Greater Youth Sports Association (GYSA) a 501(c)(3) non-profit, serving at-risk elementary-age youth in Southern Nevada hosted their 3^rd Annual Holiday Ball Drive on December 17^th, 2022. In addition to being a fun, family-friendly holiday event, this fundraiser collected sports balls for at-risk and fostered youth while raising funds for GYSA’s afterschool sports and character development program, the School Sports Solution.

The event launched in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic as a contactless ball drive to collect youth-sized sports balls for at-risk children while they were stuck at home. In its first year the event was a success and collected hundreds of balls that were distributed before the Christmas holiday.

The event has since grown exponentially thanks to community support and partnerships. During the 2021 Holiday Ball Drive, community partner, Las Vegas Sports Realtors, in collaboration with UNLV Football player, Marcus Phillips Jr., pledged to donate 100 balls. This contribution along with support of the local community and Las Vegas entrepreneurs Phase 1 Sports, Legends N Making, and ElevateNowBrands, helped GYSA collect nearly 600 balls.

This year GYSA returned in partnership with Las Vegas Sports Realtors and a goal of collecting 2,000 balls. The event was hosted at the new Phase 1 Elite training facility and included: a Kids Sports Combine Course, Raffle Prizes from vendors such as Lulelemon, Raising Cane’s and more, Free Tacos, UNLV Football Player Appearances, Autograph Signings, Raiders Fan Bus, and the Rebel Den Pop Up Shop.

Community partners for the 3^rd Annual Holiday Ball Drive included Las Vegas Sports Realtors, Gaudin Ford, Phase 1 Elite, Highlands Residential Mortgage, and New York Life.

GYSA is proud to have collected nearly 1,600 balls that were distributed to fostered youth across Nevada.

The event also raised close to $8,000 in funds for our School Sports Solution program which provides afterschool sports programming, social emotional support, character development and academic support to at-risk children in our community.

ABOUT GYSA: GYSA, which was founded in 2018, has accomplished much over its short life. The organization’s Founders believe that cost should never be the reason a child does not participate in sports. Sadly, this is the reality for 7 out of 10 low-income students across the nation. Over the last several years GYSA has grown its program through 30 local elementary schools, been named an NYSS Champion by the ODPHP and the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition, and have provided thousands of at-risk children with afterschool sports programming, educational support, character development, and social emotional support.