The AYSO Mission is to develop and deliver quality youth soccer programs which promote a fun, family environment based on the AYSO philosophies:

Everyone Plays - Our region’s goal is for kids to play soccer¾so we mandate that every player on every team must play at least half of every game.

Balanced Teams - Each year we form new teams as evenly balanced as possible¾because it is fair and more fun when teams of equal ability play.

Open Registration - Our program is open to all children between 4 and 18 years of age who want to register and play soccer. Interest and enthusiasm are the only criteria for playing.

Positive Coaching - Encouragement of player effort provides for greater enjoyment by the players and ultimately leads to better-skilled and better-motivated players.

Good Sportsmanship - We strive to create a safe, fair, fun and positive environment based on mutual respect, rather than a win-at-all-costs attitude, and our program is designed to instill good sportsmanship in every facet of AYSO.

Player Development - We believe that all players should be able to develop their soccer skills and knowledge to the best of their abilities, both individually and as members of a team, in order to maximize their enjoyment of the game.

The mission is accomplished by our region by providing these essential services:

• Coaching and referee programs including quality delivery systems

• All players shall play ¾ of every game as further defined in this document

• Quality administrative and operating systems with a support network

• Strong financial position

• Special network for volunteers, supported by a national staff

• Program research and development

All Participants in AYSO Region 47 are expected to promote and adhere to these basic philosophies of AYSO, and to have fun!

FALL PRIMARY SEASON

1. All boys and girls, between the ages of 4 and 18, based on their age as of July 31 of the year in which the membership year begins, shall be eligible to register for the program, subject to field availability, volunteer support, AYSO operating regulations, and such rules as may be issued by the regional board. It is the duty of the region to assure that only eligible players are permitted to register and play.

1. Length of Season and Cancellation of Games

1. The season shall be a schedule of 10 games or as determined by the regional board, and as set forth in the regional calendar attached to these guidelines. Any cancelled games due to unforeseen circumstances will be reviewed and determined by a committee designated by the Regional Commissioner to determine if reschedules shall occur.

2. The fall season runs generally from September to December for divisions U5 through U14. For Divisions U16 and U19, the season ends by Thanksgiving to allow players to participate in their high school soccer season. For the younger divisions, post-season play including area, section and tri-section can continue into the following March.

3. The spring season runs generally from March to June. There are three programs during this season; the Spring Coed, Spring Select and EXTRA. The Spring Coed program is intended to be instructional and “for fun only.” Spring teams are generally formed as coed divisions and no standings are kept. The select program is highly competitive, and games are played against select teams from other regions. Some travel is required as at least half of the matches are played in other cities. Players must have participated in at least ½ of the previous fall season’s games to be able to participate in spring select. EXTRA is a secondary program that runs year round from August 1 through July 31. This program spans the fall and spring seasons. The EXTRA program is run by Section One staff. This program includes U10 through U15 players. EXTRA teams are considered highly competitive. Players must attend a tryout for EXTRA (if players are not picked for an EXTRA team, they may elect to participate in the appropriate fall or spring program).

SPRING CO-ED PROGRAM

1. Region 47 runs a coed program in the spring. The spring season generally runs from the middle of March to the middle of June. This program is intended to be instructional and recreational.

3. The spring coed program follows all of the same rules and regulations as the Fall program, with the modifications as shown here.

4. Teams are formed into coed age divisions as follows:

   Divisions U19 and U16 are placed in a single division.

   Division U14 are placed in a single division

   Division U12 are placed in a single division

   Division U10 are placed in a single division

   Division U8 are placed in a single division

   Division U6 are placed in a single division

   Division U5 are placed in a single division, jamboree format

5. Games results are not recorded and standings are not kept, but volunteer points are recorded.

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