It has been nearly two years since the Morgan Hill Youth Sports Alliance began operating the Morgan Hill Outdoor Sports Center. What a difference the two years have made!
An attempt to detail the successes, improvements, challenges and obstacles overcome in the past 21 months would be a long story probably best told over dinner featuring lots of hand gestures and props. But possibly more important than the specific events and activities that have unfolded is a telling of how these results were achieved through partnerships and cooperation – with everything done ultimately to put “more kids in more sports.”
If you go back to 2010, the City of Morgan Hill took a chance partnering with our alliance. Whether trying the new concept of a public private partnership was a big chance or not, I believe the city had the right idea. Communities succeed when people pull together for a common cause, and, in this case, I submit that the community of Morgan Hill has succeeded. The OSC is busier than ever; new and varied users and sports are coming in throughout the year (often on the same day), and, by all accounts, the facilities are getting better – all at no cost to the city. Our community’s already excellent sports leagues and teams have enjoyed increased access to the entire facility for almost two years. Still, this success wasn’t realized by a decree or waving a magic wand.
During the competitive process to run the OSC, the Morgan Hill Pop Warner Raiders were on board speaking in favor of our selection to the City Council. Once the contract was awarded, they jumped in with both feet to support our transition with a parade of volunteers that helped with crucial site repairs such as improved fencing, pouring cement pads and grading the corporation yard to improve operations flow. The Orchard Valley Youth Soccer League assisted with field lining and provided needed goals and equipment. Britton Middle School donated nets, and Live Oak girls field hockey provided volunteers for event operations. Local businesses jumped in with assistance coming from Chiala Farms, Associated Concrete, MJR Electric, Sycamore Concrete, San Benito Rockery and Cyclone Fence and Iron. All in all, a clear demonstration of a community pulling together much as how the facility was first established years ago.
Things became much more interesting in our second year of operations, with new partners coming from both expected and unexpected sources, and some sprouting from startling directions. The first eyebrow-raiser came when Team San Jose connected with us to bring users to the facility as part of a strategy to fill San Jose hotels. Yes, you read that correctly, to fill San Jose hotels! Talk about validating our vision of the site as a tourism sports destination. We work hard with our local hotels in offering rooms through our Hotel Partner Program, but to have the City of San Jose expand the potential demand speaks to the tremendous promise the facility has for national exposure and larger events.
Around the same time, we partnered with a San Jose State-based marketing team of interns, called Dwight Bentel Hall, to promote the OSC to regional and national sports leagues and tournaments. This led to long-term interest from USA Lacrosse, international soccer groups – and even American Kennel Club events! Next, a renewed discussion with the San Jose Earthquakes led to a partnership where they now have a permanent presence at the OSC during tournaments and events. Now, we are moving into Phase 2 with the ’Quakes, which will include direct sponsorship of tournaments and special ticket packages for the kids to play during the team’s halftimes and other fun activities.
Emboldened, we plunged in headfirst to keep up the momentum. The ’Quakes partnership was soon followed by partnerships with the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce to bring the No Bull BBQ Cook Off to the facility, which will be held on May 12, the day before Mother’s Day. We also teamed with the San Jose Firefighters Burn Foundation to bring the “Firefighters Chili Cook Off” back to life in Morgan Hill on June 16, the day before Father’s Day. The House of Thunder, Morgan Hill’s renowned Harley Davidson store, is bringing the heat of the Chili Cook Off to new heights by sponsoring a stunt jump by daredevil phenomenon Bubba Blackwell, who’s set to jump over buses and vans on Condit Road. Continuing on, Univision has asked us to host and operate a Four-A-Side soccer tournament (ages 8 to adult) called the Copa Univision 2012, held Aug. 4-5, which will be televised. We are set to team with Sobrato Arts to host a concert event for Oktoberfest, possibly headlined by Eddie Money, bringing music, festivals and a soccer tournament together for what we hope becomes an enduring tradition for Morgan Hill and South Valley families.
As our second year of OSC operations comes to an end, we are excited about our most recent partnership opportunity. We are currently in the process of finalizing a partnership agreement with California Youth Soccer Association’s District 2, the largest youth sports group in California and representing the Silicon Valley, that will have lasting impacts to the OSC operations. Key components of the agreement are our presence on the CYSA District 2 Board of Directors (I have assumed the role of tournament coordinator for the district), a long-term agreement to lock in CYSA tournament dates and a closer coordination and hosting of the tournaments themselves. Leadership from both groups foresees a win-win arrangement to benefit the kids, and, on top of that, we are looking forward to sharing some related major news to benefit the OSC sometime this year. We are in similar discussions with Orchard Valley and the Morgan Hill Raiders to ensure affordable access to the OSC in coming years, extending our existing Home Field Partnerships with our two local partners. We look forward to long-term success working with all these organizations.
MHYSA is excited by what has been achieved in the last 21 months, but, more importantly, we are grateful for the help and support that made it happen. We want to take this opportunity to thank the community for your ongoing support. We look forward to another three years as OSC custodians, where we will continue to aim at evolving this facility and, by extension, our community into one of the finest sports destinations in California. The success story of the Morgan Hill Outdoor Sports Center belongs to all of us, working together, partners in success.
