Please note that information posted here is for Davis AYSO, region 218.
If you need help reaching someone in your region, go to national AYSO website www.soccer.org

This page is updated with information periodically to hopefully help answer some of the typical questions we are approached with each season.

Below are some Frequently Asked Questions that we, at Davis AYSO receive, by parents, volunteers, coaches, referees, and other individuals. We hope that you can find answers to some of your questions, here. If not, please contact Davis AYSO by email at or call our Davis AYSO main phone line at (530) 979-1344. If you should have further questions about AYSO in general, please visit the AYSO National website at www.soccer.org.

Commonly asked questions by PARENTS...

Q: Is there anyway that I can mail in a check along with my kids registration forms instead of showing up at Walk-In Registration?

A: First, "Walk-In Registration" allows for the most efficient use of volunteer time overall, as it assures that registration information is 100% collected over the span of the registration evenings. It requires much more volunteer time to retrieve missing information (area of town, missing supplemental form, parent signature on waiver, correct placement of 4 year olds) when the mailed in documents have an error.

Second, we have learned through past seasons that volunteerism reduces to such a low point that not all teams can be assigned a coach, and games are woefully short of referees unless there is a one-on-one contact made with parent at walk-in registration. Over the course of a Fall and spring season, we require no less than 500 coaches, assistant coaches, and referees to make our seasons happen.

Q: At what age can my child start playing in AYSO?

A: In the Fall 2005 Season, we implemented the NEW Under 5 program. Children who fall within the age range can start playing as early as 4 years of age in the U5 Division. Please see the New U5 Program link for more info.

Q: I can't seem to remember my password for logging into eAYSO.org to register my child online, nor has my secret answer been sent to my email address? What do I do next?

A: If you are experiencing troubles with logging into eAYSO.org, please email and they will be able to supply you with a NEW login password to use to re-enter the system.

Q: If my child's birthdate falls after the cut-off for his/her age division, how can he/she still play with kids from his/her grade?

A: . Sorry but it is not likely unless their birth date is very close to the cut-off and it can be verified that they play with a high skill level. A play-up request and approval are rare events, reserved for highly skilled players with birth dates close to a cut-off. AYSO national does not permit us to approve play-up requests for social reasons. It's a skill-based decision with safety as the primary concern.

Indeed, there are players born in Aug/Sep/Oct/Nov/early Dec who every two years find themselves entering a division (particularly U8/U10/U12/U14) as one of a few players on a team in an older grade, with most at the lower grade, and a few two grades down (school-wise). The player will be one of only maybe 2 on the roster who are in the higher grade, and most will be in the lower grade and some will be two grades lower. The child can become more of a confident player in this situation. Many parents of players born in August, yes even coaches who have had other children in the AYSO program do not ask for a play-up to the next division. There are many many players in AYSO who have August birth dates who are moving along at a comfortable developmental pace in soccer skill acquisition, who fit well on their team as an older player and in fact provide some degree of leadership to help the team-mates. Please see our policy for a Play-Up Request.

Q: My child's U14 team practices near Arroyo and we don't live in that neighborhood?

A: As players progress through AYSO, fewer of them continue playing, particularly beginning at junior high and high school, where 18 other sports start to capture their interest. In order to maintain balanced teams, we have to build teams a wider area beginning in U14. U14 teams are built from the combination of players in North and West areas for one subdivision, and teams from South and East areas for another subdivision. The coach will set their practice location at a place convenient for them, but very likely in the subdivision area. Sometimes due to field shortages the coach may need to set a practice at a different field. If the practice location seems to far for your child to bike, then it is a common practice for parents to communicate with each other at the first team meeting, and also with the coach, to arrange for potential carpool options.

Q: Can I request to have my child(ren) practice in a certain area of town?

A: If your child is signed up to play in the FALL Season, typically we have 4 areas within Davis that we split each of our age divisions into, EAST, NORTH, SOUTH and WEST. Please see our Location Map to identify which part of town you wish your child to participate in. Practice locations are left up to the Coach.

If your child is signed up to play in the SPRING Season, which is our smaller, co-ed season, we combine 2 of the area locations together, i.e. North & West (N/W) and East & South (E/S). Practices can vary in location depending on the coach. Each coach is putting forth their time and effort to allow their team a chance to play. So please try to be considerate when suggesting another location to practice that is closer to your home.

Q: When are practices and how long are they?

A: Practice times are generally scheduled by the Coach as well as depending on the age group and the season, can occur once or twice a week.

For the U6 age division, generally practices are held once a week, followed by a game on Saturdays.

Q: Why can't my child practice on the field in my neighborhood that is closer, rather than another park farther from where I live?

A: Your child's team coach determines where and when practices are to be held. Because the parent volunteer has stepped up to assume the role of Coach, they typically choose what works best for them, while also trying to accommodate most all the others on the team as well. Since they will be putting in the extra time and effort to help see that his or her team will play, it's best to give as much support to them as possible.

3) What happens if the team a child is placed on does not have a volunteer coach?

A: AYSO is a national all volunteer organization. If there are not enough volunteer coaches, divisional coach administrator (DCA) will try to find one within the team parents. If no one volunteers then the team will be dismissed

4) What if the team practice days and times for my child is not convenient ?

A: [Easy answer: become a coach next season!]

It is very common at the first team meeting for parents to have a discussion either during the meeting, before, or after, in which they indicate a need for transportation help. It is almost always the case that arrangements can be made with parents of other children on the team to get a child to or from a practice.

If the child has other activities on one or more of the practice days, then perhaps look at moving the other activity, and if you can't do that, then miss something. It does happen that AYSO players who have multiple afterschool activities end up missing one of the other ativities periodically or AYSO practices periodically. It can even happen that the AYSO player makes games only. AYSO provides a recreational soccer opportunity run by volunteers. It's not a city service. We don't have the volunteer labor to provide for what could amount to be 1500 requests for team changes. Additionally, one of the five AYSO tenets - balanced teams - is achieved only after careful consideration of players making up a team, so any changes in roster, particularly at U10 and higher, cannot be made without a large expenditure of volunteer time to keep balance.

Common Myths ...

Q: "I just had my ears pierced and I can't take out my earrings!"

A: False! Many young girls these days are having their ears pierced, and coincidentally, around the time that soccer season starts. It is a rule in AYSO that no jewelery is allowed while playing in a game. If a player has newly pierced ears, they can certainly take them out for the 30 - 40 minutes of game time, then put them back in afterwards. The important thing is to be sure to clean them as recommended.

Ever wonder what your Registration Fees go towards?

Below is a chart identifying how each player's registration fees are divided up, (for 2007-08 seasons);