THE AYSO MISSION & VISION

VISION: To provide world class youth soccer programs that enrich children’s lives.

MISSION: AYSO develops and delivers quality youth soccer programs which promote a fun, family environment based on our Six Philosophies:

• Everyone Plays® - Our 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 - We require every region at the start of each season to set up teams as evenly balanced as possible. It's more fun when teams are of equal ability.

• Positive Coaching - This builds a positive team spirit. We train and encourage our coaches to make the extra effort to understand and offer positive help to our players, rather than negative criticism.
• Open Registration - Our programs are open to all children ages 4 - 18 who want to register and play soccer. Interest and enthusiasm are the only requirements for playing.

• Good Sportsmanship - We create a positive environment based on mutual respect, rather than a win-at-all-costs attitude. All of our programs are designed to instill good sportsmanship in every facet of AYSO.

• Player Development - We believe that all players should be able to develop their soccer skills and knowledge to the best of their abilities, both individually and as members of a team, in order to maximize their enjoyment of the game.

AYSO HISTORY & DEVELOPMENT

AYSO was established in the Los Angeles area 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 50,000 teams and over 500,000 players. It also employs 50 people at the AYSO National Office in Torrance, Calif.

Over the years, AYSO has created many valuable programs and concepts. Most notably, AYSO revolutionized youth sports with its "Everyone Plays®" and "Balanced Teams" philosophies. In AYSO, each child who registers is guaranteed to play at least half of every game. To help create evenly matched games, all AYSO players are placed on new or "balanced" teams each year. These decisions are made based on each player's skill level and the overall ability of the team.
 

In 1971, two San Fernando Valley residents developed AYSO's first girls program. Today, a corporate sponsor has joined with AYSO as the organization's first official sponsor of its national girl's initiative. Currently, 40 percent of AYSO's players are girls.

In the mid 70s, an AYSO coach chartered new territory as he welcomed the organization's first player with Down Syndrome. As a result of this landmark union, soccer was introduced into the Special Olympics. Today, AYSO offers its membership the Very Important Player (VIP) program for kids with special needs. VIP boasts 75 programs and 1,500 players.

In 1995, two AYSO parents established the first AYSO program in Moscow. Today, AYSO programs exists in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, and interest continues from Americans abroad looking to bring the values and philosophies of AYSO to expatriates and local communities alike.

AYSO is supported by 125,000 volunteers. Parents donate their time as coaches, referees, team parents, administrators or sponsors. In 1998, AYSO unveiled its new Coach Certification and Safe Haven programs. Each was designed to strengthen the organization's role in child protection. Although AYSO is primarily a youth sports organization, it realizes the importance of providing a safe and healthy atmosphere for children. AYSO is continually working to improve the education of its volunteers in the fields of child development, human behavior, and sports psychology. A strong emphasis is placed on ethics and sportsmanship and the development of the whole child.

AYSO is a National Association of the United States Soccer Federation. Through the years, the organization has also maintained relations with organizations such as the National Council of Youth Sports, Girls Scouts USA, the National Association for Sports and Physical Education, People to People, Optimists International, Police Athletic Leagues, the National Alliance for Youth Sports, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, YMCA, the United States Soccer Federation, and the Character Counts program. In addition, AYSO works closely with 20 corporations that are part of the organization's National Team of Sponsors.

AYSO has been the leader in establishing groundbreaking youth soccer programs in the United States. The organization is proud to have paved the road for youth soccer and looks forward to meeting the challenges of the 21st century!

AYSO REGION 97 STANDARD POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

The Standard Regional Policies and Procedures have been adopted by the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) consistent with the AYSO governing documents to provide guidance to the Region on its organization and operation.

The Region is required to operate in accordance with these Standard Policies and Procedures unless the Region has adopted additional custom Regional Policies and Procedures approved by the Region's Area Director and Section Director. These guidelines represent best practices for operating an AYSO Region.