PARENT ORIENTATION

AYSO is Unique

You have joined a world class soccer organization whose vision is to enrich children’s lives through soccer

Your child belongs to an organization whose mission is to deliver quality soccer programs that promote a fun, family environment

PARENTS

AYSO parents play an important role -- you make this sport experience exciting and fulfilling for your child and for yourself

AYSO Seeing the Big Picture

Why do you want your child to play organized sports?

Why does your child want to play?

AYSO research has found:

The #1 reason kids play sports is to have fun

The #2 reason kids play is to make new friends

The #3 reason kids play sports is to learn new skills

Did you know?

70% of children playing youth sports drop out before they turn 13 years old

Why? Because it isn’t fun anymore!

Less than 1% of youth players will earn a sport scholarship

Only 7 of every five million children playing youth sports will become a professional → .0000014%

AYSO is a Kids First Organization

AYSO Says that soccer is a game and a great game, but in AYSO it’s more than the game.

Life lessons

AYSO’s lessons are about self-worth, self-control, personal achievement, teamwork and respect for all participants.

Life lessons will far outlast the memories of win/loss records

Five Philosophies

AYSO’s Five Philosophies guide our programs because each of them puts the player’s interests ahead of the score

Everyone Plays

Our program’s goal is for kids to play soccer so we mandate that every player on every team must play at least half of every game.

Balanced Teams

Each year we form new teams that are as evenly balanced as possible because it is fair and more fun when teams of equal ability play

Open Registration

Our program is open to all children between 5 and 18 years of age who want to register and play soccer. Interest and enthusiasm are the only criteria for playing.

Positive Coaching

Encouragement of player effort provides for greater enjoyment by the players and ultimately leads to better skilled and better motivated players

Good Sportsmanship

We strive to create a positive environment based on mutual respect rather than a win-at-all-costs attitude, and our program is designed to instill good sportsmanship in every facet of AYSO.

AYSO is Volunteer Driven

AYSO is a volunteer organization

All of AYSO’s administrators, coaches and referees are volunteers

When you volunteer for AYSO, you support your child

You support all players in having a healthy competitive sports experience and growing into responsible well-rounded individuals.

Everyone can contribute to the AYSO experience

o Volunteers run meeting and take registrations

o Volunteers coach teams and referee games

o Volunteers line the fields and work in the snack bar

o Volunteers teach courses and put up goals

o Volunteers make the program run and make a difference!

SUPPORTING VOLUNTEERS

AYSO provides training to all volunteers

We can help you find out what you can best give your time and energy to,

We can help give you the most satisfaction and train you to do it.

Happy Volunteers run great programs!!

AYSO National Coaching provides parents with:

A program that enables role modeling

A program that assures quality control for all children

An age-specific program accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Coaching Education

The AYSO National Coaching Program is ongoing, objective and consistent, relies on more than the player’s physical attributes and must have parent support

AYSO Officiating

The AYSO National Referee Program provides training for volunteer referees in “the best amateur referee program in the world” making AYSO soccer fun, safe and fair for all

Officiating

Incremental training done in modules

Training is in accordance with soccer’s world governing body with approved modifications for youth level games

Referees are certified and trained to work specifically with kids through AYSO’s Safe Haven Certification program

A word about the “rules”

The “rules” in soccer are more accurately called “Laws” and are contained in a book called “The Laws of the Game”

Soccer is a players’ game and minimum interference is intended from coaches and referees during games.

A word about the “rules”

The Laws of the Game intend for players to have maximum playing time and referees are taught to interfere with the game as little as possible and to refrain from penalizing “trifling or doubtful” offenses

Referees

Keeping the game safe, fun and fair for everyone

Parents and Spectators

Giving positive support to players, coaches and referees

Coaches: The backbone of the AYSO program delivering quality, age appropriate instruction in a safe, fun and fair manner

AYSO Team

KIDS

AYSO Team

The AYSO team includes everyone at the field.

Parents, coaches, referees and other spectators have a responsibility to model sporting behavior so that players can enjoy the sport

AYSO Team

No single group can work alone to provide the positive environment needed so that everyone can fully enjoy the game

IT TAKES A TEAM

PLEASE REMEMBER:

Give encouragement to all of the players on both teams

Be a good, positive, cheering role model

Let your child set his/her own goals

Let your child play the game and enjoy the experience

RESPECT

Show respect for the coaches of both teams and the referees

Define “winner” as those who make the maximum effort, continue to learn and improve and who do not let fear of making mistakes stop them

IN CONCLUSION:

Make your AYSO experience a totally positive family experience. These are your kids, our kids—beautiful kids playing the game they love.

Make great lifetime memories with

AYSO