AYSO for Parents

Thank you for joining us and welcome to the AYSO experience! We are pleased to have you and your children enrolled in the most innovative and positive youth sports program available.

As a parent, you have a special role in contributing to the needs and development of these youngsters. Through your encouragement and good example, you can help assure the effectiveness of the AYSO program.

• Support Your Child – by giving encouragement and showing an interest in his or her team. 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. Your child will be a winner, even in defeat.
• Always Be Positive – parents are not participants on their child’s team. Applaud good plays by your child’s team and by the opposing team.
• Be Enthusiastic and Supportive – let children set their own goals and play the game for themselves. Be careful not to impose your own standards and goals on your child. Don’t put too heavy a burden on your child to win games.
• Reinforce Positive Behavior – the best way to help a child to achieve goals and reduce the natural fear of failure is through positive reinforcement. Encourage your child’s efforts and point out the good things your child accomplished.
• Let Coaches Coach and Refs Ref – coaches and referees are usually parents. They volunteer their time to help make your child’s soccer experience a positive one. They need your support, too. What coaches and referees don’t need is your help in coaching from the sidelines. So please refrain from coaching during games and practices. Referees are not the “bad guys.” They are volunteers, too, and need your support and encouragement. Treat them and their calls fairly and respectfully.

Kids Zone®

In AYSO, we want all players, coaches, families and volunteers to have fun. That’s where Kids Zone comes in. Kids Zone is a program that encourages fans on the sidelines, and anyone else near the play, to use positive language, show sportsmanship in their attitude and behavior, and create a great experience for every player. It’s a reminder that the soccer fields are a kid’s zone – a friendly, happy, wholesome place for children to play.