WHAT DOES MY CHILD NEED TO PLAY SOCCER?

Uniforms are not included in the price of registration. The region keeps the same uniforms every year to try and save on cost, rather than supply new uniforms each year. Most parents opt to buy a slightly larger uniform so they can be used over multiple years.

WHAT DO THE COLORS OF THE JERSEY MEAN?
BLUE is the home jersey side; RED is the away jersey


WHAT MAKES UP A UNIFORM and HOW MUCH DOES A UNIFORM COST?
Uniform Set--$35
Jersey--Reversible $25
Black Shorts--$10
Blue Socks--$5


WHAT ELSE DOES A PLAYER NEED TO PLAY SOCCER?
Shoes--Preferably cleated shoes, but an athletic shoe is also acceptable.  At younger ages, cleats are less necessary, but as your child gets older, cleats provide an advantage.
Shinguards--Shinguards are a REQUIRED part of the uniform and is for the child's protection.
Soccer Ball--Age appropriate soccer ball.  Parents are not required to purchase a soccer ball. Coaches have soccer balls for the team, but a personal soccer ball for use at home and practice is never a bad idea


WHAT SIZE SOCCER BALL SHOULD I BUY?
Turf tots through u8 use a size 3 ball
u10 and u12 use a size 4 ball
u15 uses a size 5 ball

WHAT IS THE STORY BEHIND SHOES WITH TOE CLEAT?
Somewhere, somehow, some soccer referees have gotten the idea in their heads a toe cleat is illegal in soccer; it's not.  However, when buying shoes for your child it is best to avoid them.  The rule in soccer is that a shoe must be safe.  Obviously, a steel toe cleat can be considered dangerous, but a rubber toe clear is not.  Now some referees are beginning to see cleats in the center of the shoe as toe cleats, even though a toe cleat is found on the front tip.

It is best to avoid them to save yourself frustration.

WHAT DIVISION DOES MY CHILD PLAY IN?

Children are placed in a division based on their birth year and actual placement is determined by their age as of January 1.


WHAT IS TURF TOTS?
Turf Tots is our program for 4 year olds.  Children at this age are ready for actual soccer games with complex rules, so Turf Tots was developed. During Turf Tots, children play simple games with simple objectives that involve soccer like activities.  Turf Tots always plays at the same time each Saturday during the season.


WHAT IS 6u?

6u stands for 6 and under. Children in the 6u program will be either 5 or 6 years old depending on what part of the season you are in. 6u plays each Saturday at the same time with half of the 1 hour session devoted to practice and half devoted to a soccer game.  6u has traditionally been Co-ed with boys and girls playing together.

WHAT IS 8u?

8u stands for 8 and under. Children in the 8u program will be either 6 or 7 when the seasons starts.  8u typically plays each Saturday between 9 am and 3 pm.  8u. In most years, we have created both boys and girls divisions, but there have been a few years more recently where we have done co-ed teams, or girls and boys teams playing in the same division.

8u teams are the youngest team to practice during the week, with each team practicing for one hour one week night per week. The coach determines the day and time the team practices.

WHAT IS 10u?

10u is for children under 10. When the season begins, players will be 8 or nine years old?

10u teams have always been divided by gender in Holly.  In the past, when we have had 4 teams or more in a division, we have had this division stay and play all games in Holly. During the last few years, due to fewer teams, we have placed our u10 teams in interplay. meaning they play 4 games in Holly and four games in nearby regions.

10u teams are unique in that the typical practice schedule is fluid.  Coaches will opt to practice 1.5 hours one day per week, or twice a week for 45 minutes.  Once again, coaches determine the day and time of practice.

Where does my registration money go?

AYS0 823 has strived to keep costs down so that we can offer our children a recreational program that is affordable.

Still we have many expenses.

$25 of each registration goes directly to AYSO National.

$2,000 per season ($4,000 total per year) is paid to Holly Area Schools for use and maintenance of our fields near the middle school.

$1,100 per season ($2,200 total per year) is spent on paint. Our volunteers spray the fields each week to maintain the field lines.

$1,260 per year is spent on portable toilets that we have available during practices and games. Its $840 per season and we currently split 1/2 the cost of the fall season with Holly Stampede.

Other fees go towards equipment for coaches and players, such as: goal frames and nets, soccer balls, coach bags and pinnies.

Uniforms are not part of registration, but are sold at cost. We purchase them in advance and store them so that they are available to players at the start of each season. We supply coaches' shirts at no cost to them.  

Soccer nets cost between $120 for a U6 net to $170 for a U15 net and rarely last more than a year.

There are a lot of other little things that crop up each season as well - goal net ties, ground spikes, whistles - the list goes on and on. 

Hopefully, that has answered some questions, but if you are curious about anything, feel free to ask.

Why should I coach in AYSO?
It's a chance to spend quality time with your child and it’s fun. It's a great break from work. It makes you feel good. It's a great way to give back to the community.

The rewards come in the form of helping kids have fun at a game or practice, and contributing to their individual skills and teamwork. There is also a great sense of accomplishment when you reach the end of a season, look back and see how far the team has come.

I don't know anything about soccer. Can I still help coach?
Yes! AYSO provides training and materials. Being a coach involves skills you probably already have in addition to specific soccer knowledge. If you are uncertain, try being an assistant coach. Your Region's Coach Administrator will be happy to try to match you up with somebody with a little more experience.

What is the time commitment of being an AYSO coach? Assistant coach?
Coaches run one to two weekday practices (depending on age/division) and games up to twice per week.  Coaching in AYSO is all about teaching and encouraging kids, and having a lot of fun. Parents will help with the team's organization tasks.

How old do I have to be to coach?
You must be 18 years old or older to be an AYSO coach. Though AYSO appreciates and encourages young people to participate in all aspects of soccer including coaching, an individual under 18 years of age may not be listed as the head coach or assistant coach on the official roster, due to liability issues. They can certainly assist in training and even make decisions regarding the team, but can't ever be left alone with players and can't be listed on the official roster.

How do I become a coach?
You sign up to coach at registration when you register your kids to play. If you need contact information, you can contact the Regional Coach Administrator, TBD.  If you have a child that is already on a team that has a coach, just let the coach know that you are interested in coaching and would like to help. Most of our coaches will be delighted to utilize you.

Does an AYSO coach have to have a child on the team?
No. Anyone over the age of 18 can volunteer to be a coach in AYSO. Generally speaking, most coaches are the parents of a child on the team; however, AYSO welcomes and encourages anyone who wants to volunteer to come out and coach!

What training is provided for coaches?
There are three parts to coach training. One is an  online course which covers team management, safety, volunteer protection and AYSO's principles. This course is known as Safe Haven. Second is an online course which is Concussion Awareness. There is also age-specific training which covers soccer techniques, strategies and teaching ideas appropriate to the age group. These clinics are held online and on weekends, and vary from a half day to two days. You must attend coach training to be covered by the Volunteer Protection Act.

What is Safe Haven®?
AYSO makes a commitment to provide a safe place for children to play and compete. The coach has a responsibility to help make the environment safe, as well as fun. To ensure the safety of both children and volunteers, each volunteer is required to take a short in-person or online-training session called Safe Haven™. It focuses on safety and appropriate behavior with children as well as first aid and other on-field issues. Agreeing to a background check is also required for each volunteer.  Click here for more information.

What are the various levels of coach certification?
AYSO offers coach training for every age group. The various levels are as follows and each one has its own course: U-6, U-8, U-10, U-12, Intermediate, Advanced and National.

What are the requirements and time involved with the various coach certifications?
AYSO's U-6, U-8, U-10 and U-12 courses are all considered "stand-alone" courses, meaning that you may take any one of them without having taken any prior courses. The U-12 course then becomes the prerequisite for taking the Intermediate course, which is the prerequisite for taking the Advanced course, which is the prerequisite for taking the National course. The U-6, U-8 and classroom portion of the U-10 course are available online.

How long does it take to become a coach?
U-6 Coach – 40 minutes online (2 hours in-person)
U-8 Coach – 30 minutes online (2 hours in-person)
U-10 Coach – 40 minutes online and 1.5 hour field session (3 hours in-person)
U-12 Coach - 5 hours
Intermediate Coach - 15 hours
Advanced Coach - 18 hours National Coach - 56+ hours

What and/or where is my certification?
Record of all coach training is stored in AYSO's online database, eAYSO . Every individual that has filled out a Volunteer Registration Form is entered into the database and record of all training is attached to the individual's file. Anyone is allowed access to eAYSO by going through a short, one-time registration on the eAYSO home page. Once in the database you may view your own records by going to Look-Up/Volunteer and looking up your record. Once there, click View Certifications. Alternatively, you may call the AYSO Programs Department at (800) 872-2976 and someone will assist you. If your records do not reflect the training you have taken, please call the Coaching Coordinator (800) 872-2976, ext. 7974.

Do I have to coach little kids before I can coach the older kids?
There is no requirement to coach younger players before coaching older players. The only requirement is that you have the age-specific certification, meaning if you are coaching U-10-you've taken the U-10 coaching certification course.