Once rocked by embezzlement, Columbus youth soccer program is now largest in GA

When David Miles became general manager of the Columbus Youth Soccer Club in 2012, he was not sure the program would finish the season.

In January of that year, CYSC officials noticed discrepancies in accounts and financial reports, club president Brett Spillers told the Ledger-Enquirer at the time. This led to the resignation of the club’s treasurer, who was later accused of embezzling $129,000 in a three-year span from the nonprofit recreational program.

Today, CYSC is the largest youth recreational soccer club in the Georgia State Soccer Association with 2,300 members for the 2025-2026 year, according to GSSA Executive Director Jim Walker. In 2012, the program had closer to 1,400 players.

Jackie Morris has been CYSC’s office manager since 2008. During the embezzlement scandal, she said she feared the program would shutter and she’d lose her job.

“A lot of us were pretty angry someone would take money from what we feel like was from the kids,” Morris told the L-E.

A member of the CYSC board and a former educator, Miles stepped in as interim general manager after Perez’ resignation.

With so much money drained from the program’s $200,000 annual budget, Miles and the board worried about paying operational fees for the remainder of the season. Yet during this low point in program history, Miles remained optimistic.

“Instead of challenges, I took it as an opportunity,” Miles told the L-E. “It was an opportunity for a new leadership to come in and show our soccer community that things would be ran differently.”

Growing the recreational game in Columbus

To keep the program afloat in 2012, Morris said Miles found new ways to generate revenue, like securing grants and innovating CYSC’s advertising. Spillers told the L-E Miles spoke with officials that season to reduce referee and field usage fees.

Miles also worked without pay for the first three months of his general manager tenure and took reduced pay throughout his first season.

“If we wouldn’t have had a reduction in cost on referees and them taking pay cuts, we wouldn’t have made it with the season,” Spillers said.

Since taking over as general manager, Morris said Miles has implemented several programs that have bolstered CYSC’s growth.

When Georgia Soccer mandated recreational programs start registering 3-year-olds, Miles and CYSC came up with the “TOTS” program, a 6-week long instructional program for CYSC’s youngest members run by Columbus State University players.

Miles also said he is working to level the playing field for boys and girls. In an effort to keep more girls in the program as they reach older divisions, CYSC is partnering with other local recreational clubs in the Chattahoochee Valley this season to create an expanded division for girls ages 14-16.

“He’s been amazing as general manager,” Spillers said. “He’s always for the best interest of the club at hand. He goes above and beyond.”

In addition to running CYSC, Miles serves as the director of youth recreation for Georgia Soccer. Walker, of GSSA, told the L-E many youth sports directors emphasize a competitive edge in sport that often leads to player burnout, but Miles looks at soccer from a “truly recreational perspective.”

“He truly wants to make this a fun experience for the kids and keep the game fun,” Walker said. “We need to do more of that, not only here in Georgia at the state level but nationally.”

Walker called Miles an “outside-the-box thinker,” using his love of soccer to bring families together.

“He’s a really nice, likeable guy,” Walker said. “That mentality and that attitude really permeates Columbus youth soccer and everything they’re trying to do to make the experience a genuinely fun experience for the entire family so that people want to keep coming back to the game.”

Columbus youth soccer’s family feel

Morris said CYSC is not just a soccer program: It’s a soccer family. Every email starts with an address to the Columbus youth soccer family, not players or parents, and no one is ever turned away for lack of funds. Season registration costs $65 for the youngest members and $130 for the oldest.

“We’re always willing to help people when we can,” Morris said. “If they can’t afford for their kid to play soccer and David knows it, he’s going to find a way.”

Oscar Estrada has two kids, ages 9 and 14, playing for CYSC. He told the L-E his kids can’t wait until each new season starts when they can see their soccer “family” again.

Estrada called Miles a “great leader,” constantly creating new programs that get kids more involved in the game.

“He’s always making sure that my kids get what they need,” Estrada said. “He’s very into making sure that we all work together as parents and work with the coaches as well.”

Spillers said Miles “practices what he preaches.” If coaches need new certifications, Miles gets them for himself before mandating his coaches do, and he’s always out on the field trying to give kids advice and positive encouragement.

Miles said he is the “kid’s biggest cheerleader.” If he sees girls on the sidelines having a cartwheel battle, he’ll join in even though he said he “may tear a rotator cuff one day.” Miles added he’s also in more TikTok dances than he cares to know.

“I just want everyone to know this is their safe place,” he said, “and to feel at home.”

Thinking back on the days when the program’s future was uncertain, Miles said he never would have envisioned the program would become the largest in the state or provide kids so much “joy.”

“Not only we survived,” Miles said. “We flourished.”

This story was originally published July 13, 2026 at 11:08 AM.