Massachusetts Youth Lacrosse Names Kevin Barney as Organization’s

First Ever Executive Director & General Manager

(October 21, 2022 - Natick, MA) -- Massachusetts Youth Lacrosse (MYL) announced today that Kevin Barney has been selected as the organizations first ever Executive Director & General Manager.  He most recently served as the Sales and Marketing Director and has been a key part of the MYL organization since 2018.  This announcement caps a three month search and interview process to find the individual to lead the youth lacrosse organization’s business and operations into the future.

“On behalf of the entire MYL Board of Directors, we are very fortunate to have Kevin Barney as our new, and first, Executive Director and General Manager of MYL,” said Jim Dalton, MYL Board President.  “I have worked with Kevin for almost 4 years now in his previous position for MYL and have come to see all of the strengths he brings to this new and very important position for MYL. Our bread and butter are the professional services we bring for our membership. Kevin has been very involved in both innovation and delivery of services for our members for some years now. His vision along with the board guiding future direction for the organization, will provide very good things for kids in Massachusetts for many years to come.”

In 2021, the MYL Board developed a strategic plan initiative to shape the organization and town-based youth lacrosse in Massachusetts for years to come. Out of this strategic plan, the MYL Board announced the creation of a girls league, moved forward on the hiring of a Girls Game Director, implemented the first season of the Girls League, executed a name change from MBYLL to MYL, facilitated the search and hiring of an Executive Director, and commenced the search for a Boys Game Director.

Massachusetts Youth Lacrosse has been a volunteer led and operated organization since its inception in 1992. As the sport and league has grown over the years, the board began seeking paid professional staff to assist with vital parts of the operations. Volunteers will still be the key leaders and decision makers for the organization regarding the core mission, philosophy and game operations. The Executive Director & General Manager will lead all business operations, growing and managing the operations staff, and will develop new initiatives to bring more services, education and growth opportunities for towns, coaches and players. Barney will continue to grow collaborative partnerships to offer discount opportunities for families and more affordable options to help the growth of both boys and girls lacrosse.

“It has been an extremely busy year for the MYL Board,” said Board Vice President, Mary Ayotte. “While these are major changes and steps forward for our organization, there are still more initiatives to announce and develop as we look to serve and provide opportunities for more boys and girls to play town-based youth lacrosse in every town and city across the state.”

Barney is a graduate of Springfield College with a degree in Sports Management. He began his professional career working in non-profit as the Golf Program Manager for the National Kidney Foundation of Massachusetts and Rhode Island.  Barney oversaw 12 charity golf tournaments, each led by a volunteer committee, that raised over $300,000 annually.

From 2001-2009 Barney worked for the Sports Kraft Group as a Senior Account Manager in the Marketing Department, developing and selling ticket packages for youth groups for the New England Revolution, and corporate packages to the New England Patriots. He attended 2 Super Bowls and 4 MLS Cup Championship Games with the organization.

In 2009, Barney began working for the Boston Cannons of Major League Lacrosse as Director of Marketing & Communications and in January of 2011 was named General Manager of the Cannons. After winning the 2011 MLL Championship Barney was named Vice-President and General Manager. For seven years he oversaw all team and business operations for the Cannons, one of the premier franchises in the league.

In January, 2018 after starting his own Sports Marketing Business, Barney was hired as a contractor for then MBYLL as Sales & Marketing Director. Over the past 5 years, he has worked with all aspects the organization, supporting members of the Board, town leaders and coaches throughout the state. He helped develop our own Coach Education Clinic Curriculums, regional enrichment funds events, social media expansion, and communications of numerous special events, discounts and education opportunities for town leaders, coaches, players and families.

“I am honored to be selected for this great responsibility by the MYL Board of Directors,” said MYL Executive Director & General Manager, Kevin Barney. “What makes this league special is that the vision, rules, structure, discipline and services are determined by a group of volunteers who all have a tremendous passion for seeing the sport of lacrosse grow. It’s not any one person’s league, or any one person making decisions that affect play on the field. I want to continue to support this model, while developing a staff that will make it easier for moms and dads to volunteer as a coach, town leader, regional committee member or MYL Board member.”

As Executive Director, Barney will work with the Boys Regional Directors in finishing the search and hire of the league’s Boys Game Director. The MYL staff will be responsible for day to day operations, marketing, sales, and continued expansion of services provided to member towns, coaches, players and families.

“This is an exciting time for Mass Youth Lacrosse with the expansion of the girls league and growth to over 75 girls programs,” said Barney. “I helped start the Girls Program in my town, Stoughton, and coach on both the girls and boys side. To be in a position to develop more opportunities for boys and girls throughout the state to play lacrosse is an honor and a privilege. I look forward to building out the staff and finding those with a similar passion and skill set to make Mass Youth Lacrosse the model youth lacrosse league in the country.”

Mass Youth Lacrosse will begin a historic season next Spring with 100 boys programs and over 75 girls programs, and more than 18,000 players in Central and Eastern Massachusetts. Please visit www.MassYouthLax.org to find your town program and learn about playing town-based youth lacrosse.

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About Massachusetts Youth League – MYL, a non-profit 501 (c)3 organization, was founded in 1992 by a group of town youth lacrosse programs that had the common goal to promote the growth of the game of lacrosse throughout Massachusetts by providing leadership, guidance, training, and structure to anyone interested in lacrosse. In the Spring of 2022, a new Girls League launched with 21 town programs and 2,000 girls players. For the Spring 2023 season, over 175 town programs will participate in MYL with over 1,100 teams and 18,000 boys and girls players participating in an 8-week Spring Season followed by the largest youth lacrosse Jamboree in the country over two weekends in Devens, MA. For more information, visit www.MassYouthLax.org