American Youth Soccer Organization
Encyclopedia
The American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) is a non-profit
soccer organization in the United States
for children aged 4 through 19. Headquartered in Torrance
, California
, AYSO has local programs known as "regions" in all 50 states
, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Trinidad and Tobago
. The organization is run primarily by volunteers at its constituent local levels, with approximately 50 paid employees at its national headquarters.
AYSO was established in the Los Angeles
area in 1964 with nine teams. Today the organization claims membership of over 50,000 teams, with over 600,000 participants.
Regional commissioners, area directors, and section directors, as well as members of the National Board of Directors (NBOD) and certain "Special Directors," are the executive members of AYSO and vote each year for the NBOD, which consists of eleven members elected for staggered three year terms. The votes are cast, in person or by proxy, at the National Annual General Meeting, generally held over Memorial Day Weekend. Executive members separately vote for a member of the NBOD to serve as National President. Executive members are all volunteers.
AYSO is mostly run at local levels by teams of volunteers, including administrators, coaches
and referees, many of whom are parents or family of the youth they coach. The AYSO National Office, which consists of some 60 paid employees, is based in Torrance, California
and provides programs for instruction of coaches and referees and child protection education to AYSO volunteers. AYSO is affiliated with the United States Soccer Federation
.
AYSO believes strongly in six basic philosophies:
On May 4, 2009, AYSO announced the launch of AYSO FLEXTM as an umbrella for a number of new pilot programs to encourage the growth of extended play options. Currently, regions and area are permitted to apply to pilot "Extra" programs, to operate at the same time as the standard primary program. Under the Extra program, there are two options--"Concurrent", in which players must play in the standard primary program to participate in Extra, and "Side-by-Side", in which players participate only in one or the other program. More details about these programs are available at AYSO FLEX
club in North Hollywood that played against other local ethnic (mostly European) clubs.
To avoid the cross-town trip to the games, Stierle thought to get boys in his Torrance
suburb interested in the world's most popular game. The first AYSO league started with nine teams, and stressed open registration: "Anyone can sign up; you do not need to belong to one of the ethnic clubs."
Stierle's own team had strong players from the LA Soccer Club team (including Sigi Schmid
, who went on to play and coach at UCLA and coach the Los Angeles Galaxy
), and won or tied nearly all its games. To even things out and make the experience more competitive and enjoyable for the other teams, the policy of Balanced Teams was adopted, whereby the stronger players were distributed around the league. This had a slightly perverse effect, as some weaker players who formerly played every minute were forced to the bench by the newly arrived stars. To overcome this, the policy "Everyone Plays" was adopted, which mandated at least half a game for all players. That, in turn, led to AYSO games being divided into "quarters" for the purpose of monitoring substitutions.
(uniforms), Hansen's
, and Herbalife
. Ralph's grocery stores is a National sponsor. ClubSpaces is an official sponsor. Fold-a-Goal, People-to-People, Sports Pins International, Umbrella Stand and Zaavy are preferred sponsors. UK International (AYSO Soccer Camps), Sator Soccer (AYSO Store), Crown Awards and Dinn Bros are licensees.
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
soccer organization in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for children aged 4 through 19. Headquartered in Torrance
Torrance, California
Torrance is a city incorporated in 1921 and located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. Torrance has of shore-front beaches on the Pacific Ocean, quieter and less well-known by tourists than others on the Santa Monica Bay, such as those of neighboring...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, AYSO has local programs known as "regions" in all 50 states
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
. The organization is run primarily by volunteers at its constituent local levels, with approximately 50 paid employees at its national headquarters.
AYSO was established in the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
area in 1964 with nine teams. Today the organization claims membership of over 50,000 teams, with over 600,000 participants.
Structure
AYSO is a California nonprofit corporation. Local programs, which are called regions, are not separately incorporated. However, they are given significant autonomy in management of their operations, as long as they are in compliance with AYSO's Bylaws, National Rules and Regulations, and Policy Statements. Each region is managed by a regional commissioner in conjunction with a regional board. Groups of regions in close proximity comprise an area, which is managed by an area director in conjunction with an area board. Areas are grouped into 14 sections, each managed by a section director in conjunction with a section board. In addition, some regions administered directly by the National Office, particularly those outside the United States, are part of the so-called "Section 99."Regional commissioners, area directors, and section directors, as well as members of the National Board of Directors (NBOD) and certain "Special Directors," are the executive members of AYSO and vote each year for the NBOD, which consists of eleven members elected for staggered three year terms. The votes are cast, in person or by proxy, at the National Annual General Meeting, generally held over Memorial Day Weekend. Executive members separately vote for a member of the NBOD to serve as National President. Executive members are all volunteers.
AYSO is mostly run at local levels by teams of volunteers, including administrators, coaches
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
and referees, many of whom are parents or family of the youth they coach. The AYSO National Office, which consists of some 60 paid employees, is based in Torrance, California
Torrance, California
Torrance is a city incorporated in 1921 and located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. Torrance has of shore-front beaches on the Pacific Ocean, quieter and less well-known by tourists than others on the Santa Monica Bay, such as those of neighboring...
and provides programs for instruction of coaches and referees and child protection education to AYSO volunteers. AYSO is affiliated with the United States Soccer Federation
United States Soccer Federation
The United States Soccer Federation is the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. Its headquarters are located in Chicago, Illinois. It is a member of FIFA and is responsible for governing amateur and professional soccer, including the men's, women's, youth, futsal...
.
AYSO National Office
The AYSO National Office is located at 19750 South Vermont Ave. in Torrance, California. Here the AYSO National Headquarters are run by nearly 60 paid employees. They range from the National Executive Director (NED) to the National Marketing Director (NMD), and the Player Programs Coordinator (PPC). They also run the day - to - day accounting practices.Philosophies
- Everyone plays. Each child on a team is required to play at least one-half of each game, and many regions have even more stringent minimum play requirements.
- Balanced teams. AYSO believes that children enjoy playing more, and learn more from the game, when teams are as closely matched as possible. Regions make every effort to balance teams each season by assigning players to teams based on their relative skill levels.
- Open registration. Any child who wishes to play may do so, regardless of ability.
- Positive coaching. AYSO holds that children develop best when they are given encouragement, rather than being "put down." AYSO expects coaching to be positive, instructional, and encouraging at all times.
- Good sportsmanship. AYSO tries to instill good sportsmanship in all of its programs.
- Player Development. The goal of Player Development is to embrace the objective of improving the soccer skills and knowledge of every AYSO player, from VIP to U-19.
Sportsmanship
In the 1980s the policy Good Sportsmanship was adopted at the urging of Alan Witcher, a coach from the San Fernando Valley.Extended Play
In some regions, after the regular open registration season ends, All-Star teams and tournament teams are formed in the separate divisions from the most skilled players in the league. Other regions and areas have parallel "extended play" programs that operate at the same time as the standard primary program.On May 4, 2009, AYSO announced the launch of AYSO FLEXTM as an umbrella for a number of new pilot programs to encourage the growth of extended play options. Currently, regions and area are permitted to apply to pilot "Extra" programs, to operate at the same time as the standard primary program. Under the Extra program, there are two options--"Concurrent", in which players must play in the standard primary program to participate in Extra, and "Side-by-Side", in which players participate only in one or the other program. More details about these programs are available at AYSO FLEX
Growth
Now one of the largest single youth sports organizations in the United States, AYSO comprises over 50,000 teams and 650,000 players, all supported by 250,000 volunteers. All players on a team are required to have the opportunity to play at least one half of every game. In many regions the requirement is 3/4 of a game where mathemtically possible. There are often two seasons a year, and teams are required to be formed new each year and balanced so that all teams are roughly equal in skill and ability of players. Players are taught the ethics of good teamwork and good character. AYSO has programs to encourage good sportsmanship not only among players and coaches, but also from fans and parents.History
AYSO was founded by Hans Stierle in 1964. Stierle organized youth soccer games for the Los Angeles Soccer Club, a GermanGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
club in North Hollywood that played against other local ethnic (mostly European) clubs.
To avoid the cross-town trip to the games, Stierle thought to get boys in his Torrance
Torrance, California
Torrance is a city incorporated in 1921 and located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. Torrance has of shore-front beaches on the Pacific Ocean, quieter and less well-known by tourists than others on the Santa Monica Bay, such as those of neighboring...
suburb interested in the world's most popular game. The first AYSO league started with nine teams, and stressed open registration: "Anyone can sign up; you do not need to belong to one of the ethnic clubs."
Stierle's own team had strong players from the LA Soccer Club team (including Sigi Schmid
Sigi Schmid
Siegfried "Sigi" Schmid is a German-American soccer coach. Born in Tübingen, West Germany, he moved to the United States with his family when he was a child. He played college soccer from 1972 to 1975 at the University of California, Los Angeles , where he was a starting midfielder in each...
, who went on to play and coach at UCLA and coach the Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...
), and won or tied nearly all its games. To even things out and make the experience more competitive and enjoyable for the other teams, the policy of Balanced Teams was adopted, whereby the stronger players were distributed around the league. This had a slightly perverse effect, as some weaker players who formerly played every minute were forced to the bench by the newly arrived stars. To overcome this, the policy "Everyone Plays" was adopted, which mandated at least half a game for all players. That, in turn, led to AYSO games being divided into "quarters" for the purpose of monitoring substitutions.
Sponsorship
AYSO operates through player fees collected by the local regions and various sponsor categories. Premier sponsors include Score SportsScore sports
Score Sports is an American sports apparel and equipment manufacturer based in Los Angeles, Ca. They are the national uniform sponsor for AYSO and have major affiliations with YMCA, National Junior Basketball, and US Youth Soccer. They are the official uniform supplier for the Bermuda National...
(uniforms), Hansen's
Hansen's
Hansen Natural Corporation manufactures natural soft drinks, energy drinks, and fruit drinks including Monster Energy, Hansen's Natural Soda, Hansen's Energy, Hansen's Junior Juice, Peace Tea, and Blue Sky....
, and Herbalife
Herbalife
Herbalife International is a global nutrition, weight-loss and skin-care company. The company was founded in 1980 and it employs around 4,000 people worldwide. Herbalife reported net sales of USD 2.7 billion in 2010...
. Ralph's grocery stores is a National sponsor. ClubSpaces is an official sponsor. Fold-a-Goal, People-to-People, Sports Pins International, Umbrella Stand and Zaavy are preferred sponsors. UK International (AYSO Soccer Camps), Sator Soccer (AYSO Store), Crown Awards and Dinn Bros are licensees.
Affinity partners
Positive Coaching Alliance, National Council On Youth Sports, USSF, MLS, NSCAA are just a few of the ten's of affinity partners.External links
- AYSO - The American Youth Soccer Organization website
- eAYSO - The American Youth Soccer Organization Online Database & Registration
- AYSOTRAINING - The American Youth Soccer Organization Online Training & Certification
- AYSO SOCCER CAMPS - The American Youth Soccer Organization Soccer Camps Registration and Informational Page
- AYSO STORE - The AYSO Store website