Parents

AYSO R213 - Parents Page

Welcome to the Parents Page

Dear Parent,

Thank you for joining us and welcome to the AYSO Experience! We are pleased to have you and your children enrolled in the most innovative and positive youth sports program available.

This webpage lead you to an introduction to AYSO, Region 213 and the sport of soccer. You will learn the basics of the game and opportunities for you, as a parents, to get more involved in making soccer a positive experience for everyone. In addition, we will give you information about additional AYSO programs for competitive play, players with disabilities and more. In AYSO, there's something for everyone!

By signing up your child for AYSO soccer you are giving him or her the finest soccer instruction and the GUARANTEE that they will play at least half of EVERY game. In AYSO, everyone plays... and everyone has fun.

I hope you enjoy it and that you enjoy your AYSO soccer season.

Doug Birozy, Regional Commissioner

Codes of Conduct - Be A Good Sport

Coach’s Code

  • Enthusiastically support and practice the Everyone Plays®, Good Sportsmanship, Positive Coaching and Player Development philosophies of AYSO.
  • Be reasonable in your demands on a young player’s time, energy, enthusiasm and performance on the soccer field.
  • Impress on your players that they must abide by the • Laws of the Game at all times.
  • Develop team respect for the ability of opponents, and for the judgment of referees and opposing coaches.
  • Ensure that your players’ soccer experience is one of fun and enjoyment (winning is only part of it). Players should never be yelled at or ridiculed for making mistakes or losing a game.
  • Set a good example and be generous with your praise when it is deserved. Children need a coach they can respect.
  • Keep informed of sound principles of coaching, growth and child development.
  • Check your equipment and playing facilities. They should meet safety standards and be appropriate for the age and ability of your players.
  • Seek the advice of a physician when determining when an injured child is ready to play again.

Referee’s Code

  1. Always remember that the game is for the players. Player safety and fair play come first.
  2. Study and learn the Laws of the Game and understand the "spirit" of the Laws. Help fellow referees do the same.
  3. Encourage and enforce the AYSO philosophies of Everyone Plays®, Positive Coaching and Good Sportsmanship.
  4. Respect other referees’ decisions, and do not publicly criticize another official.
  5. Wear the proper uniform and keep it in good condition.
    Maintain good physical condition so you can keep up with the action.
  6. Stay calm when confronted with emotional reactions from players, coaches and parents.
  7. Honor accepted game assignments. In an emergency, find a replacement.
  8. Support good sportsmanship with a kind word to players, coaches and parents of both teams when deserved.
  9. Always be fair and impartial, avoiding conflicts of interest. Decisions based on personal bias are dishonest and unacceptable.

Parent’s Code - Your Role in AYSO

As a parent, you have a special role in contributing to the needs and development of these youngsters. Through your encouragement and good example, you can help assure the effectiveness of the AYSO program.

Support Your Child

Support your child by giving encouragement and showing an interest in his or her team. Help your child work toward skill improvement and good sportsmanship in every game. Teach your child that hard work and an honest effort are often more important than victory. Your child will be a winner, even in defeat.

Always Be Positive

Parents are not participants on their child’s team. However, they do contribute to the success experienced by their child and the team. Parents serve as role models for their children. Applaud good plays by your child’s team and by the opposing team. Support all efforts to remove verbal and physical abuse from youth sporting activities.

Be Enthusiastic and Supportive

Let children set their own goals and play the game for themselves. Be careful not to impose your own standards and goals on your child. Don’t put too heavy a burden on your child to win games. Surveys reveal that 72 percent of children would rather play for a losing team than ride the bench for a winner.

Reinforce Positive Behavior

The best way to help a child to achieve goals and reduce the natural fear of failure is through positive reinforcement. No one likes to make a mistake. If your child does make one, remember that he or she is still learning. Encourage your child’s efforts and point out the good things your child accomplished.

Let Coaches Coach and Referees Referee

Coaches and referees are usually parents. They volunteer their time to help make your child’s youth soccer experience a positive one. They need your support, too. What coaches and referees don’t need is your help in coaching from the sidelines. So please refrain from coaching during games and practices. Referees are not the "bad guys." They are volunteers too, and need your support and encouragement. Treat them and their calls fairly and respectfully.

Dedication - Being An AYSO Volunteer

What are volunteers?

People who give freely of their time and talent to a worthwhile group or cause. A volunteer is someone who believes that people make a difference and is willing to prove it.

What is an AYSO volunteer?

A coach, a referee, a registrar, a fundraiser, a field marker, a publicist, a treasurer–many people, all contributing their time and efforts to make AYSO a great program for our soccer-playing kids.

Why does AYSO need volunteers?

AYSO needs volunteers because people power runs AYSO. Volunteers strengthen AYSO by giving their time and energy, their ideas and ideals. Volunteers make AYSO happen.

Who can be an AYSO volunteer?

Almost anyone can volunteer. Moms, dads, sisters, brothers, grandparents, even friends. We need women and men, young, middle-aged and young at heart folks. AYSO wants volunteers who want to help make our soccer program a fun experience for kids.

Everyone plays in AYSO, and everyone has something special to contribute to the program. They...

  • ...contribute a special skill or ability.
  • ...contribute their time.
  • ...contribute their energy. And,
  • ...contribute themselves.

What do AYSO volunteers do?

They...

  • ...do what is needed to make the program work.
  • ...coach teams.
  • ...administrative tasks.
  • ...referee games.
  • ...keep the accounting accurate and write checks.
  • ...line the fields.
  • ...put up goals and take down nets.
  • ...take registrations and raise funds.
  • ...bandage knees
  • ...schedule games.
  • ...put up posters, deliver flyers and send out postcards.
  • ...take pictures.
  • ...work with their child's school to get the word out.
  • ...buy equipment and supplies.
  • ...go to meetings and take training.
  • ...run social media, send out newsletters and make beautiful websites. And,
  • ...make decisions and make a difference.

How do AYSO volunteers help themselves?

AYSO volunteers gain satisfaction and growth from their experiences. They make new friends. They learn new skills. They develop creativity. They investigate new careers. They enrich their lives.

How do I become an AYSO volunteer?

It’s easy. Talk to your child’s coach, or any AYSO board member, or email info@aysosoccer.org.  We will be most helpful–and happy–to find the right job for you.

Take the volunteer survey at www.aysosoccer.org/parents/volunteersurvey.

Find out more about times suggested and scope of involvement at www.aysosoccer.org/parents/volunteerjobs.

 
AYSO's Very Important Player (VIP)program

AYSO’s special programs allow any child to enjoy the benefits of soccer, regardless of ability or circumstances, and to get the utmost benefit at every level from beginner to expert. 

The VIP program is for players whose mental or physical disabilities make it difficult to successfully participate on a mainsteam soccer team. Special rule allowances let more players enjoy the benefits of AYSO soccer. VIP teams may include athletes who are blind, deaf, amputees, mentally challenged, autistic and those with Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy or other conditions that impair mobility, strength and/or comprehension.

VIP programs operate within the existing structure of a Region, just like an age division. VIP integrates its players into AYSO by using “buddies” to help the players both on and off the field. Teams can be as few as five players and may be coed. VIP teams can be balanced based on size or physical ability. The program has AYSO’s minumum age requirements but has no upper age limit.

For families who thought they would never see their loved ones playing a sport or making new friends, VIP gives them joy and hope. They are able to relax and enjoy watching their players having fun and learning skills.

FUN! What It’s All About

Kids Zone®

The national media has focused on the negative, even violent, behavior of players, coaches and parents involved in youth sports. As part of AYSO’s education agenda, Kids Zone® is a dynamic program targeted to eliminate negative sideline behavior. It is aimed toward producing a thoroughly positive impact on everyone involved in youth soccer. To execute this program, several basic elements are involved:

  1. The Button. This is a pin-on button bearing the program’s logo. This will be worn by program supporters at games, and will serve as a reminder of the importance of positive sideline behavior.
  2. The Sign. A large sign, which lists positive behavior standards, will be posted at the entrance of participating fields. Parents and spectators who will abide by these standards are welcome–all others are not.
  3. The Pledge. We request AYSO parents to sign a pledge that holds them to the Kids Zone® standards.
  4. The Video. This is a 12 minute documentary that introduces AYSO’s principles and its Kids Zone® action plan to new participants. Viewers will also watch another parent intervene to change another parent’s negative behavior.

As a support to these elements, we also have a special Kids Zone® Promise. It’s a simple pledge, but we encourage all AYSO members to consider these words: I promise to Honor the Game. I will respect all participants, encourage good sportsmanship and keep soccer fun.

Finally, we encourage all AYSO members to help Kids Zone® grow. Let your Region know that you support Kids Zone®. AYSO depends on you to keep youth soccer safe, fun and fair. So spread the word!

Play It Safe

Safety is a big part of keeping things fun. Here are a few safety tips to keep in mind:

  • Buddies. Advise your child never to leave a practice or game alone. Walk with a buddy whenever possible.
  • Goal Posts. NEVER let your children play on soccer goals. Portable goals have been known to tip over when people play on them, resulting in serious injury and even death.
  • Code Word. If you normally pick your child up from the field, but have to send someone else, use a code word. That way, if someone comes up and says "Your mother sent me to pick you up," but they don’t have the code word you and your child have established, your child knows not to go with the stranger.