1958 Springfield Youth Club’s founder, Paul Westlein organizes

the first football team in Springfield, Virginia. Two years later, the

football team merges with the Boys Club, Inc. and becomes known

as the Springfield Boys Club of the Greater Washington Area.

 

1962 Edwin Lynch donates the land for what will later become

Byron Avenue Park. At the time, Mr. Lynch stipulated that the

Springfield Boys Club and West Springfield Little League would

share the use of the fields at the park.

 

1971 The Springfield Boys Club offers multiple sports including

soccer, basketball, bowling, golf, wrestling, and softball in addition

to football. Membership grows to 1,195 families with 2,068 boys and

girls registering for programs.

 

1975 The first annual Virginian Soccer Tournament hosts 80

teams from the metropolitan area and New Jersey.

 

1977 Springfield Boys Club changes its name to Springfield

Youth Club reflecting coed participation in the programs.

 

1990 Office and warehouse space is purchased on Newington

Road in Lorton, Virginia. The building is later named

The Vince Smith Facility in honor of a long-time SYC volunteer.

 

1994 SYC hires two part-time paid staff to oversee administrative

office operations.

 

1996 A preliminary study for the renovation of three soccer fields

and a baseball diamond at Hooes Road Park begins. Springfield

Youth Club and Springfield Babe Ruth League enter into a joint

venture with the Fairfax County Park Authority to renovate the four

fields. The renovations finally begin in October of 2003.

 

2003 SYC enters into an agreement with Fairfax County Public

Schools to develop a soccer field at Greensprings for the Club’s

exclusive use. SYC contributes $103,000 to build the soccer field

and agrees to pay $25,000 annually for ten years to maintain the

field.

 

2004 Greensprings Field opens for play and is dedicated to

“Coach Bob” Elseth, an SYC soccer coach who lost his life

at the Pentagon on 9/11.