One thing has remained constant for the Cy-Fair Sports Association over the decades of growth it has experienced since being founded in the early 1970s: community support.

With a yearly operating budget of roughly $2 million, 200 volunteers on any given day and 1,200 athletes participating in its most popular sport, football, CFSA has grown tremendously.

President Scott Huntsman said without volunteers, CFSA could not offer Cy-Fair children the opportunity to participate in the eight different sports offered throughout the year: baseball, basketball, cheerleading, football, lacrosse, soccer, volleyball and wrestling.

“We are a 100 percent volunteer-based organization,” he said.

Jason Buchanan, an assistant coach for one of the football teams, said the large number of athletes signed up for each sport requires a lot of coordination.

“As a volunteer with at least three events each week and pre- and post-practice preparation, I know that our volunteers probably spend about 10 to 15 hours per week just to benefit the kids,” he said.

Students in first through sixth grade can partake in teams for each of the eight sports. Baseball is also offered to high school athletes who do not play with a Cy-Fair ISD team.

In football alone, 1,200 athletes participate on 60 different team rosters.

Seasons are planned around days in which CFISD teams do not play games. This allows students to take advantage of school teams in middle and high school in addition to CFSA activities, Huntsman said.

“We encourage students to play in their middle and high school programs for a lot of reasons,” he said. “If they have an interest in athletics long-term, they should play with their schools.”

CFSA maintains its own facilities, and athletes pay a fee to participate. As a nonprofit, all funds CFSA collects help improve the program for participants, Huntsman said.

“Any money we have left over goes back into improving facilities, enhancing our programs or providing training clinics for coaches to help make teams better,” Huntsman said.

Buchanan said his sons benefit greatly as a result of their CFSA experience.

“Certainly [my children] get stronger from a physical standpoint in gaining skills and techniques, but from a mental standpoint, they are showing great character, respect for one another and respect for their coaches,” Buchanan said.