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OUR VISION

We envision a thriving, inclusive Alameda County where unincorporated communities are connected, empowered, and resilient.

 

Through collaboration, education, and support, we aim to create a future where every individual, family, and neighborhood has the tools and opportunities to achieve personal success, collective growth, and a healthy, vibrant quality of life.

OUR MISSION

DSAL’s mission is to build connected, empowered communities in the unincorporated areas of Alameda County by supporting youth and families, promoting health, education, and public safety through collaboration between the community and the Sheriff's office.

 

Through tailored programs and local partnerships, we strive to create pathways for lifelong growth and success.

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"There's a lot of talk.
I want to be known for action - for doing something and making a difference."

DSAL Coach Manny

"I grew up in this program, and it changed my life forever. 
This program saved me."

DSAL Coach Bahati

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"I am so proud to be a part of their change and their lives. They are like family to me."

DSAL Coach Angie

OUR STORY

Founded in partnership with the Alameda County Sheriff's Office, DSAL operates as a holistic crime prevention strategy - using health and fitness programming to build healthier bodies, stronger communities, and safer neighborhoods. DSAL serves Ashland and Cherryland - the unincorporated Eden Area -with community infrastructure projects that provide safe spaces for connection and growth, and free health and fitness programming that gives residents the resources to build strong life skills that will carry them across the finish line to success. 

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Our investment in permanent community assets began in 2007 and many of these spaces continue to serve residents to this day. The DSAL Boxing and Fitness Gym and Sunset Futsal Courts, in collaboration with Hayward Adult School, have created a foundation of accessible spaces where individuals of all ages can gather, pursue fitness goals, and form supportive connections with neighbors and mentors.

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By removing financial barriers that have historically kept Eden Area residents from accessing organized athletics, and by providing coaching from positive role models who demonstrate discipline, respect, and community investment, DSAL creates pathways to leadership and healthy development.

 

Our facilities and programs now serve thousands of community members each year, offering heath and fitness programming that provides the supervision, structure, and trusted mentor relationships that prevent violence and strengthen community empowerment.

WHY FREE SPORTS MATTER

Sports are proven pathways to healthier communities, safer neighborhoods, and stronger futures. The research is overwhelming: when young people and adults have access to quality sports programming, everything improves - from physical and mental health to academic performance to community safety.

 

Yet in communities like ours, access to organized sports has become increasingly out of reach as costs skyrocket and commercial programs dominate the landscape.

In Ashland and Cherryland, where median household incomes are significantly below county averages, these costs put organized sports out of reach for most families.

 

DSAL removes this barrier entirely - every program is free.​

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YOUTH SPORTS HAVE BECOME UNAFFORDABLE
 

$693 = Average cost per sport per year per child (Aspen Institute)

$1,200-$6,000 = What 63% of parents pay annually for youth sports (TD Ameritrade)

1 in 5 families pay MORE than $12,000/year for youth sports (TD Ameritrade)

$15 BILLION = Size of youth sports industry (Time Magazine/Aspen Institute)

43% of kids in homes earning $100K+ play sports

Only 22% of kids in homes earning under $25K play sports (Aspen Institute)

THE PROVEN BENEFITS OF YOUTH SPORTS PARTICIPATION

To a youth, sports are fun games - a chance to get outside and connect with friends both new and old.

To us, they're proven pathways to healthier communities, safer neighborhoods, and stronger futures.

 

The research is overwhelming: when youth and adults have access to quality sports programming, everything improves - from physical and mental health to academic performance and community safety.

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Physical Health Benefits
  • Reduces obesity risk
    by preventing weight-related diseases

     

  • Builds lifelong fitness habits -
    active kids become active adults

     

  • Strengthens cardiovascular health
     

  • Improves motor skills and coordination
     

  • Meeting the federal youth sports participation target of 63.3% by 2030 could save $80 BILLION in healthcare costs (Study)

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Mental Health Benefits

  • Reduces stress and anxiety
     

  • Builds self-confidence and self-esteem
     

  • Decreases depression symptoms
     

  • Provides healthy outlet for emotions
     

  • Creates sense of belonging and community

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Academic Benefits
  • Better grades and test scores
     

  • Improved school attendance
     

  • Enhanced focus and concentration
     

  • Higher likelihood of graduating high school
     

  • Increased college enrollment

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Social/Life Skills
  • Teamwork and collaboration
     

  • Leadership development
     

  • Conflict resolution
     

  • Discipline and perseverance
     

  • Goal-setting abilities

Data from Project Play (Aspen Institute), CDC, NIH, peer-reviewed research

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Data from Project Play (Aspen Institute)

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Skill development
Internal focus of control, & belief in ability to shape outcomes

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Future focus
Goals beyond the immediate moment

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Peer networks
Friends who support positive choices

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Positive adult mentors
Trusted relationships guide decision-making

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Supervised time
Less opportunity for risky behavior

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Energy channeled constructively
Physical outlet for aggression and frustration

PARTICIPANT BENEFITS

"DSAL has helped me become a better person and improve my overall mental health. I've realized that fighting at school and getting in trouble isn't worth it...

"Putting my energy into training and improving myself is a much better path."


Erwin, (age 13) Boxing participant​​​​​

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"This program helped me improve my health. I lowered my risk of having diabetes and had a huge increase in my social life.

"Everyone that attends and starts this class changes their life because it is an amazing program for anyone."


Ana, Muevete participant​​​​​

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"This program encouraged me to participate as well, so I started coming to the women’s soccer nights. We always feel welcomed, and I love seeing the dedication and time the coaches give to the children.

"Galilea has become more confident and made more friends.  She is more positive, and has improved focus in school and at home. She is more energized and has more motivation. The encouragement she receives makes a real difference in her life."


Galilea's Mother , Soccer participant​​​​​

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OUR IMPACT

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OUR FREE HEALTH & FITNESS PROGRAMS

DSAL Rec Soccer Participants

REC SOCCER

Soccer is a powerful tool for building healthy individuals and tight-knit communities.

For young players, every practice builds perseverance: trying, missing, improving, and doing it all alongside teammates who celebrate their growth. Guiding that experience are our DSAL coaches - dedicated mentors and role models who brings patience, consistency, and genuine care to every session. These positive and stable adult influences model what it looks like to show up, work hard, and treat themselves and others with respect.

For older youth, participating develops leadership, emotional regulation, and the ability to perform under pressure - skills that research consistently links to better outcomes in school, relationships, and life.

For adults, a weekly game offers a stabilizing routine, community, and a bond that brings people together, where they show up for each other on and off the courts.

Free, inclusive, and open to all ages and skill levels, DSAL soccer meets individuals where they are and grows with them - forming habits and connections that improve lives and build a stronger Alameda County.

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BOXING

Boxing is one of the most transformative sports a person can encounter.

 

It may look aggressive from the outside, but this sport teaches the opposite. DSAL Boxing trains participants to consciously focus their energy, manage their emotions, and face adversity with composure and courage.


Inside the gym, participants develop extraordinary physical and mental discipline through a uniquely powerful coaching bond - one where a dedicated adult role model invests just as deeply in who their athlete is becoming as in how they perform.

 

That focused attention, honest feedback, and steady encouragement builds the kind of trust and self-confidence that can transform a volatile youth into a strong, grounded young adult. Many of our boxers go on to mentor younger athletes and aspire to coach themselves - a cycle of investment that gives back to the community, generation after generation.

Free and open to all experience levels ages 8+, DSAL Boxing builds confident, resilient, emotionally grounded individuals who become a guiding force in their communities.

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FITNESS ARENA

The DSAL Fitness Arena is a starting point for a healthier, more connected life.

Open to youth and adults alike, our facility provides free access to quality gym equipment and structured guidance in a welcoming, supportive environment where everyone from first-timers to seasoned athletes feels at home.

Under the supervision of knowledgeable coaches and staff, participants learn to exercise safely, build effective workout habits, and develop disciplined, consistent relationships with their health that last a lifetime.

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MUEVETE

¡Muévete! ("Move it!") is an invitation to get up, get moving, and feel better in your body.

Designed for people of all fitness levels and abilities, this joyful, instructor-led female-focused fitness program meets participants where they are and grows with them - whether they are taking their first steps toward a healthier lifestyle or managing chronic health conditions like pre-diabetes that benefit from regular, low-impact cardiovascular and full-body movement.


Under the guidance of our inspiring coach Angie, who leads with warmth, encouragement, and genuine personal investment, participants don't just get stronger - they find an entire welcoming community. Regulars become friends, friends become support systems, and what starts as a fitness class becomes one of the most consistent and nourishing parts of a participant's week.

With continuous care and investment, ¡Muévete! has become an incredible force: an intergenerational, culturally representative support system that builds community cohesion, strengthens ties between neighbors, and fosters a genuine sense of community ownership.

 

In a world where adult loneliness and chronic illness are among the most pressing public health challenges facing underserved communities, ¡Muévete! offers something quietly radical: a free, welcoming space where people show up for themselves, and for each other.

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REACH FITNESS

DSAL operates fitness and boxing programming at the Ashland REACH Youth Center - one of the most comprehensive free youth centers in Alameda County.

REACH serves youth ages 11–24 with an extraordinary breadth of no-cost programs spanning Recreation, Education, Arts, Careers, and Health, all in partnership with the Center for Healthy Schools and Communities (Alameda County Health Care Services Agency).

Within that community, DSAL coaches bring the same mentorship, discipline, and genuine personal investment that defines every DSAL program - guiding participants through fitness training and boxing in the LIFT Fitness Center with a focus on building not just physical strength, but confidence, emotional resilience, and life skills that last.

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SEASONAL CAMPS

Summer can be a challenge for youth and families alike. Six weeks of unstructured time can quickly turn into screens, idleness, and missed opportunities for growth.

 

Young people thrive when given structure, community, and something to look forward to, and DSAL Summer Camp delivers by providing a safe, supportive environment where kids can channel their energy, form genuine friendships, and grow under the guidance of coaches and mentors who are invested in who they are becoming. 

Through team sports, cooperative activities, and shared daily experiences, campers develop the social and emotional skills that shape how they work as a team, handle conflict, bounce back from hard moments, and show up for others.

For families in Alameda County, knowing their child is safe, engaged, and thriving gives parents and caregivers the peace of mind to go to work, meet their own obligations, and keep their households stable.

 

For many participants, DSAL Summer Camp is one of the few structured, free summer options available in their community - one that builds confidence, belonging, and the kind of lifelong wellness habits that follow young people well into adulthood.

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WRESTLING

Wrestling is one of the oldest and most demanding athletic disciplines in the world - and one of the most rewarding. Our free youth wrestling program gives young people access to high-quality, structured training that builds far more than physical strength.

On the mat, participants develop real, tangible skills: strength, endurance, flexibility, body awareness, and the kind of calm, focused self-control that comes from learning to navigate challenging situations with confidence rather than fear. These are practical life tools - the ability to stay composed under pressure, to respect boundaries, and to understand and trust their own bodies.

Under the guidance of coaches who are as committed to character development as they are to technique, wrestlers discover something even more powerful: the knowledge that they are capable of hard things. That confidence - earned through dedication and the support of a coach who refuses to let them quit - is a strength that will carry them throughout their lives. Wrestling at DSAL builds resilient, grounded, self-assured young people who show up stronger in their schools, their families, and their communities.

Free and open to all experience levels, our wrestling program ensures that every young person who wants to compete, grow, and belong has the opportunity to do exactly that.

 

FOR THE COMMUNITY

Free Programs. No Barriers. All Are Welcome.

FOR DONORS

Invest In Prevention. Support Access.
Build Healthier Communities.

FOR VOLUNTEERS

Share Your Skills. Build Community. Change Lives.

FOR PARTNERS

Collaborate with us to expand access to Health and Fitness in Alameda County.

ABOUT US

Founded in 2005, the Alameda County Deputy Sheriffs Activities League (DSAL) is a nonprofit organization created to unite Alameda County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) personnel, citizens, and youth of Alameda County in the pursuit and implementation of initiatives that reduce crime, improve the lives of area residents, and enhance the health of the community.

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CONTACT DSAL 

T: (510) 820-5222

E: info@acdsal.org

16378 E 14th Street, Ste 204, Ashland, CA 94578

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Deputy Sheriffs' Activities League

EIN: 83-0410537

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