Coach staff

Looking for your child’s division coordinator? Check the Division coordinator directory

Notices

Practices start on September 3 and games on September 7.

Important: if you hold an organized team practice other than at the designated location and time, then Region 13 will be forced to suspend you from coaching, per agreements with the field owners and insurers. However, a team meeting in a park, where the coach is talking with the parents, is not an organized team practice. Families going to the park together, and kids of varying ages playing together on their own, without adults telling them what to do, is also not an organized team practice.

Practice assignment request form: https://ayso13.typeform.com/fall24practice

Note that emails, phone calls, and text messages relating to practice field assignments will be ignored. Use the form.

There will be division meetings for coaches and referees the week of August. There will be a quiz a the end. See the calendar for the Zoom links.

6U – 8U Wed Aug 28, 5:30 – 6:30
10U Thurs Aug 29, 5:30 – 6:30
12U Thurs Aug 29, 6:30 – 7:30
14U Thurs Aug 29, 7:30 – 8:00

Team uniforms and coach bags/equipment will be handed out at the Clubhouse on:

Sunday Aug 25th from 3p – 6p
Monday Aug 26 from 5p – 7p
Friday Aug 30 from 5p – 7p

To check on your training status, login and view the NEW dashboard. It’s based off the role(s) you selected in your volunteer preferences. Most training is online, followed by in-person coach/referee classes in late July and August. There will be some in September, but it’s much better to do take them before the season starts.

Welcome to coaching!

Coaches, more than any other volunteer, have the biggest impact on players’ lives. Coaches wear multiple hats: they teach kids about soccer, and are also cheerleaders, educators, and team administrators, too. Sound familiar? If you can parent, you can likely coach; you already have many skills that a coach needs. If you are new to soccer, AYSO will teach you the soccer part, which is actually a smaller part of the job than you may think.

We also welcome non-parents to coach! Parent figures, aunts, uncles, grandparents, older siblings, cousins, trusted friends, and neighbors are all welcome to coach. We especially encourage women to coach (see Sisterhood of Soccer)! We love and greatly appreciate all of the men who coach, but feel it’s important to note that women are often underrepresented in coaching. Seeing women coaches benefits all of our children, as many players have not had a woman coach them before.

What coach jobs are there, and what does it entail?

Region 13 aims to place a Head Coach and an Assistant Coach on each team. In 6U through 8U, teams must have both a head and assistant coach since we divide the team into two smaller squads for games on side-by-side fields. In 10U-14U teams can be coached by just a Head Coach but it’s a lot more fun to coach with an Assistant.

Both coaches go through the same training, and Region 13 sees them as equivalent. We leave it to each team to decide what each coach does as different coaches have their own strengths and expertise in different areas. Usually, Head Coaches take the lead in planning practice and deciding on the lineup for games. Head Coaches are also the Region’s point of contact for the team and information is sent directly to the Head Coach during the season.

Time: Each week, 1 to 1.5 hours for practice and 1 to 1.5 hours for games each week. Head Coaches usually spend 0.5 to 1 hour per week planning. Attend a 1-hour coach staff meeting 3-4 times during the soccer season.

Training: All basic volunteer requirements. Coach certification classes are 2-3 hours for the youngest ages. Assistant Coaches and Head Coaches receive the same training. Coaches take Safe Haven and a division-specific coach class in-person. Classes are offered by Region 13 in August and September, and by other AYSO regions throughout the year.

Location: School or park fields for practices and games assigned on the schedule by the league.

Task: Lead a group of children in learning the game of soccer as well as developing leadership skills, teamwork, satisfaction in reaching goals, and understanding concepts of responsibility, action, and skill development. Practice PIE (positive, instructional, encouraging) at all times. Assess and report on progress to the coach staff periodically. Prior knowledge of the game is helpful, but not required. Training and certification is provided and required for all divisions. Older divisions provide competitive play, playoffs, and chances to advance to Area playoffs or All-Stars. After your initial training and team assignment, head coaches receive an equipment bag and soccer balls.