I am sure many of you are asking what the AYSO Fall 2020 season is going to look like. Well, we do not know the exact answer to that question at this moment. As of June 25, 2020, the Ocean View School District fields remain closed to organized youth sports but I do anticipate the fields opening soon which will be step one. The Region is in the process of submitting the required permits and Covid-19 protocols to the District per its requirements. All of these protocols will need to be followed by all participants in Region 55 when play does resume. Our plan is to have a normal Fall season just like past seasons which includes the Core program and the Extra program. In the past, we generally had our Extra tryouts in April/May but that was not possible this year. The Region continues to explore options with respect to the forming of those teams for the Fall. Information will be posted to our website as it becomes available.

Because of Covid-19, the Fall season may not look like it normally has in the past. We will all need to be flexible. This not only goes for Region 55 but for all the Regions within Area K, which is our playing circuit. The bottom line is that we want the kids out on the field playing soccer, getting exercise, and having a great time with the game we love.

In order to proceed with getting ready for the Fall season, the childrenmust beregisteredto play for the Fall so that we can begin to create teams, etc. At this point, both locally and across AYSO nationally, registration numbers are low due to the concerns of Covid-19. I encourage everyone who would like to see their child to play soccer this Fall to please sign your children up to play so that we can prepare the Fall program and deliver the program that has crowned Region 55 back to back to back Region of the Year in Area K. Maintaining such a great program takes planning and hard work. We are willing to do the work, but we can't plan without knowing who will be playing with us in the Fall. In the unfortunate event that the Fall program were to be canceled with no games played, you will be given a full refund of the fees paid. If cancelled by forces outside of our control once the season is under way, a pro-rated refund will be given based on the number of games played.

Please feel free to reach out to me at[email protected]if you have any questions at all about theFall program. I also encourage you to visithttps://www.aysovolunteers.org/returning-to-play/for up to date information from the AYSO National office regarding AYSO's Return to Play plan and guidelines.

Be well, stay safe and please register your children for the Fall 2020 Season. See you on the pitch soon.

Mark Di Lauro
Commissioner - Region 55