For Parents

Parents Handbook

Everyone Plays
Balanced Teams
Open Registration
Positive Coaching
Good Sportsmanship

Brief History of AYSO
The American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) was established in Torrance, CA in 1964 with nine teams. It was the dream of a group of devoted soccer enthusiasts who started the organization in a garage. Today, AYSO has more than 50,000 teams and 600,000 players. It also employs 50 people at its National Support and Training Center (NSTC) in Hawthorne, CA.

Regions are assigned numbers chronologically with respect to when they were established.  Manhattan/Hermosa Beach is Region 18. There are currently over 1200 regions chartered. AYSO is organized below the National level into 13 sections (three of which are in Southern California). Each section is divided into areas which contain a number of regions. Region 18 is in Section 1, Area D. Westchester (Region 7), North Redondo ( Region 17), Hawthorne (Region 21), South Redondo (Region 34) and El Segundo (Region 92) are the other regions in Section 1 Area D.

Volunteering
AYSO is a volunteer organization. In our region we have the following volunteer categories; team volunteers, referees and regional board.

Most parents start off as team volunteers performing tasks like those listed below. Many decide later also to volunteer to participate on the regional board or as a referee. Without the participation of parents this organization would cease to exist. Please help as much as you can!

Volunteer Screen Program
All persons, 18 years or older, who wish to serve as Board Members, coaches, assistant coaches, referees, or assistant referees must fill out a volunteer application form, which will be kept confidential. Volunteers shall be subject to screening processes in accordance with applicable law and AYSO’s Safe Haven Program and Child Protection Policy.

Team Volunteers
Parents are also part of the team, without their volunteer efforts the team would not exist. The following is a description of some of the volunteer positions.

- Coach
Sets up and runs training and practices for the team. Is responsible for the conduct of players, parents and others associated with the team at all practices and games. Attends mandatory coaches meetings as scheduled. Is ultimately responsible for all team responsibilities to the league, even if delegated to another parent volunteer.

The region provides training for entry level coaches. This training is mandatory. If a coach would like additional intermediate or advanced training it is available from the area or section staff as well as via coaching camps. The region will cover the costs involved in a coach continuing his/her training.

- Assistant Coach
Gives assistance to, and can substitute for, the head coach as needed. Assistant coaches should also attend the coach training classes.

- Team Manager
Formerly known as "Team Mom & Team Dad" but not just for Moms anymore, this position functions as the liaison between the team and the coach, and oversees (i.e. gets lots of help from the other parents) all the other volunteer activities for the team such as the following:

setting up a "phone tree" to distribute information,

coordinating picture day activities (handing out picture order envelope, verifying the team roster),

creating a team banner (Note there are several companies who will make banners for a fee),

setting up or taking down the goals and nets when it is the team’s responsibility,

painting lines on the fields when it is the team’s responsibility (this involves picking up the field marking machine and paint from the storage shed, shaking up the can of paint, loading it in the machine, pulling the trigger and walk over the lines that have been burned into the fields)

coordinating the end of season party, where most teams hand out pictures and trophies,

scheduling parents on the team to provide snacks, such as orange slices, water, ice, etc. for their half-time break, and a treat such as cookies and juice for after the game.

scheduling club lines persons if appropriate (Soccer games normally have three referees, one on the field with the players and two assistants that work the touchlines (sidelines). The assistant refs are responsible for signaling when the ball has gone out of bounds by crossing the line. They also signal direction of play and fouls. In the lower divisions we are sometimes short on refs and can only assign one to a game. In these cases each team needs to provide a volunteer to work the lines (a club lines person) by signaling to the center referee when the ball has passed over the touch or end line.)

acquiring a team sponsor for the team who makes a tax deductible donation to provide sweatshirts for the team, which typically include the name of the sponsor.

ordering and delivering team sweatshirts for the team.

Referee Volunteers
All AYSO referees are volunteers. Typically, three persons, one center referee and two assistant referees (lines) act as referees for the game. The league is always in need of referees. We ask that our referees agree to referee one game per weekend, more if they would like. For the most part they get to pick when and where they would like to referee and we will always make sure that they are not scheduled to referee when any of their children are playing. Typically the referee is scheduled on the same field as his child for either the game before or the game after.

There are different certification levels for referees. In our region, we train Referees, who may center ref a U8 game, Assistant Referees (lines only) and Regional Referees, who may ref U8 games and older. Classes for these positions are taught a number of times in the region. Additional training is available if the regional referee wishes to advance to area, section or national level referee. The region provides referee uniforms and equipment and covers all costs associated with referee training.

Regional Board Members
Board volunteers are parents who believe in AYSO and have agreed to take a more active role in the region. The goal is to have all of the regional tasks broken into small enough chunks so that the load on each volunteer is not overwhelming. Problems arise when we cannot find enough volunteers and our existing people have to take on multiple roles.

The current list of board members can be found at the end of this manual. Please look through the list of jobs and see if there is anything you would like to do. The pay isn’t great, actually it’s zero, but the rewards are there. In the regional guidelines, which are posted on the website, http://www.southbayla.com/ayso18, you will find brief job descriptions for each of the board positions. Call the AYSO Hotline (310-546-4106) if you would like to join the board.

Equipment
The Region supplies each player with a shirt (with the original AYSO logo properly affixed), a pair of socks, and shorts. Each player is expected to provide his/her own appropriate footwear and shin guards. No player may participate in a game without such shirt, socks, shorts, shin guards and appropriate footwear. Players may not wear jewelry of any kind (including chains, watches, body jewelry and earrings, bandannas or other ornamentation) or anything else that may cause risk of injury to the player or to other players during the game. Players may wear bicycling shorts if they are the same color as the uniform shorts. Medical information bracelets should not be removed, but must be padded and taped to the player’s skin.

Hard casts (including padded casts), splints, helmets and hard padding are not permitted to be worn by a player during any game or practice. Players with permanent orthodontic braces are strongly encouraged to wear mouth guards.

The referee will inspect all players prior to the start of the game for conformance to these rules. Coaches should make the same checks at the beginning of each practice. The Region supplies the coach a set of balls to be used during practice and games. If you would like to purchase a ball for your child, please purchase one of the proper size for the age group. A full size ball is described as a 5, and is used by players 12 and up. The next size down is a 4 and is used by players from 8 to 11. The smallest ball used by AYSO is a 3 and it is used for players under 8.

Adequate footwear can be either tennis shoes or cleats. If cleats are purchased they must be designed for soccer and not have a toe cleat, no baseball cleats (no exposed metal).

Team Formation
Teams are formed by the division commissioners for each division, usually in conjunction with feedback from the coaches and using player evaluations from last year and/or tryout information. The division commissioners’ primary goal is to create balanced teams but this is a difficult task. In order to ensure balanced teams, we cannot honor any parent requests for specific team assignments, except, in U6 and to some extent in U8 we will consider requests but cannot guarantee a requested placement. Although we make every effort to take into account schedule conflicts when setting up teams, coaches have the ultimate authority on when and where practices are held. The only way a parent can guarantee a place or time for practice is to volunteer to be a coach.

Fields
Each division is assigned particular fields for games before the beginning of the season.

If your team is responsible for field setup (lining or nets) please try to get there early enough to complete this task well before the start of the game (typically 30-60 minutes before the first game). Because we have many teams playing and the referee staff is interlocked between fields it is very important that all games start on time.

The region works closely with Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach to keep their parks and school fields in good shape. Please pick up any trash at the fields and dispose of it properly. In the event of a rainout, to find out if fields are closed contact your coach.

The Game
Please bring your child to the field early enough to properly warm up before game time. Most coaches start pre-game warm-ups between 15 and 30 minutes before the kick-off time. At the beginning of the game, the referee staff will inspect all players and inform them of any last minute changes or alert them to any problem areas on the field.

The game is broken into two equal halves. The length of the halves are as follows:

There is a 5 minute break in between the halves. The length of this break is at the discretion of the referee. At approximately half way through each half the referee will stop the game to allow quarter substitutions. This is not a break and no player should leave the field with the exception of those leaving the game. Players can get a drink at any time by coming to the side line and having a parent/coach hand them their water bottle. They are not to enter or leave the field without referee permission. Similarly, no parent (including the coach) may enter the field during the game unless he/she has the referee’s permission.

At the end of the game, the players on each team shall line up and shake hands with the players of the opposing team and thank the referee and assistant referees.

Child Playing Time
In AYSO, "Everyone Plays." The national guidelines mandate that every child on every team must play at least half of every game. It is the policy of this Region that each coach play each player at least three quarters of every game. (The exception to this rule is that in U16 and U19, where there are larger teams, free substitution and no quarter breaks, players must play at least half of every game.)

Each player is strongly urged to attend and participate in every team practice. Practice is important for the development of the "team" as well as individual skills. Players are also urged to arrive early for games. Players arriving after the first quarter of the game may be limited to playing one-half of the time they are at the game.

Coach and Spectator Conduct
Players, coaches, referees, spectators and all other participants must maintain the highest standards of conduct and good sportsmanship at all times. Offensive, insulting or abusive language is forbidden. The use of alcohol, tobacco products or illegal drugs in the vicinity of the playing field during practice or games is strictly forbidden.

Coaches are expected to be positive and set the best possible example for the participants. Excessive coaching from the sidelines shall not be permitted, and the function of the coach should be to provide encouragement and a positive direction. The coach may enter the field of play only with the consent of the referee and shall coach only within 10 yards in each direction of the half-way line of the field (in no event in either of the penalty areas or from behind the goals).

Spectators at games must remain at least two and preferably three yards from the touchline (sideline). They may not sit behind the goalkeeper. Their vocal efforts should be limited to positive compliments to the participants. Under no circumstances should they attempt to coach or address remarks derogatory to players, coaches or referees.

Discipline shall be up to the referee at each game. The referee shall have the power and authority to caution and send off players and coaches (as well as spectators, in the case of outside interference) from the playing area, or terminate the match if necessary, if their conduct violates the Laws of the Game, the Regional Guidelines or otherwise interferes with the course of play. No appeal of disciplinary action taken by a referee shall be allowed.

Protests
No protest of games shall be permitted. However, coaches are encouraged to advise the Regional Referee Administrator (RRA) within 48 hours after a game of any misapplication by a game referee of the Laws of the Game or rules and regulations. This procedure shall not be used as a means of complaining of, or criticizing, any judgment call of a referee or assistant referee. If, after investigation by the RRA, it is found that a law, rule or regulation was misapplied, such referee shall be so informed in order to ensure that no further misapplication occurs.

Remember that referees are also volunteers, just like you. They have undergone a training course but may not have years of field experience. If you have a question about a call or would like clarification on some aspect of the game please hold it till after the game and talk to the ref. Please note that most referees are parents and may have to leave the field immediately to get to their child’s game if it is not on the same field; they are not avoiding talking to the coach or parent.

We have started a youth referee program this year so you may see more teenager referees than in the past. Please remember youth referees are children and like the players should never be the object of abuse of any type, whether verbal, physical or psychological. Region 18 has a zero tolerance policy for any abuse to a youth referee.

Dispute Resolution
It is the policy of the Region to resolve all disputes concerning persons involved in the Region in an amicable way. Compromise should be emphasized whenever possible, and personality conflicts should be avoided. If disciplinary action is found to be necessary, it is the Region’s policy to take only the minimum action necessary. All means available should be taken to avoid legal action.

If you have been unable to resolve a problem with a coach/ref/etc. Please contact the next person in the respective chain:

Please refer to the Board of Directors page on this web site for the phone numbers and email addresses of the people occupying these roles. Contact your Division Commissioner for the name of the division referee coordinator.

Want to know more?
In this document you find many references to "policy". AYSO National has written the "Regional Guidelines" which represents the general policy that all regions should adopt. Regions have the ability, and are encouraged, to modify these guidelines to better fit their community. Any changes to the guidelines must be approved by the Area Director, Section Director and National Support and Training Center.