Volunteers

Someone needs to mark all those fields early each week; Someone needs to set up all the soccer goals and corner flags each Saturday morning and take them down each Saturday afternoon; Someone needs to set up the concession stands, every Saturday morning and Someone needs to take them down each Saturday afternoon; Someone needs to call for volunteers to work in the concession stands every Saturday; Someone needs to referee all those games, each Saturday.

Someone must obtain bids for trophies, Someone must obtain bids for pictures; Someone needs to schedule games; Someone must prepare newsletters; Someone must find sponsors; Someone must work at the new fields to get them ready for your child; Someone must teach coaches; Someone must instruct referees; Someone must select uniforms and equipment; Someone must purchase items for the concession stands; Someone must take accident reports and file claims for injured players; Someone must keep standings; Someone must coordinate referees and assistant referees. Someone needs to check volunteer references.

These are just a few of the tasks that need to be accomplished during one season. Please talk with your family and find a way to help the kids and keep this great organization running.

ARE YOU THAT SPECIAL SOMEONE?

What is expected of me as a volunteer?

General Comments

    All volunteers must take a Safe Haven class and be certified before they can have any direct contact with the players.  All volunteers must take a Safe Haven class and be certified before they can have any direct contact with the players.  Yes - that statement was intentionally repeated.  It is that important.  Our children's safety can not be overemphasized.  You should make sure that all volunteers for your team is Safe Haven certified.

    AYSO does not function without volunteers.  If you are reading this page, you have either already volunteered or are seriously considering it.  If you are already a volunteer, thank you very much for making this all possible.  If you are considering volunteering, please take advantage of this wonderful opportunity.  You will never know just how much pleasure, gratitude and satisfaction our volunteers feel until you join them.  And what better way to show your children that their activities are very important to you.  Welcome aboard.

Head Coach

    There are a few different ways to become a head coach.  Most volunteer, some are recruited, some even drafted.  Those that volunteer have marked their child's registration form indicating that they would like to volunteer to coach.  The volunteers can also speak with a board member at any early registration day.  Once all the volunteers have been processed and assigned, there is often a shortage of head coaches.  That's where the division representatives come in.  They start reviewing the registration forms and calling potential head coaches.  Many are found this way before the teams are formed.  The division representative will call all the parents of the team without a coach and plead for "volunteers".  If all else fails, the division representative will call a team meeting and ask the parents for help.  In some cases, it is entirely possible that a team will be disbanded because no head coach can be found.

    Once the head coach is identified he/she should select an assistant.  This can be someone they know, or can be a total stranger.  The region provides training for all coaches during the month of August, so even if you have never been a head coach, the training you need is made available.  All head coaches must have coaches training and have completed their Safe Haven certification.

   Once the coach has a team, he needs to schedule the first practice.  This is where the coach introduces him/herself to the players and their parents.  The head coach should explain his philosophy about coaching and his goals for the team.  This is also a good place to find an assistant coach, team parent and volunteer referees if they have not yet been identified.  No team is allowed to practice before August first of each year.  There is no insurance before that date and coaches are forbidden to conduct any practice.  The coach should make sure the players know to wear cleats and shin guards, and to bring water and the age appropriate size ball.

    The month of August is for practices.  Coaches can arrange scrimmages with other teams, but there are no official games played during August.  Coaches determine their practice schedules.  Some coaches plan practices once a week, some twice, some even three times a week.  Please be aware that younger players (especially) can burn out on soccer long before the end of the season if you practice them too often and too hard.  By the last week in August, the head coach should have a good idea where each team member will play.A general coaches meeting is usually held towards the end of August.  Team packets are handed out with general information and forms.

    Coaches should not hand out uniforms until late August or early September.  There are often late additions to the team and if the uniforms have already been handed out, the remaining uniforms may not fit the new player. The jersey numbers are sequential by size.  A number 2 is much smaller than a number 15.  It is recommended that the coach line up the players in shortest-to-tallest order and assign the jersey numbers sequentially.  The shortest player gets number2 and the tallest player gets the largest number.  Sometime before the first game, the division representative will ask the coach for a roster.  This is simply a list of players and their jersey numbers.

    The official games start the first Saturday in September.  The head coach is responsible for supplying the referee of the game with a lineup card.  The blank cards are given to the coaches by the division representatives.  On the card, the coach should indicate who the goal keeper is and who the captain and co-captain are.  After the date/time/location and team information are filled in, the coach must list the players with their numbers in numerical order.  The coaches will not get these lineup cards back.

    It is recommended that each head coach plan their lineup and substitution schedule long before the game starts.  New coaches will find it exceedingly difficult to remember who has played how many quarters and at what positions while in the heat of the battle.  A pre-planned substitution chart will insure that each player gets the league required 2 quarters of playing time.  A pre-planned substitution schedule can help in other ways as well.

  1) If shown to the players before the game, they will know when they go in, when they go out and where they will play;

 2) If the coach sticks to his pre-planned substitution chart, he will never pull a player for poor play and humiliate the player;

3) Alternate fourth quarters plans can be devised based on different scenarios (your team ahead, game tied, your team behind, etc.).  Take it from experience, a pre-planned substitution schedule will make the game much more relaxed for the head coach and make for happier players.

    During each game, the head coach has other responsibilities as well.  The head coach must make sure his assistant coach and parents conduct themselves in a positive manner.  He must make sure his players are properly warmed up before the game and before they enter the game after being on the sidelines.  He must make sure the spectators are at least 3 yards back from the touch line (sideline) and do not interfere with the game.  Above all, he is the ultimate person responsible to make sure that his/her players are not put at risk of injury or verbal assault.

    Late in the season, the division representative will call a coach's meeting to determine an allstar coach and to determine how players will be selected as allstars.

    With only one or two weeks remaining in the season, the head coach should coordinate with the team parent to organize the team party.  The date, time and location must be selected.  Decide what food will be offered (pot luck, restaraunt, other), and what will be done for the players (certificates, trophies, etc. - see 'Team Parent' section below for ideas).  The head coach should also select a gift for the team parent at this time.  Possible choices are flowers, gift certificates, plaques, etc.

    Once the season is over, there are two types of coaches that continue on.  Playoff teams (first and/or second place teams) will continue to practice for area playoffs that usually start in January.  These playoffs can go through March if the team is successful.  The other type of coach is the all-star coach.  The area all-star games start just after the playoff games and also can go through March if the all-start team is successful (wins). 

    All coaches should remember that AYSO is not a competitive league.  Although we all want to win, balanced teams and 'everybody plays' philosophies are much more important.  If a coach, player or parent becomes obsessed with winning, then they should consider trying the AYSO Matrix program or club soccer at one of the great local club teams.  If everyone has fun and the kids learn to love soccer, then we all win!

Assistant Coach

    Before you read this section, you should read the Head Coach section, above.  Much of what is described here is described as a variation on what the head coach's responsibilities are.

     An assistant coach can be identified any time during the season, although it is much easier if they are identified before practices begin.

  All assistant coaches must complete their Safe Haven certification before they have direct contact with the players.

  The first opportunity a parent (or uncle, or gardian, etc.) has to volunteer to be an assistant coach is on their child's player registration form.  There are check boxes next to the parents' information that can be used to indicate your willingness to be an assistant. 

 Once a team has been formed, a head coach might contact you about being an assistant after the draft and before the practices start.  Some assistants are chosen from among the parents at the first team meeting.

    The main role of the assistant coach is to apply the head coach’s instructions.  The assistant might take a small group of players off to one side and work on a particular skill.  The assistant might take an entire practice if the head coach is unavailable.  The most important thing to remember is that the assistant coach should not try to countermand the head coach.  This only causes confusion among the players, dissention among the parents and tension between the coaches.  All of these things ultimately hurt the team and its players.

Team Parent

    All team parents must complete their Safe Haven certification before having any direct contact with the children.  The head coach or the division representative can tell you where/when the classes are held.  This information is also published in the parent handbook (handed out at registration) and on this web site.  The team parent has the following responsibilties:

Before the Season Starts-

    1.  Help the coach publish the roster - type it up, print it out and hand it out to players/parents

2.      Responsible for communicating schedule changes to the players - phone chain or direct calling

3.      Need to be Safe Haven certified

4.      Create and distribute snack schedule - this can be part of a game schedule

    5.  Order the banner (optional)

During the Season-

    1.  Call parent responsible for snacks that week as a reminder - may see them at practice

    2.  Set up banner at every game and take it down afterwards

    3.  Have a first-air kit at every game and every practice

    4.  Extra hair ties for girls' teams

    5.  Extra waters available for those players that forget

5.      Collect money from parents for banner

End of Season-

    1.  Discuss coaches' gift with parents, collect money and order/purchase/make

    2.  Order/Purchase/Create players gifts

    3.  Coordinate with coaches to plan team party - may need reservations

    4.  Announce team party at least one week prior