Ask anyone who has lived in Sunbury more than forty years how the Big Walnut Youth Athletic Association (BWYAA) formed and the answer is rarely the same. It seems everyone's father, mother, aunt, uncle or grandparent was integral with its formation and many, many more involved with its development. This is not to suggest we are being misinformed; time has stolen people, challenged memories and eliminated most of the documentation. Accepted as fact is the BWYAA was officially given life on Thursday, September 12, 1974. On that date, the Articles of Incorporation submitted by Clifford E. Hill, Ray L. Grden and William F. Richardson were accepted by the State of Ohio creating the BWYAA as a non-profit youth sports program. At that time, the BWYAA became the first officially recognized youth sports venue in the Village of Sunbury. Our specified purpose was "the organization, supervision, and regulation of individual and team athletic events for the children of the Big Walnut School District community, and all things necessary and incident thereto." The history of our program, however, is rooted much deeper than the approval of a license to operate. The BWYAA stands as a testament to volunteerism and community support spanning over four decades.