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The American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO)
was established in the Los Angeles area in 1964 with nine teams. It was
the dream of a group of devoted soccer enthusiasts who started the
organization in a garage. Today, AYSO has more than 50,000 teams and
more than 650,000 players. It also employs 50 people at its National
Support and Training Center in Hawthorne, California.
Over the years, AYSO has created many valuable
programs and concepts. Most notably, AYSO revolutionized youth sports
with its "Everyone Plays" and "Balanced Teams" philosophies. In AYSO,
each child who registers is guaranteed to play at least half of every
game. To help create evenly matched games, all AYSO players are placed
on new or "balanced" teams each year. These decisions are made based on
each player's skill level and the overall ability of the team.
Since its establishment, AYSO has continued to grow
and offer its membership relevant programs.
- In 1971, two San Fernando Valley residents
developed AYSO's first girls program. Today, a corporate sponsor has
joined with AYSO as the organization's first official sponsor of its
national girl's initiative. Currently, 40 percent of AYSO's players
are girls.
- In the mid 70s, an AYSO coach chartered new
territory as he welcomed the organization's first player with Down
Syndrome. As a result of this landmark union, soccer was introduced
into the Special Olympics. Today, AYSO offers its membership the Very
Important Player (VIP) program for kids with special needs. VIP boasts
75 programs and 1,500 players.
- In 1995, two AYSO parents established the first
AYSO program in Moscow. Today, the Moscow program has almost 500
registered players. In addition, an AYSO program was started in Puerto
Rico in the spring of 1998 and another in American Samoa in 1999.
AYSO is supported by more than 250,000 volunteers.
Parents donate their time as coaches, referees, team parents,
administrators or sponsors. In 1998, AYSO unveiled its new Coach
Certification and Safe Haven programs. Each was designed to strengthen
the organization's role in child protection. Although AYSO is primarily
a youth sports organization, it realizes the importance of providing a
safe and healthy atmosphere for children. AYSO is continually working to
improve the education of its volunteers in the fields of child
development, human behavior, and sports psychology. A strong emphasis is
placed on ethics and sportsmanship and the development of the whole
child.
AYSO is a National Association of the United States
Soccer Federation. Through the years, the organization has also
maintained relations with organizations such as the National Council of
Youth Sports, Girls Scouts USA, the National Association for Sports and
Physical Education, People to People, Optimists International, Police
Athletic Leagues, the National Alliance for Youth Sports, Boys and Girls
Clubs of America, YMCA, the United States Soccer Federation, and the
Character Counts program. In addition, AYSO works closely with 20
corporations that are part of the organization's National Team of
Sponsors.
AYSO has been the leader in establishing
groundbreaking youth soccer programs in the United States. The
organization is proud to have paved the road for youth soccer and looks
forward to meeting the challenges of the 21st century.
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