Recently, I've spent some time with faith-based sports organizations. My perspective on them is that regardless of the specifics of the faith to which they adhere, that they have a powerful attraction based on their focus on character.
In my experience, the folks at the "real" faith based organizations view the YMCA as a non-faith-based alternative.
At their request, I've spoken to several faith-based organizations about affiliation. I could not recommend the SCYSA to any of them (although I did lay out the SCYSA as an alternative). Is that due to my belief that the SCYSA isn't doing enough to grow youth soccer? In part, but only in part.
An affiliating organization has to bring value beyond insurance to the table (since most offer insurance). The SCYSA doesn't bring much differentiation to the table at the recreation level, and it requires a lot of hoops to be jumped through, and in the long-term it is more expensive (i.e., not just per-player registration but tournaments, nickel and diming, and the like). In addition, I've now seen the organization act in ways I considered to be "bad faith" with regard to making decisions based more on politics than on the bylaws and rules and regulations of the organization. If the SCYSA were out there actively trying to grow the sport, I'd be recommending them to anyone and everyone for the good of the game. I can't do that at this point.
