Statements
Mission
The West Nashville Sports League (WNSL) is a 501c3 onprofit in its 26th year. WNSL prides itself on organization, communication and awareness of families needs while encouraging participants to have fun and focus on sportsmanship, fairness of play and recreational competition. It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game.
Background
The West Nashville Sports League was founded as a private sports league for youth girls in November 1997 by seven parents who realized there wasn't a youth sports league where their daughters could play with their friends and classmates on the same team. The league was originally named West Nashville Basketball League with 150 players. It became obvious to the founding parents Middle Tennessee needed a league where friends could play with friends. In 1999, the decision was made to change the name to West Nashville Sports League and to apply for the 5019(c)3 exemption. In 2001, winter basketball for boys was added. In 2003 the WNSL was asked by LGH to integrate spring and fall baseball to the league. In the summer and fall of 2008 summer basketball and flag football were added, respectively. In 2015 Spring, Fall & Winter Indoor Soccer were added. In 2017, a youth golf league was added. In the fall of 2021 the WNSL took over the GHGSL and plays softball in Green Hills Park behind JT Moore. A league that began for private reasons morphed into one of the largest youth sports leagues in the Southeast that also offers clinics, camps, youth referee and coaching certification programs and continues to offer a draft free league. Throughout the history of WNSL the program's financial support has come from individual and corporate donations and sponsorships - not from tax dollars. The growth of WNSL has gone from 5 baseball fields to 11, 5 with lights, and 150 players to over 9,000 families/year with children participating in the league.
Impact
The West Nashville Sports League (WNSL) has served the Middle Tennessee youth and their families for 24 years. Last year there were over 6,000 families that participated in recreational and competitive divisions in five sports. The WNSL maintains 10 baseball fields, 7 flag football fields and 3 concession stands. The WNSL currently offers league play for Boys & Girls (4 - 18 year olds) in Basketball, Baseball, Flag Football, Indoor Soccer, Golf and Softball. The WNSL offers annual tournaments in each respective sport. The largest tournament is the annual (21st year) WNSL March Madness that hosts over 300 teams from Tennessee and 5 surrounding states. All league and tournament basketball games are played in various (26-29) Middle Tennessee public and private gymnasiums to which the WNSL makes annual donations. The WNSL is proud to boost revenue for both Middle Tennessee businesses and local schools. The WNSL also hosts the annual Cal Ripken/Babe Ruth District and State baseball tournaments bringing youth and their families to the Middle Tennessee area. Notably, the WNSL is the largest youth sports league in the state. The WNSL maintains and develops approximately 30 acres at the Edwin Warner Park sports facilities that are leased from Metro Parks. The WNSL has added additional irrigation systems, sound system, and landscaping. All funds were raised from individual and corporate donations raised through the WNSL website and various local fundraising events. In addition to league and tournament play the WNSL maintains the baseball fields at Edwin Warner Park that are used by area schools and church leagues. The WNSL also offers a young referee/umpire training program giving area high school students the ability to learn how to referee/umpire and work with the WNSL during the basketball and baseball seasons. This program is offered to any high school student; however, many of the students are former players with the WNSL. The league has come full circle, players the WNSL helped to develop come back to help younger players develop their skills and the "love of the game". The WNSL through partnerships with the Titans, Sounds, Predators, Music City Bowl, and local universities among others encourages the league players and families to participate in their community events at 'WNSL Nights'.
Needs
Facility Maintenance and Improvement: Improve the quality and safety of baseball and flag football fields that are used by thousands of Middle Tennessee youth the league needs baseball equipment replacements, field maintenance management program upgraded. Permanent structure upgrades at the Edwin Warner Park sports facility including a new concession stand, parking lot lights and new bathrooms. Upgrades to the sports facilities are imperative to the growth of the league. Scholarships: The WNSL has the policy never to turn away a player that is financially unable to participate; therefore, the league needs to raise more scholarship funds through corporate sponsorships.
CEO Statement
With the large increase in the 'winning at all cost' and 'competitive sports is the only way' mentalities, the WNSL has had to work extremely hard to keep youth sports centered on what it should be: youth. At West Nashville Sports League, we strive to provide players the 'teaching of fundamentals for each sport while having fun' as the emphasis of the league. The league does not keep standings through the season. The WNSL wants participants to simply love the game they are playing and, therefore, keep the focus off of Wins and Loses. Mid season schedules are adjusted to give all teams an opportunity to have the most positive youth sports experience possible. Understanding, however, with travel teams and competitive-oriented sports on the rise, we have adjusted the league. We now offer recreational and competitive divisions in all sports The WNSL was founded to allow children who simply wanted to play together in a non-threatening sports environment to enjoy youth sports. We have never had a pre-season draft that can become an embarrassing situation for many children. Instead we provide a unique approach by being a 'bring your on team' league. Schools can bring schools teams, classmates or friends can join as full or partial teams and individual players can come in as a free agent. The hands-on approach West Nashville Sports League offers all teams and players separates it from other leagues in Middle Tennessee.
Board Chair Statement
As the founding President I have watched the WNSL touch literally thousands of lives, enabling children an opportunity to participate in a positive team sports environment. The successes of this center on the valuable lessons that are instilled in these participants such as: commitment, honesty, integrity, selflessness, as well as being provided with a forum to develop themselves from a leadership perspective. Over the years WNSL has become one of the largest and most successful youth sports leagues in the Southeast. Growing from 150 little girls playing 8 Saturdays of winter basketball to over 9,000 families participating year round in Winter and Summer Basketball, Spring and Fall Baseball, Spring and Fall Flag Football, Fall & Winter Soccer, Golf and Softball and one of the largest basketball tournaments hosting over 300 teams from six different states. The West Nashville Sports League has succeeded for several reasons the main one being the board members have never lost the focus of WNSL's mission - WNSL prides itself on organization, communication and awareness of families needs while encouraging participants to have fun and focus on sportsmanship, fairness of play and recreational competition. WNSL will continue to reiterate, "It's not whether you wine or lose, it's how you play the game." The second being the lasting partnerships with the community it services, and third the continuity of leadership. Future challenges for WNSL include expanding facilities to accommodate the raising numbers of Middle Tennessee families that are looking for youth sports league programs such as WNSL's, maintaining and upgrading the facilities at Edwin Warner Sports Complex. In these endeavors we invite your partnership and support.
Service Categories |
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| Primary Category: | Recreation & Sports - Amateur Sports |
| Secondary Category: | Youth Development - Youth Development Programs |
| Tertiary Category: | - |
Areas Served
The WNSL serves youth players from the Middle Tennessee area including but not limited to: Davidson, Williamson, Dickson, Rutherford, Wilson, Sumner and Cheatham counties.
| TN - Davidson |
| TN - Williamson |
| TN - Wilson |
| TN - Sumner |
| TN - Cheatham |
| TN - Rutherford |
| TN - Dickson |
