Becoming A Volunteer

It's About What's Good For The Kids

AYSO Region 325 is a volunteer-run organization. Coaches, referees and administrators are volunteers who lend their time and talents so that each child gets a terrific soccer experience.

Our volunteer foundation ensures that it’s all about what’s good for kids. It also makes our region very affordable and ensure that we provide a happy, healthy experience for kids playing a sport they can enjoy for life.

AYSO has developed special training that helps parents who may have little or no soccer experience quickly gain the age-appropriate knowledge and skills they need to be effective coaches and referees. It also has unique administrative and management training. This ensures that each of our programs:

• Abides by the AYSO philosophies
• Offers a great AYSO experience
• Continues to grow, offering the AYSO opportunity to more children

It only takes a few hours to become qualified as an introductory-level coach or referee. But if you’re not able to commit even that much time, there are many small jobs you can help with. Even a couple of hours each season are an important contribution to your team and Region!

AYSO Region 325 training doesn’t stop as long as you’re having fun. Referees, coaches and administrators have clinics, workshops and other advanced training available to advance their skills.

Becoming A Coach

Coaching children is a very rewarding experience. And coaching your own child's team can be one of the most rewarding experiences of all! Coaches are pivotal to having children get the AYSO experience. If we don't have enough coaches, registration will be scaled back, and kids who want to play in our programs will be turned away.

Do you have little or no experience with soccer? No problem! AYSO Region 325 will teach you based on the age level you are coaching. Unique age-appropriate coach training is one of AYSO's specialties. If you plan to be at your child's soccer practices and games, you'll also have time to be your child's coach.

To become an AYSO Region 325 coach, you must be certified in the age level you are coaching. Certification takes three easy steps.

First, fill out a volunteer form. Then either attend a short Safe Haven™ course in person or online. Lastly, you must attend a brief age-specific coaching course. It's only a few hours.

Coaches are essential to the game. They teach children soccer skills and help develop a healthy, positive attitude, teamwork and good sportsmanship. Coaching is a rewarding experience because you have the opportunity to build a child's self-esteem, help them learn new skills and just have a lot of fun.

Contact our Region's Coach Administrator  if you are ready to become a coach.

Coach Certification Classes

Each AYSO Coach must be a Registered Volunteer, Certified for Safe Haven, and Certified at the level appropriate for their division. It may sound like a lot, but it does not take long. By completing these steps, you will be given the age-appropriate knowledge needed to teach and develop the “love of the game” to a new generation of soccer players, all done in a fun, safe and supported environment.

Note: While Safe Haven and divisional Coach Certifications need only be taken once (although you are welcome to retake them), Volunteer registration must be done every year.

Becoming a Registered Volunteer

1. Go to www.eAYSO.org
2. Login with the same E-mail and Password used for your child’s player registration.
3. Click on the appropriate link under “Adults Wanting to Volunteer”
4. Continue the process as stated and submit application.

Safe Haven Instructions

You need your AYSO ID# to get your Safe Haven Certification. Steps 1-4 explain how you view your AYSO ID# and current certifications:

1. Log onto www.eAYSO.org with the same e-mail and password that you used for registration.
2. Click on “View coach team” from the selection under “Those who have already volunteered”.
3. Click on “Click Here” under the “Certification” column.
4. Now you can see your AYSO ID# in the upper right hand corner AND your current list of credentials. If “SAFE HAVEN” is listed under your Certification Description, then you are done. If not, proceed to Step #5.
5. Type in or click on the following link: http://www.aysotraining.org/
6. Enter your eAYSO ID# (from Step 4) and your last name.
7. Click Courses and then complete the Safe Haven Course from your computer. When complete, your certification will be automatically updated and you will be eligible to coach! Congratulations and thank you for volunteering!

Age-Appropriate Certification

All coaches must be certified for the age group that they plan to coach for the season. Why? These courses build confidence, communicate expectation and reinforce "Kid Zone" values that help all of us adults make the most of soccer for all! We help you know the soccer you need to know and understand the physiology and psychology of the age group you will be coaching, while teaching you great games to help everyone learn soccer skills and have fun on the pitch.

*In cases where both online and field certification are offered, we highly recommend that
coaches complete the online training first, followed by the field certification course.