major universities.
Expanding Our Goals
Our initial goal was to assist promising young men in realizing their dreams of becoming college athletes. We achieved this through a combination of mentoring, training, and college recruiting services. However, as we became fathers to daughters, we recognized the pressing need to address racial disparities in women's college sports, especially for Black and Brown girls.
Creating Equity in Sports for Black and Brown Athletes
While Title IX has been instrumental in promoting gender equality in sports, it has not explicitly addressed racial discrimination. As a result, Black female participation in college sports has not progressed at the same rate as that of their white counterparts. Factors such as racial clustering and economic barriers have contributed to this disparity. Prominent figures in the world of sports, like Tina Sloan Green and Dawn Staley, have stressed the necessity of intentional efforts to increase access and opportunities for Black women in sports. Staley's assertion that Black female athletes face unique challenges underscores the urgency of recognizing and addressing these issues.
It is true that there have been successful Black female athletes in prominent sports like basketball and track and field. However, disparities persist in sports outside of these areas, including Soccer, Tennis, Golf, Volleyball, and Field Hockey. The historical inaccessibility of "country-club sports" to Black athletes, coupled with the lack of resources and opportunities, has led to the underrepresentation of Black and Brown girls in these sports.
While progress has been made in diversifying women's college athletics, there is still much work to be done to ensure equitable representation for Black and Brown girls in all sports. This underscores the importance of acknowledging race as a factor and advocating for change to create a more inclusive and equitable sports landscape.
Bringing Field Hockey to the Greater Dallas Area
This is precisely why DYSA has shifted its focus. We believe that a great place to start is with field hockey in the greater Dallas area. Field hockey offers over 79 Division 1 programs and 26 Division 2 programs, some of which are highly regarded academic institutions like Princeton, Harvard, Yale, Duke, Columbia, and Stanford.
When it comes to providing girls with an opportunity to play in college while receiving a quality education, their chances are significantly higher in field hockey compared to other sports. For instance, in track and field, with over 488,000 women athletes participating in high school, only about 6 percent have a chance to run collegiately. In women's basketball, with approximately 399,000 high school participants, only around 4 percent will play in college.
In contrast, field hockey boasts only 60,000 high school athletes, with over 6,000 participating in college. This means that roughly 10 percent of field hockey athletes have opportunities to play at the college level. Importantly, the majority of field hockey players are not Black or Brown, making it a sport with less participation but more college opportunities.
To capitalize on this opportunity, we believe it's crucial to introduce field hockey at the elementary and middle school levels for our Black and Brown girls. By doing so, we can bridge the gap and empower these young athletes to achieve their dreams while ensuring that racial disparities in women's college sports become a thing of the past. This is the new focus of DYSA, and we are committed to making a positive and lasting impact on the lives of these talented young athletes.
Mentoring
DYSA has provided guidance and mentorship to young athletes as they navigate the world of sports and prepare for the transition to college. Through various programs and initiatives, DYSA offers personalized support to athletes, helping them develop their athletic skills, build character and leadership abilities, and achieve academic success. One way in which DYSA supports athletes is by connecting them with experienced coaches and mentors who can offer guidance and training in their respective sports. These mentors work closely with athletes to develop their skills and provide guidance on how to manage the demands of being a student-athlete.
USDA Summer Food Program
From 2010-2013 we participated in the USDA summer food program. With the assistance of many volunteers, DYSA was able to provide more than 270,000 meals to economically disadvantaged children in Arizona. In the summer of 2011 DYSA managed a total of 19 serving sites in the Phoenix area. Realizing there was a greater need for the program DYSA reached out to community leaders for support, and in the summer of 2012 DYSA grew to a total of 35 sites serving 5,000 meals per day.
College Visits
DYSA has partnered with various groups to coordinate college visits. These partnerships have allowed DYSA to connect students with college representatives and provide them with valuable information about the college experience, we partnered with local and out of state universities to arrange campus tours, information sessions and meetings with admissions officers.
Flag Football Tournaments
DYSA has adopted Euless Jr High as part of a program that partners with local businesses in the community. As part of this initiative, DYSA has sponsored 7 v 7 teams with Grid Iron sports.
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Summer Sports Camps
DYSA has been providing valuable assistance in prospect camps across the country. These camps are designed to give young athletes the opportunity to showcase their skills and abilities to college programs. DYSA provides resources to training facilities to help these young athletes navigate the physical demands of the camp, and to ensure the athletes perform to their maximum abilities.
Join Us
Join Our Movement.
Your support will enable us to fulfill our mission of empowering young black and brown girls by providing them with the opportunities and resources they need to succeed.