Website Manager

American Youth Soccer Organization Providing world class youth soccer programs that enrich children's lives.

AYSO Region 88 Glendale

Coaching in AYSO

AYSO has developed different programs to help coaches learn how to teach soccer to children at the different ages. The basic understanding of the AYSO program is taught through the following mandatory courses. There are four (4) main requirements - coaching skills, referee basics, safetyand a volunteer form, which vary at the different age levels.

  • Everyone, regardless of division, must submit a Volunteer application  and a background check which needs to be renewed every 12 months.
  • To protect our volunteers and our children, Safe Haven is a mandatory requirement for all Region 88 AYSO coaches, assistant coaches, and referees. You must take the Safe Haven course before you can coach or referee this coming fall.
  • If you cannot attend the Region 88 courses, see the AYSOU site for additional courses.
  • Besides the AYSO program, there are many different other opportunities for coaches to learn as much as they want about teaching soccer (see practice sessions for ideas and some good links, or just surf through the internet).
Please send questions Coach Administrator Iain Blackwood at [email protected].

Positive Coaching

A coach can be the most influential person in a child’s life

In AYSO, Positive Coaching is a fundamental philosophy because of the crucial role that a coach has. Coaching in AYSO is a chance to spend quality time with your own child but you’ll also provide an important role model for all the children on your team. In fact, the joy of coaching is so meaningful, that many AYSO coaches continue coaching long after their own children have moved on from AYSO. Soccer knowledge is a plus, but AYSO provides training and materials so that even a soccer novice can coach effectively by starting in the younger age divisions.

Being a coach involves skills you probably already have in addition to specific soccer knowledge. If you are uncertain, try being an assistant coach. Our region's Coach Administrator will be happy to try to match you up with somebody with a little more experience.

Benefits of Coaching or Assisting

As a head coach, not only are you allowing more children to play, you also get to:
  • Choose the day and location of practice
  • Choose the uniform color/style
  • Choose your assistant coach (who may be the parent/guardian of your child's best friend) (only available in 10U division and younger)
  • Choose the (final) name of the team
  • Coach more than one team and your games will be scheduled so there are no conflicts
No experience is necessary and all training is provided. Learn what others find to be such a rewarding experience.

Volunteer Training

Volunteer Application
Every volunteer (coach, referee, team coordinator, etc.) must submit a Volunteer Application each season. Click here for instructions: Submitting a Volunteer Application

Background Check Effective January 1, 2001
All American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) Regions, Areas, and Sections are required to comply with the AYSO policy on criminal background checks. Information: Policy - Criminal Background Check / Instructions: Submitting a Background Check

Live Scan (fingerprinting) Effective, January 1, 2022
All administrators, employees and regular volunteers in California MUST have a one-time background check as approved by the California Department of Justice to exclude individuals with a history of child abuse. This form of background check requires live scan fingerprinting (once / lifetime). Instructions: LiveScan Process

AYSO's Safe Haven
This free online course is required for all AYSO Volunteers and must be completed before any interaction with players and/or parents. We will reach out to all volunteers with clinic date/time and location. Click here for more information: AYSO Safe Haven for Parents

SafeSport Mandatory Training
The 2017 SafeSport Act has expanded Mandated Reporters to include adults authorized to interact with children. Due to this expansion, that includes AYSO and it requires training on child abuse and mandated reporting. Click here for more information

CDC HEADS UP Concussion training
This free online course is required for all volunteers that interact with our players on the field such as Coaches & Referees and recommended for all other volunteers. Click here for more information: AYSO Volunteer Resources - Concussion Safety

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA)
This is a course (added in 2021) is required by the State of California for all AYSO Coaches & Referees. This course is available in AYSOU. AYSO Volunteer Resources - SCA

Coaching Training Requirements

The following is required to be a 5U or 6U coach or assistant coach:

  • 6U Coaching Training (online) and field training (classroom) [4 hours]*

Please note that all Region 88 head coaches and assistant coaches in the 7U/8U and older divisions must complete a Referee certification as listed below:

The following is required to be a 7U or 8U coach or assistant coach:

  • 8U Coaching training (online) and field training (classroom) [4 hours]
  • 8U Official Course (online) and field training (classroom) [4 hours] 

The following is required to be a 10U coach or assistant coach: 

  • 10U Coaching Training (online) and field training (classroom) [4 hours]
  • Regional Referee clinic (online) and field training (classroom) [8 hours]

The following is required to be a 12U coach or assistant coach:

  • 12U Coaching Training (online) and field training (classroom) [8 hours]
  • Regional Referee clinic (online) and field training (classroom) [8 hours]
For coaching requirements for 14U and above, please reach out to our Coach Administrator Iain Blackwood at [email protected] 
*U4 coaches are recommended to complete this training

Volunteer Requirements

  Coach Referee Coaches and Referees
Division Training Training Clinic
 U4/5UPlayground/SchoolyardNone
  • Safe Haven
  • Concussion Awareness training
  • Sudden Cardiac Arrest
  • SafeSport
  • LiveScan (fingerprints)

All volunteers must submit a volunteer application (per team) and a background check (every 12 months).

 6U6U CoachingNone
7U/8U 8U Coaching 8U Official
10U 10U Coaching Regional Referee
12U 12U Coaching
14U Intermediate Intermediate (minimum)
16U/19U Advanced

Important Resources

Team Meetings / Practice Fields

All of the following requirements must be completed before coaches are allowed to meet with their teams:

  • Volunteer application (submitted)
  • Background Check
  • Safe Haven
  • Safe Sport
  • Concussion Awareness training
  • Sudden Cardiac Arrest training
Livescan and Coaching certifications must be completed before the season begins (September 10). Click here for steps to access the online training site (AYSOU)

Upcoming Clinics

See Calendar of Events for more information. They are free of charge and open to everyone.

Please apply as a volunteer if you have not already and email [email protected] if you are interested in attending any of these and instructions will be sent to you.

Contact Us

We are here to help, but please consider we are all volunteers and do our best to answer in a timely manner.

Regional Commissioner
Aldo Mascheroni: [email protected]

Registration
Ryan Wood: [email protected]

Child/Volunteer Protection Advocate (CVPA)
Scott Nord: [email protected]

Coach Administrator
Iain Blackwood: [email protected]

Referee Administrator
Craig Dunkin: [email protected]

Safety Coordinator
Ross Paulson: [email protected]

National Partners

Platinum Sponsors

Contact Us

AYSO Region 88

2515 Canada Blvd 
Glendale, California 91208

Email Us: [email protected]
Copyright © 2024 Region 88  |  Privacy Statement |  Terms Of Use |  License Agreement |  Children's Privacy Policy  Login