Experts Interviews : Owen Southgate
What is NYSA Sweden’s mission?
NYSA Sweden (National Youth Sports Association) is a social enterprise with a mission to combine global sports business development with a focus on youth sports sustainability. Founded in 2018, we started as a response to declining youth sports participation in Sweden, inspired by the Swedish Sports Confederation’s Strategi 2025. Today, NYSA works on a variety of sports and education projects—locally and globally—motivating young people to stay involved in sports while giving them the tools to shape its future.
What Inspired You to Start NYSA?
I’ve always been passionate about giving young people ownership of their sports experiences. Youth sports often lack spaces where kids and teens feel empowered to lead or make decisions, and that’s something we wanted to change. Over the past few years, we’ve built NYSA as a platform where young people can explore what they’re most passionate about in sports and make a real impact through co-creation and leadership.
It’s so important to recognize that today’s youth are tomorrow’s parents, leaders, and changemakers. They’ll carry the responsibility of creating meaningful sports experiences for their kids. If young people are turned off from sports because they don’t find value in it, we risk losing not just future athletes, but also future innovators, leaders, and even mental health advocates. Sports and play are essential for building connections, belonging, and purpose. Without these, we lose the foundation of what makes us human.
What’s Your Role at NYSA?
I’m the CEO, leading the vision and growth of NYSA through projects, partnerships, and networking. It’s a fun and rewarding role, but honestly, I don’t plan to stay in this position forever. I’m looking forward to passing the torch to someone from our younger consultancy and internship teams—it’s only fair for an organization focused on youth leadership!
How Did the Partnership With Wolverhampton Wanderers FC Come About?
It all started with a conversation with Joe Hunt, who leads Wolves at the international level. We quickly realized that our goals aligned, especially with their focus on professionalism, innovation, and integrity. It felt like a natural fit, and now we’re proud to wear the Wolves logo on our apparel and be part of their global network.
Do You Have Other Major Partnerships?
Absolutely! We work with several big names, like IFK Norrköping in Sweden and RFS in Latvia, as well as universities like UCAM in Spain, where we run international internships for their students. Beyond that, we’re connected with over 30 organizations worldwide, including some in the esports scene.
What Are Your Future Plans for NYSA?
Our goal is to expand further into regions like Africa, Asia, and the Americas, finding passionate young people who want to make a difference in sports, education, and play.
One of our most exciting projects is delivering UK-based education internationally through our partnership with NCFE. But we also see a bigger challenge: in many parts of the world, access to sports and education is limited. That’s where we want to focus NYSA’s resources—by co-creating learning centers with local communities, sports clubs, and organizations to build long-term opportunities for young people.
How Do You Approach Mental and Emotional Well-Being in Your Programs?
At NYSA, we prioritize mental health in everything we do. From personal mentoring to data-driven insights, we help athletes build strong mental foundations that support them in every aspect of life. A big part of this is co-creation—working with athletes to shape strategies that help them take ownership of their habits and behaviors. By doing this, we create a pathway for positive mental health, both on and off the field.
What’s NYSA’s Work Environment Like?
We’ve designed NYSA to be a place where creativity, curiosity, and innovation thrive. It’s not about rigid systems or top-down management—it’s about creating an ecosystem where every team member feels free to explore ideas, take risks, and grow. Trust is at the heart of everything we do. When people have the space to be themselves, they can do amazing things—and that’s what we want for everyone at NYSA.