Palo Alto AYSO Coach Pre-Season Check List
Coach volunteer registration and forms
- You must register for this year. Last year's registration has expired.
- Check your status here.
- You must complete the registration process, including taking Safe Haven at least once in your AYSO career. No coach or assistant coach may attend practice or a game without Safe Haven certification.
- You must take the courses appropriate to the level of training your division requires.
- You must register and send in forms and the forms must be processed before the AYSO Training (http://training.ayso26.org) site will grant you access.
- Register for this year using Volunteer page. Mail two copies of your form to: Palo Alto AYSO, P.O. Box 1493, CA 94302.
Once the Rosters are released to Coaches- Login into WYS, click on Coach in the left menu, and review your team information. You will see your coaching team members an players, and their parents. The practice and game schedule may not be filled in yet.
- Refer to this page for detailed instructions on using WYS. It can also be reached using the menu, Coach / Team Administration
Once the Rosters are released to Parents - refer to the instructions on this page
At the parents' meeting
- Remind parents that team roster, team information, games etc., is available on WebYouthSoccer and can be accessed from http://login.ayso26.org. Most inability to see team or children information by a parent after logging in is due to the parent failing to specify the correct Program when they login. Mention this during the meeting to help them avoid login problems.
- Remind the parents that the web site has extensive information under the menu item, Parents.
- Explain the AYSO philosophies.
- Explain your expectations of players and parents (send by email to team, for absentees).
- Recruit help:
- Team Manager to organize snack schedule and update Team Information page. You must appoint your Team Manager in WYS by clicking on the position, Team Manager, and select a parent from the list.
- team referee or assistant referee
- make corner flags and take them to/from games
- make a team banner or pick one up from the locker on equipment day
- put up/take down goal nets on games days (if necessary) and field cleanup (quick litter check after games)
- If coaching in U7/U8/U9 explain the mini-game
format. Make sure you understand it!
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. They can be printed by you or the parent from WebYouthSoccer (http://login.ayso26.org) and must be signed by the parent.
- To be legally valid, the form (and any copies) needs to
be signed by the parents (not a copy of a signed form).
- Please get 2 copies of the signed form for each player; keep one for yourself and one for your assistant coach.
- Remember, it is required that a copy of this signed form be at the field for every practice and game, in case of medical need.
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
- You, or a person you designate, must pick up your team equipment and uniforms from the locker on a scheduled Equipment Day. The locker can not be opened ad hoc for some one that missed out. It takes a lot of time to stage the equipment for pickup. Equipment Days are clearly noted on the Regional Calendar, displayed on the home page. Click on the event and you will see more detailed information about the pickup.
- 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 problems or issues that arise with a parent or player
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: No coach or assistant coach may attend a practice or game without Safe Haven certification.
- 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.
- 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 are responsible to keep all players and spectators and themselves, 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 - we prefer to keep the goal differential under 4. There are strategies on the web site to help you manage this. See the Coach menu regarding Strong and Weak team, and Blowouts.
- At the end of the game, 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. THIS IS CRITICAL, OUT FIELD PRIVILEGES CAN BE REVOKED BY THE CITY IF WE FAIL TO LOCK UP GOALS.
- Clean up any trash left at the field.
12. Resources:
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