Q: I'm interested in coaching but I have questions. Whom should I contact?
Q: Can I coach in AYSO if I've never coached soccer before? What if I've never played?
Q: I don't know soccer's rules? Where can I find them?
Q: Do I need to conduct a practice? How to pick a practice time? Where do I conduct my practice? How do I handle player practice conflicts?
Q: How much training is required to become a coach?
Q: How do I register for a training course?
Q: Does AYSO provide coach training equipment? Cones? Soccer Balls?
Q: I'm a coach, and I'm interested in getting more involved with AYSO and/or advancing my coaching certification. What can I do?
Q: I volunteered to coach, but I wasn't assigned to my child's team.
Q: How do I access my team roster?
Q: How do I get my team's uniforms?
Q: How do I enter Game Scores?
- Q: Can I coach in AYSO if I've never coached soccer before? What if I've never played?
A: Yes! No playing experience is necessary to be a great coach. We will train you, and we will provide you the resources and support you need to have a successful and fun soccer season. AYSO has developed special training to help volunteers who may have little or no soccer experience quickly gain the age-appropriate knowledge and skills they need to become outstanding coaches.
For 7U and above, we ask that coaches conduct a separate practice once a week. You are not required to practice at the lakefront fields. You can conduct your practice anywhere you like, but please note that you may need to get a permit or permission from whomever manages the field. AYSO does not have any permit/permission arrangements with any parks, schools or other fields, other than the lakefront fields. Furthermore, we do not reserve practice times/locations at the lakefront fields.
Practices at 7U and above should be approximately one hour long. The day and time of your practice is ultimately up to the coach's discretion. We recommend that you try to identify 2-3 days/times that work for you, and then work with your families to figure out which one works best for all of you. That said, if you as the coach have only one day/time that works for you, then set that as your practice day/time.
If there are any players who can't make that practice time and would like to be switched to a team with a different practice time, please notify your Division Administrator. If and ONLY IF there is a player on a team that can be swapped 1-for-1 for your player, then we will move players around. No exceptions.
- Q: How much training is required to become a coach?
A: All coaches must complete the online Safe Haven course and the coaching course for the division in which they will be coaching. The 6U and 8U courses can be taken online or in person. The 10U course is offered either with an online module and then completed in person or as a completely in-person course. 12U, Intermediate (14U) and Advanced courses begin with required online pre-course work and are then completed with in-person training, including on-field sessions. For further information, click Here or contact the Regional Coach Administrator at [email protected]
- Q: Does AYSO provide coach training equipment? Cones? Soccer Balls?
A: Yes! When you pick up your uniforms, you will also get balls, cones, a ball pump and a first aid kit. At the 10U, 12U and 14U levels, the box will also contain one goalkeeper jersey and one set of gloves. It is not required, but if you are able to supply more equipment on your own.
- Q: I'm a coach, and I'm interested in getting more involved with AYSO and/or advancing my certification. What can I do?
A: AYSO training doesn't stop, as long as you're having fun! Clinics, workshops and Advanced Coach Certification courses are available to advance your coaching credentials or if you are interested in an administrative role. Check out the course options and descriptions at AYSOU or email the Coach Administrator at [email protected] for advanced certification options and more information.
If you have enjoyed your coaching experience, and you either have your 12U Coach Certificate or are willing to obtain it, then you might be a good candidate to become a Coach Instructor. Coach Instructors are experienced coaches who are authorized to conduct Coach certification courses. We have immediate need for more Coach Instructors, and it is one of the most important roles in AYSO! Many times, our coaches must travel to the suburbs, or further, to attend a certification course in another AYSO region. With more Region 418 Coach Instructors, we can make it easier to become a coach by offering more certification courses right here in Chicago, and more coaches means more kids get to play soccer each year!
- Q: I volunteered to coach but I wasn't assigned to my child's team.
A: Whoops! You may have registered yourself as a volunteer coach in an account that is separate from the account used to register your child (see Parent FAQ), so our team building app did not flag you and your child as an associated coach-player pair. Email your division administrator to have you and your child assigned to the same team.
- Q: How do I access my team roster?
A: In order to view your team roster, you must be logged into the AYSO Region 418 website with the username used when you signed up to be a volunteer coach. The roster can be viewed on the Team Page, via a "View Team Page" link on your My Account page. For safety, only team members may view the Team Page, so you must be logged into your volunteer account in order to access your team roster.
- Q: How do I enter Game Scores?
A: "Home" team volunteers must post game results after every game on the AYSO Region 418 website (Instructions). After the "home" team volunteer has posted game results, volunteers from "away" team will be able to enter their player points and absences as well. To enter game results, log into your account and click on the 'Visit Team Page' link from your My Account page. Click on Calendar, then Results. Record game attendance by marking a player "Absent" in the notes. Division Administrators will use game results at the end of the fall season to match teams with similar win/loss records when creating the spring season game schedule, and to seed teams for the end of season Soccerfest tournament. Player points scored throughout the season can be used to determine player ratings for creating balanced teams next year.