How To Run An AYSO Region

Oddly there is not a real how-to manual for running an AYSO region. There are many reference sources of material that cover some of the items. But nothing that covers every aspect or guides you through the important issues in a time line format. Well, here is where we try to provide this.

Do not fret. You can skim and skip around. Much of this will not make sense until you have been helping out for a few years. The key is to start and tackle a few problems at a time.

This Wiki tutorial can be read through in order like a book or you can skip around to try and pick up specific information of interest at the time.

AYSO and this Wiki is a grass roots effort. Any AYSO volunteer can be registered to contribute to and edit this Wiki. There is a Wiki Style Guide to help you out.

The material is organized by a rough time line to help show what needs to be done and in what order for a smooth season and region. Following that are major topics that need development throughout the year or over multiple years. Click on each to see the further sub-chapters and sections below it — many are very deep and detailed.

• 1 Getting the Region Started
• 2 Getting a Season Started
• 3 Registration through Opening Day
• 4 Prioritized Reference Material Available
• 5 Season of Practice and Play
• 6 End of Season Wrap-up
• 7 Volunteer Recruitment and Training
• 8 Making it Work in your Community
• 9 Beyond the Primary Play Season
• 10 Online Resources

For those that like to skip around, here is a complete table of contents:

• 1 Getting the Region Started
  • 1.1 Setting up a New Pilot Region
  • 1.2 New Regional Commissioner
  • 1.3 Opening a Bank Account
  • 1.4 Getting a Board of Parents
    • 1.4.1 Required Positions
  • 1.5 Starting your Primary Play Season
• 2 Getting a Season Started
  • 2.1 How to Awake Your Board from Hibernation
  • 2.2 Setting up a Calendar
    • 2.2.1 Calendar back planning
  • 2.3 Setting up a Budget
    • 2.3.1 Fixed per player and Variable Costs
    • 2.3.2 How to Break Even
  • 2.4 Marketing
  • 2.5 Preparing for Registration
  • 2.6 Obtaining Field Permits
• 3 Registration through Opening Day
  • 3.1 Opening Registration
  • 3.2 Volunteer Recruitment
  • 3.3 Setting up Divisions
    • 3.3.1 Team Formation and Balancing
    • 3.3.2 Age and Gender Divisions
  • 3.4 Field and Field Equipment Setup
    • 3.4.1 Laying out a field
      • 3.4.1.1 Preparation Before You Get to the Field
      • 3.4.1.2 First Steps or Questions to Answer
      • 3.4.1.3 Setting Up Initial Points and Lines
      • 3.4.1.4 Checking your Work
      • 3.4.1.5 Considerations to Keep it Lined
    • 3.4.2 Goals and Nets
    • 3.4.3 Corner Flags, Field Boxes and Other Items
  • 3.5 Training Program
    • 3.5.1 Summer Camps for Parents
    • 3.5.2 Instructors, Students, and Materials
  • 3.6 Opening Day Ceremony
• 4 Prioritized Reference Material Available
• 5 Season of Practice and Play
  • 5.1 Practice Setup
  • 5.2 Game Scheduling
  • 5.3 Photo Day, Referee Appreciation and other Special Days
    • 5.3.1 Silent Saturday
  • 5.4 Mentoring and Monitoring
    • 5.4.1 Players
    • 5.4.2 Coaches and Teams
    • 5.4.3 Referees
• 6 End of Season Wrap-up
  • 6.1 Trophies
  • 6.2 Team Parties
  • 6.3 Tournaments
  • 6.4 Fields and Field Equipment
  • 6.5 Volunteer Appreciation
• 7 Volunteer Recruitment and Training
  • 7.1 General
  • 7.2 Coach
  • 7.3 Referee
  • 7.4 Paid versus Volunteer Staff
  • 7.5 Attracting and Retaining Volunteers
• 8 Making it Work in your Community
  • 8.1 Field Owners
  • 8.2 Schools and Parent Groups
• 9 Beyond the Primary Play Season
  • 9.1 Winter Futsal
  • 9.2 Select / All-star
  • 9.3 Tournament Teams
  • 9.4 A Second Open-Registration? Season
  • 9.5 Soccer Camps
  • 9.6 Adult League
• 10 Online Resources
  • 10.1 Web Presence
  • 10.2 Registration
  • 10.3 Scheduling
  • 10.4 Requirements

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