How long does each program last?
(Fall program) 6U-19U: Practices may start on/after August 1 and games end in early November (10 weeks from first game date) 5U: Games begin in September and end in early November (10 weeks from first game date) U4: Sessions typically start in mid-September and last for 6 weeks(Spring program)All Divisions (Age Groups): Games begin in March and end in May (10 weeks from the start date)

What day and field does each team practice?
(Fall) The Head Coach selects day and field for practice sessions (benefit of volunteering). 6U-16U teams will practice one (1) day per week at a time based on their division (age group) based on the times listed below. Head Coaches are asked to contact their families as soon as possible after they receive their rosters (typically the last week in July).

Division	Fall Practice Times (subject to change)
5U	30 minute practice before 30 minute game on Saturday only
6U/7U/8U	4:30 - 5:30 pm
10U/12U	5:30-6:45 pm or 6:45-8:00 PM
14U/16U/19U	8:00 - 9:30 pm

Practices may begin anytime on/after August 1 and is based on the availability of the coaching team. Schedules and field availability may be limited and are subject to change.

Where does each team practice or play their games?
(Games) Depending on the number of participants in each division (age group), each is assigned to one or two of the fields listed under the Field Directory (under Fields) tab on the main menu of our website.

What if my child misses a practice or game?
Parents should contact the Head Coach if the player can not attend a practice or game. Attendance each week is not mandatory but please consider that it can be unfair to the other players for one teammate to consistently miss games and/or practices. The Region may decide to cancel a player's registration if three (3) successive practices or games are missed without prior notification to the Head Coach or Assistant Coach.

Can a player be moved to another team?
Players will not be moved to another team after team rosters are posted. Due to the high number of participants, the Region is currently not able to accommodate any change requests after rosters are posted and no exceptions will be allowed in order to be fair to everyone. Practice and game schedules are distributed AFTER the refund deadline. Please consider this BEFORE registering your player and contact the Registrar at [email protected] for more information.

When will my player be placed on a team?
(Fall program) Team rosters will be posted (emailed) before August 1. (Spring program) Team rosters will be posted before March 1.

What equipment is needed?
The registration fees includes a uniform to include one (1) jersey, shorts and socks. You will need to purchase shoes, shin guards and a soccer ball. Shin guards are mandatory during practice and games. Regions also provide field equipment, such as goals, nets and flags. Shin guards purchase guide: Use the appropriate size for your child. Shin guards should only cover the middle section of the player’s leg. It should be below the knee and above the ankle area. Shin-guards that are too big restrict movement.

Soccer ball: It is recommended (but not required) to bring a soccer ball to every practice session. Soccer ball sizes vary according to the following divisions: 
5U-8U: Size 3
10U/12U: Size 4
14U-19U: Size 5
U4: balls to be provided

Please write the player's first name and last initial on their soccer ball using a water-proof felt pen. 

What do the players wear at practice?
Players MUST wear shin guards and socks at any/all activities and soccer cleats are preferred (but not required). Players should wear clothing that allows them to run freely at practice sessions and heavier clothing may be worn on colder evenings. 

What about team uniforms?
A uniform (jersey, shorts and socks) is provided by the region before the season starts. The family is responsible for these items throughout the year and only needs to wear the uniform to games, not to practices. Do not wash the uniform in HOT water. We recommend that teams turn in their uniforms at the end of the year so they can be donated to other soccer organizations.
Note: Jewelry, watches, necklaces, bracelets, hats or other objects which could hurt another player are not permitted during the games. No exceptions.

Do I need to go to the uniform distribution meeting to get a uniform?
No, this meeting is for the coaches who will give your child a uniform at one of the next practices.

Can a player wear jewelry?
A playing member must not wear anything dangerous to another participant. This includes all jewelry, watches, plaster casts, etc. We repeat, NO earrings allowed during practice or games. No exceptions! NOTE: If ears were just pierced, and the earrings are not allowed to be removed so the ear may heal, the child will not be allowed to play. The child will be permitted to play again when the earrings can be removed from the ear.

Are shin guards mandatory?
Yes, shin guards are mandatory at every practice and game. A child will not be allowed to play without proper shinguards. Make sure the sock completely covers the shin guard when playing.
Are soccer cleats mandatory?
Soccer cleats are not required but are recommended for all age levels mainly for good traction on sometimes very wet fields. (No baseball, golf, football or shoes that have a toe cleat are allowed). Ask your local soccer store or sporting goods store for the correct cleats to wear.

Can my child play in a different age division?
The Region/Commissioner may approve a player to play up in a division (with children older) depending on the situation. The Board of Directors has established a strict policy to not allow any player play down. There are no exceptions.

How do I request a refund?
If you register your child and then decide for any reason that the player will not play in our region before the posted refund deadline, please notify us as soon as possible. Head coaches can not issue you a refund. All requests for a refund must be submitted via our Request to Cancel Form. Note: Refunds will not be given after the posted deadline (no exceptions).

Should we bring water?
Soccer players end up running many miles during games and practices, so make sure to bring water to the games and EVERY practice session.

What if my child gets hurt in a game or practice?
Although there are very few serious injuries in soccer, AYSO does have an Accident Reimbursement Program. This program will cover expenses not covered by your own individual insurance plans, after the deductible has been satisfied and only after a proper claim has been filed by your insurance carrier. To file a claim, contact the Insurance/Safety Commissioner.

What if it rains?
Soccer is played in all types of conditions. Do not assume that games or practices are cancelled because of a slight drizzle. Unless notified, all teams must appear at the field at their scheduled time, regardless of weather conditions.

What other special events are there during the season?
(Fall program only) Picture Day in September (date posted)
Photographs of the team and individual players will be taken on Saturday or Sunday, usually on one of the first few weeks of the season. Check with your coach for the team's picture schedule, which will also be on this website as the season begins.

What does a Team Parent (or Team Coordinator) do?
Please see our Team Parent page for everything you'll need to know.

How can I volunteer?
There are many opportunities for you, as a parent, to get involved in the AYSO program. If interested in any of these opportunities, see our Volunteer Page, talk to your coach, Division Coordinator or the Volunteer Coordinator. We encourage all parents to volunteer sometime during the year.

• Coaches, Assistant Coaches, Referee, Team Coordinator, Sponsor, Board Member
• Assist with Picture Day, Year Book and Fundraising
• Field Set-up, telephoning, mailings, Year Book Ad Sales, Booster Club, etc.

How can I sponsor a team or player?
Region 88 does accept sponsorships that can be named to a team and/or player. This helps keep our registration fees low or may help a family with a player(s) who may need financial assistance. If interested, please see our Sponsorship page for more information

What age division will my child play?
In AYSO, players are between the ages of 3 to 18. Children are placed in age appropriate divisions based on their age as of December 31. Please go see our Age Guide to find out the division your child will play.

What happens at the first team meeting?
Once coaches get their rosters, they will contact the parents and setup a team meeting. At that meeting, players will be introduced, team practice schedule will be determined and parents will select a volunteer position for the team. Team volunteer positions are Coach, Assistant Coach, Referee or Team Coordinator. Team volunteers will have to complete a volunteer application, complete in-house Safe Haven and appropriate volunteer training depending on the selected volunteer position. Coach and Assistant coach will attend an age appropriate training (part classroom/part field). Referees will take a referee training course. See coach and referee training schedule.

When do the coaches get their teams?
Coaches should expect to receive their team rosters a few weeks before the first weekend of games. Coaches will then contact their parents to setup their initial team meeting.
Can my child play on the same team with his sibling or friend?
We will consider requests for players in the U4 and 5U and 6U divisions. However, we must also consider a balanced team and we do not accept requests for players to be placed with a specific coach. For all other divisions, we do not accept requests. For these divisions, only siblings (same household) can be on the same team.
Note: For Under-10 and above, to maintain balanced teams, NO accommodations or requests for coaches or teammates are honored.

What is Safe Haven?
To ensure the safety of both children and volunteers, each volunteer is required to take a short in-person training session called Safe Haven™. It focuses on safety and appropriate behavior with children as well as first aid and other on-field issues. Agreeing to a background check is also required for each volunteer.

What is Kids Zone?
In AYSO, fans are asked to be cheerleaders, not critics. Kids Zone® is a unique program that includes a parent pledge that moms and dads sign to commit to positive, encouraging behavior when they’re watching the games.

I did not consent to my child’s photos (or video of them) being taken during games and at practices. Can the Region stop this from happening?
Region 88 takes all of our players safety seriously and we have looked into this matter extensively. A parent is fully entitled to record the games and take photos of their child during the games and practices. This may result in other players having their photos or video of them being taken as a result without their or their parent’s consent.

Region 88 uses public locations for games/practices and have numerous times discussed the issue of people taking photos and videos of the players, without the player or parents consent, with both Glendale Parks and Recreation and Glendale Police Department. This issue has also been raised with AYSO National. We have been advised that since everything is occurring in a public location, we cannot prevent anyone (including third persons not associated with AYSO) from taking photos or videos of our players. We have, in the past, had third parties undertake this and then try to sell action photos of players to parents. Again, nothing can be done to stop this. This is one of the main reasons that we do not place either first or last names on jerseys. Further, the Region cannot ask parents or third parties to delete items on their phones or cameras.

As always, if you feel that your player is not in a safe situation or environment, then you are free to remove your player at anytime. We will always respect a parents decision to act in their players safety.

Registration questions?
For questions about registration or cancellations, please email our Registrar.

More Game Day FAQs for Parents and more FAQs at ayso.org.