Palo Alto AYSO Coach Pre-Season Check List
0. Coach volunteer registration forms
- Please provide two signed copies of the volunteer registration
form to Palo Alto AYSO
- Access via WebYS:
- click "Coach", click "Volunteer Form"
- complete form, print two copies, sign and mail to: Palo Alto
AYSO, P.O. Box 1493, CA 94302.
1. Contact your players' parents and inform them of:
- Date and location of parents' meeting.
- Practice days and time: NOTE: Practice only on the
assigned field. See Practice Fields
for more details.
- N.B. Email is great but may not be correct - use the phone if you
get no response. You must make every effort to make contact
with every team member.
2. At the parents' meeting
- Remind parents that team roster etc., is available on WebYS.
- Explain the AYSO philosophies.
- Explain your expectations of players and parents (recommend
putting
in writing for absentees).
- Recruit help:
- to help with coaching (assistants).
- to be team referee or assistant referee.
- to make corner flags and take
them to/from games.
- to make/borrow a team banner - see web site banner closet.
- to put up/take down goal nets on
games days (if necessary) and field cleanup.
- to be team parent to organize snack schedule and phone tree.
- If coaching in U7/U8/U9 explain the mini-game
format. Make sure you understand it!
3. Player registration forms
- The player registration form, which contains the emergency
medical release information, must be with you or your assistant at all
practices and games. We no longer provide these directly - they can be
printed by you or the parent from WebYS.
- To be legally valid, the form (and any copies) needs to
contain a "wet" signature by the parents.
- Please get 3 copies of the signed form for each player; keep one
set for yourself, one set for your assistant coach and one set for the
division commissioner - these get sent into AYSO National.
4. Late registration
- Late additions to the roster can only be made by the
division commissioner. If an unregistered player appears at a practice
(e.g. a friend of one of your players) you should pass on the name and
phone number of
the player to your division commissioner. Under no circumstances can
you
include such "walk ons" at your practices, even if you think the
player
may eventually be assigned to your team. In particular: a player
may not
practice or play games until that player is formally registered and
assigned
to your team by the division commissioner and you have in your
possession the player's registration form.
5. Equipment and uniforms
- Your division commissioner will arrange for the distribution of uniforms and team equipment..
- Your team must provide corner flags, 4 for U7,U8,U9, 2
for U10-U19. See Corner Flags for how
to make them.
6. Inform your Division Commissioner of:
- Any player who has definitely decided not to play. NOTE
: this must be confirmed by a parent.
- Any problems that arise. E.g. a parent request to change
practice fields or days.
7. Attend training and continued education
- Every coach and assistant coach must possess the Safe
Haven certification and the appropriate age-related soccer
coaching qualification. See the web site for the class and clinic schedule.
- NOTE: A team that does not have all of its coaches
Safe Haven certified by the end of the season may not be permitted to
play it's last game or play in any post-season tournament.
- Study coaching books, videos, soccer web sites - great for ideas
on practices.
8. Know the Laws of the Game
- AYSO follows FIFA laws with a small number of minor
modifications. Division U7,U8 and U9 play under simplified laws
available online here.
U10-U19 coaches receive "Guidance for Referees and Coaches". Please
take the time to read it!
9. First-aid and water
- Carry a first-aid kit to all practices and games.
- Water must be available at all practices and games. This is
especially important early in the season when the weather can be hot.
Encourage players to bring their own water bottle, but bring some extra
for the forgetful ones.
10. Before the Game
- Plan lineup and substitutions.
- Fill out game card with player information.
11. At the Game
- Put up corner flags . If the
first game of the day put up goals or nets as
necessary.
- Introduce yourself to the coaches of the other team and to
the referees.
- Ensure your players are properly warmed up and ready to
play.
- Remember:
- Honor the Game (Positive Coaching Alliance)
- Rules: don't bend the
rules to win
- Opponents: are a gift
and not to be denigrated
- Officials: repsect
even when they make mistakes
- Teammates: don't
embarrass your team
- Self: respect
yourself and maintain absolute standards
- Coaches are responsible for parent behavior - they are part of
the team on game-day.
- Coaches and spectators must stand at least one yard back from
the touch line.
- Coaches must remain within the (unmarked) coaching area which
extends 10 yards either side of the half-way line.
- The game is for the players! Coaching is limited to positive
instruction and encouragement. Avoid coaching the player on the ball.
- Applaud good play by both teams.
- Avoid running up the score in unbalanced games - maximum of
6 goals difference, prefer 4.
- Players and coaches cheer opposing team and then line up to
shake hands. Remember to thank the referees also!
- Take home your corner flags . If
the last game of the day put away and lock nets
and
goals as necessary. Never leave an empty field with nets up or
movable
goals left out on the field.
- Clean up any trash left at the field.
12. Resources: