AYSO is a 100% volunteer organization!  Without volunteers, there is no program for our kids.

When you register your child (or children) for AYSO, you will be asked to read the Volunteer Form and check off any jobs you feel would be appropriate, considering your interests and time available. Everyone plays, and everyone participates. Be a part of the team.

If you have not yet been contacted to fill a specific position, there are still many volunteer jobs that need to be filled on the team level. For instance, each team needs to have the following positions filled in order to run smoothly:

Team Coach / Assistant Coach

Responsible for planning and conducting team practices and for planning and coordinating the team lineup during games. The coach is responsible for teaching the players soccer skills, team positions, and (in the older divisions) soccer tactics and strategies. The coach is the primary role model for the players, and as such, must maintain a positive attitude and demeanor before, during, and after practices and games. To assist the coach in gaining and improving his/her coaching skills, a series of coaching clinics is made available each year.

Referee / Assistant Referee

The refereeing crew is essential to the playing of the game. The referees have complete authority over all participants and are the only other individuals besides the players who can have the fun of being on the field during the game. Referees and Assistant Referees are trained in a referee clinic offered several times each year.

Team Parent

Responsible for taking the organizational pressure off the coach and his/her staff. The Team Parent is the primary communicator between the coach and parents and should oversee the people responsible for telephoning, carpooling, refreshments, parties, thank you gifts, and anything else that pertains to your specific team.

Safe Haven Training is required for every volunteer with AYSO. You can complete your Safe Haven Training online at www.aysotraining.org. 

Safe Haven is a child and volunteer protection program that was the first of its kind in youth sports. The child protection aspect is intended to stop child abuse, educate or remove its perpetrators, and screen out predators before they get into the program. It includes proactive steps which provide a medium for positive, healthy child development, precluding the outbreak of child abuse in a weak, unfocused, nonempowering environment.

Volunteer protection comes in to play as a result of volunteer training, certification and continuing education. The Volunteer Protection Act of 1997 provides certain legal protections for volunteers who have been trained and certified, and act in accordance with a written job description. Safe Haven has these three elements, giving volunteers the highest degree of protection available under the law.