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L o m p o c     A Y S O - Region 77

Information for Parents

This page contains general information for parents who are interested in having their children participate in Lompoc's AYSO program. Additional information is available via the buttons on the left of this page.

Philosophy

The aim of the Region and the AYSO organization is to encourage the growth of soccer, and although everyone engaged in sporting competition should have a desire to win, this desire should not be pursued in this organization to the detriment of good sportsmanship, fair play, and participation. AYSO is a parent-based volunteer organization and provides a soccer experience for our own children. Enrollment of your child in our program implies responsibility to the team. Assistance is needed in setting up fields and other jobs which arise during the season. Each team will have specific persons assigned to various functions.

Parents' Code

  • Do not force an unwilling child to participate in sports.
  • Remember children are involved in organized sports for their enjoyment, not yours.
  • Teach you child always to play by the rules.
  • Teach your child that hard work and an honest effort are often more important than a victory.
  • Help your child work toward skill improvement and good sportsmanship in every game. Your child will then be a winner, even in defeat.
  • Do not ridicule or yell at any child for making a mistake or for losing a game.
  • Set a good example. Children learn best by example.
  • Applaud good plays by your team and by members of the opposing team.
  • Do not publicly question referee judgment and never their honesty.
  • Recognize the value and importance of volunteer coaches, referees and officials and give them their due respect. Without them, there would be no AYSO soccer.
  • Support all efforts to remove verbal and physical abuse from youth sporting activities.

SOCCER2-01.jpg (7563 bytes)Playing Age

AYSO is for kids ages 4-18.  Kids are grouped by age, in divisions that span 1-3 years of age.  Rules are adjusted for the age of the players.  The younger divisions are strictly recreational/educational, with the level of competition increasing in the upper divisions. The specific divisions and birthday cut-off dates are shown below:

Year?Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
1995 Too Old Too Old Too Old Too Old Too Old Too Old Too Old U19 U19 U19 U19 U19
1996 U19 U19 U19 U19 U19 U19 U19 U19 U19 U19 U19 U19
1997 U19 U19 U19 U19 U19 U19 U19 U19 U19 U19 U19 U19
1998 U19 U19 U19 U19 U19 U19 U19 U16 U16 U16 U16 U16
1999 U16 U16 U16 U16 U16 U16 U16 U16 U16 U16 U16 U16
2000 U16 U16 U16 U16 U16 U16 U16 U14 U14 U14 U14 U14
2001 U14 U14 U14 U14 U14 U14 U14 U14 U14 U14 U14 U14
2002 U14 U14 U14 U14 U14 U14 U14 U12 U12 U12 U12 U12
2003 U12 U12 U12 U12 U12 U12 U12 U12 U12 U12 U12 U12
2004 U12 U12 U12 U12 U12 U12 U12 U10 U10 U10 U10 U10
2005 U10 U10 U10 U10 U10 U10 U10 U10 U10 U10 U10 U10
2006 U10 U10 U10 U10 U10 U10 U10 U8 U8 U8 U8 U8
2007 U8 U8 U8 U8 U8 U8 U8 U8 U8 U8 U8 U8
2008 U8 U8 U8 U8 U8 U8 U8 U6 U6 U6 U6 U6
2009 U6 U6 U6 U6 U6 U6 U6 U5 U5 U5 U5 U5
2010 U5 U5 U5 U5 U5 U5 U5 Too Young Too Young Too Young Too Young Too Young

Playing Season

The fall season runs from August to November, with games being played from September through early November.  Practices start in August and tournaments are held in November. All stars run from December through March.

Time Commitment

During the season, players will be expected to attend 1-2 practices a week (with up to 3 practices/week for the upper divisions before the season starts).  U6-U14 players will play one game/week from September through early November. Soccer is a team sport and every player needs to be someone that can be counted on.  If you're going to sign up, can we count on you to show up on time to games and practices?

Parents Need to Help Out!

Lompoc AYSO is run completely by parent volunteers and depends on your help. All families are asked to fill at least one volunteer job, and many families fill two or more positions.

Our custom is that during the season you will be assigned duties to help the team, which may include bringing refreshments for halftime, providing drink tokens after the game, etc. These activities are usually coordinated by the Team Rep, and it is expected that all parents will assist in these activities. Please help in cleaning up orange peels and other trash left over after the game.

Practices:

As all the coaches in AYSO are volunteers, practice times are scheduled at the Coach's convenience during the week (Monday through Friday), and are coordinated with the Region for field availability. Please make sure your child gets to practice on time and with the proper equipment. Although we recognize that children have busy lives and sometimes will have conflicts, the primary instruction in soccer skills, strategy and teamwork will take place in practice, and your child will miss much of the value of our program if they do not attend practice on a regular basis.  Also remember that AYSO is not a baby-sitting service.  Please make sure you pick up your children on-time.

openingday1.jpg (16739 bytes)Games

Game schedules will be provided by late August.  U6-U14 games are generally played on Saturday.  

Soccer is often played in the rain. Do not assume a game has been canceled unless you have been notified by the Team Rep or Coach. 

Everyone Plays:

Your child is guaranteed to play at least 75% of every game, regardless of his or her level of skill or aptitude, if the child:

  • Attends scheduled practice sessions
  • Arrives on time at the playing field for scheduled games prepared to play in the proper complete uniform, shoes, shin guards, etc.
  • Is not physically handicapped due to illness or injury

It is, however, not at all fair to the other players and the team to consistently fail to show up for practice. 

Coach:

You can help your child's coach by making yourself known and thanking him/her for their interest. Support the coach's request that your child be on time for practices and games. If you do not stay for the entire practice session, pick up your child promptly at the end of practice. Be positive with your comments and remember that a coach has a reason for positioning players. Do not criticize the coach because "Johnny should be a forward", or "Jane should be a midfielder". Offer to help at practices. Remember that the coaches volunteer their time to help your child and they need your help and cooperation.

Referees:

The referees are entitled to the highest respect.  Their mistakes (and there will be mistakes) shall be accepted without complaint. Many of the referees have no children playing in our Region and all of them gladly give their time to help us. Please give them the respect they deserve -- they are volunteers, and we thank them.

Most parents and many coaches do not know the laws (even if they think they do) so what you may perceive as a mistake may in fact be your lack of knowledge or misunderstanding of the laws. In the younger divisions, many of the referees are new and are learning just like the players. Please be patient and accept their mistakes without complaint.

We are always in need of new referees. If you are interested, contact the Regional Referee Administrator or visit the referee web page.

Injuries:

Soccer is a contact sport, and there are situations where a player may be knocked down, or appear to be tripped by an opponent. Although serious injuries are rare, bumps and bruises are common, and the referee is responsible for determining whether continued play poses a danger of aggravating the injury. Play may be allowed to continue until a natural stopping point, and quite often in the meantime the child will have recovered and be back in the game. Please trust the referee to recognize which situations are fouls and which are not, and which situations are dangerous and which are not. We are all concerned when a child goes down on the field, however no one is to go onto the field until the referee requests assistance. When the referee makes such a request, the child's Coach as well as the opposing Coach may attend to the player.

Your Participation:

The region and your children need your participation. Go to the practices and games. Parental support is crucial to the kids.

Please stay well back from the field of play. Most fields have a spectator line painted at least 3 feet back from the touchline. If a spectator line is provided, stay behind the line and encourage others to do the same (only Players and Referees-not Coaches- are allowed in front of this line during play). Players may briefly step off the field during active play and need room to maneuver. The Assistant Referee needs room to run along the touch line and to see the entire length of the field. Standing in front of the spectator line is not only inconsiderate, it is sometimes dangerous to yourself and to others. No one may stand behind the goals or behind the goal lines during play.

Please come to all games and cheer for the players of both teams. For parents of younger players, avoid the urge to be too demanding of your child; allow your child to enjoy the game at his/her own pace, and be tolerant of mistakes. Influence your child by cheering loudly for the positive things, not dwelling on the negative. For parents of teenage players, recognize that your child still wants you to come and watch the game, even if they don't act like it.

Unless you have signed up to coach, please do not actively coach during the games. AYSO has restrictions on where Coaches may be during games and what they might say, and you may be unaware of these restrictions. If you want to help out, please come to practice!

Consider Referee mistakes and other events which don't go your way to be opportunities to show your child how to handle misfortune with dignity and grace. If you have questions, discuss them calmly with the Referee after the game. If the Referee makes any indication that such a discussion would not be welcomed, please respect that decision also.

no-smoking.jpg (1145 bytes)The use of tobacco products and alcohol is prohibited at all AYSO activities where children are present.

Tournaments

Certain divisions will have post-season tournaments either within Lompoc or with other central coast cities.  Your coach will let you know whether or not your child's team has been invited to participate in a tournament.  Tournament schedules will be posted on the web site.

Registration

Lompoc holds a number of registration days during April, May and June which are advertised in the community.  Players who are registered after the registration days will be put on a waiting list and assigned to teams only if space is available.

Equipment

Uniforms:

The uniform is provided for your child's use, and is his/hers to keep. Current season uniforms are not to be worn at practice -- only for scheduled games.   It's of course OK to wear uniforms from previous years at practice. Children may not wear rings, watches, chains, necklaces, earrings, or hard pony tail holders or barrettes as these items can be the cause of injury during play.

Shoes:

Although not required, we strongly urge your child to wear soccer shoes -- the low-sided "football" shoes with rubber or plastic molded cleats. The size and type of shoes is extremely important. They should fit comfortably with socks and shin guards. The more expensive leather shoes are superior to the hard synthetic type because the synthetic shoes are generally stiff and do not allow the child to get the "feel of the ball".

Shin Guards:

It is only common sense to protect the vulnerable shins. Shin guards can and do protect the player. A National Rule makes shin guards mandatory. No child will be allowed to practice or play unless he/she is wearing shin guards.  They can be purchased at sporting goods stores, Walmart, and Kmart. The new lightweight shin guards provide freedom of movement without being heavy and cumbersome.

Age Division Ball Size
5 U6 3
6-7 U8
8-9 U10 4
10-11 U12
12-13 U14 5
14-15 U16
16-18 U19

Ball:

Your child should be encouraged to practice with a ball and we recommend that you obtain a "real" soccer ball and bring it to every practice.

Your child needs to practice with a ball to develop skill and coordination. Any time spent with the ball makes your child a better player, and you can encourage them by actively participating in practice. Please put your child's name on the ball for identification.

Soccer Accident Insurance (SAI):

The AYSO Soccer Accident Insurance pays only for those eligible expenses NOT covered by group or individual insurance carried by parents or guardians of registered participants (and only AFTER claims are submitted to the primary insurance carriers). If your child is injured, be sure the proper documents are filed immediately with the . If you are covered by an HMO, you must get treatment from the appropriate HMO. There is a deductible on the Soccer Accident Insurance.

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Contact Us

Lompoc AYSO

P.O. Box 1211 
Lompoc, California 93438

Email Us: [email protected]
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