AYSO was founded in 1964 in Torrance, California (near Los Angeles) with about 125 enthusiastic players. Over the past 39 years, we've become a vibrant national organization with over a half million players and almost 150,000 volunteers!

Pinetop-Lakeside Region 1020 encompasses the Pinetop-Lakeside area and Whiteriver. There are almost 600 players and 150 volunteers.

Here's what AYSO is all about!

As well as the five basic essentials (Everyone Plays, Balanced Teams, Open Registration, Positive Coaching and Good Sportsmanship), AYSO has developed the AYSO Team to further enhance the fun and family environment.

The AYSO team consists of three groups of people: the Parents, the Coaches and the Referees. Together we form a team whose goals are to support and encourage the players...our children. Our team is comparable to a three-legged stool. Imagine a player resting on this stool and one of the legs becomes weak. This is not a desirable situation. The strength of the AYSO Team is evident when we work together.

Parents can encourage and cheer for their players; volunteer to help with concessions or become a team mom or dad. AYSO is made up strictly of volunteers and they are the ones that make AYSO work.

Coaches teach our players the sport, as well as "expected" behavior. If a coach is degrading a player, a referee or another parent, the players get the wrong sense of what AYSO is all about. Coaches and parents have the ability to shape the players' opinion of themselves, other players and the referees.

Referees work hard to make soccer an enjoyable sport for all involved. They do this by learning the Laws of the Game and how teams function on the field, staying fit to keep with the action and being fair and unbiased.

You ARE a member of the team whether you're a players' parent, a coach or a referee. What kind of player are you? What kind of player do you want to be?

PLAYERS CODE:

• Play for the fun of it, not just to please your parents or coach.
• Play by the Laws of the Game.
• Never argue with a referee or complain about a referee's call. The referees' calls are decisions.
• Control your temper. Most of all, resist the temptation to retaliate when you feel you have been wronged.
• Concentrate on playing soccer with your best efforts. Work equally as hard for your team as you do for yourself.
• Be a good sport by cheering all good plays, whether it is your team's play or your opponent's play.
• Treat all players as you would like to be treated.
• Remember, the goals of the game are to have fun, improve your skills and feel good about yourself. Don't be a showoff or a ball hog.
• Cooperate with your coaches, opponents and referees.

PARENTS CODE:

As a parent, you play a special role in contributing to the needs and development of youngsters.

Through your encouragement and good example, you can help assure that all the boys and girls learn good sportsmanship and self-discipline. In AYSO, while becoming physically fit and healthy, young people learn to work together, to sacrifice for the good of the team, to enjoy winning and to deal appropriately with defeat. Best of all, they have fun!

Supporting your child by giving encouragement and showing interest in their team is very important.

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. That way, your child will always be a winner despite the outcome of the game!

Parents serve as role models for their children. Become aware of this and work to be a positive role model. Applaud good plays by your child's team as well as the ones made by the opposing team.

Support all efforts to remove verbal and physical abuse from youth sports activities.

Remember that your child is the one playing soccer, not you. It is very important to let children establish their own goals and to play the game for themselves. Take care not to impose your own standards and goals on them.

Don't put too heavy a burden on your child to win games. Surveys reveal that 72% of children would rather play for a losing team than sit on the bench for a winning team. Children play for the fun of playing.

Positive reinforcement is the best way to help your child achieve their goals and overcome their natural fear of failure. Nobody likes to make mistakes. If your child does make one, remember it's all part of learning. So encourage your child's efforts and point out the good things your child is accomplishing.

Coaches and referees are usually parents just like you. They volunteer their time to help make your child's youth soccer experience a positive one. They need your support, too. That means refraining from coaching or refereeing from the sidelines.

As a volunteer organization, there's usually always an opportunity for you to take your interest in coaching or refereeing to the next level and become one yourself!

AYSO Kid's Zone

In recent months the national media has focused on the negative, even violent, behavior of players, coaches and parents involved in youth sports. In a proactive effort to counteract this trend of violence, AYSO is initiating a program called Kids Zone.

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, three basic elements are involved:

1. The Badge. This is a pin-on badge 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 will request AYSO Parents to sign a pledge that holds them to the Kids Zone standards.

In order to make this program work, we need your help!

TOOLS FOR PARENTS

The following ideas may be helpful for being an AYSO supportive parent:

Conversations before the games

During the game

After the game

During the ride home