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Become A Team Parent

The AYSO Team Parent is a pivotal part of every team. They are the coach's assistant, cheerleader and traffic director all in one. These are things you will already be doing if your child is on the team, so take it one more step and help the entire team operate more smoothly! 

Every coach needs help arranging snacks for after games, making calls when rain makes practice impractical, and keeping an energetic team in line on the sidelines. You're making a difference for the whole team - a team that includes your child. It's a great way to make your child's team a family experience! 

Another important role a Team Parent can play is the unofficial Kids Zone representative at every game. Kids Zone is one of the ways AYSO makes sure all its players and volunteers are having fun. The program encourages spectators to use good language, show good sportsmanship in attitude and behavior, and create an enjoyable day for every player. The Kids Zone button, parent pledge form and sign, remind those on the sidelines to act appropriately.  A Team Parent can wear and share these important tools with everybody watching the game. 

Please step up at the beginning of the season and offer the coach your help as Team Parent!

Responsibilities

General Responsibilities and Duties of the Team Parent

Your duties will vary from team to team and each coach will be different but in general the team parent takes care of the following tasks:

Uniform Distribution: When a parent registers their child, they also indicate a uniform size for their child. The league will order these uniforms and you will help to distribute them once they arrive.

Order Team Banner: The team banner needs to be ordered and received before Picture Day. The cost of the banner is to be shared amongst all team members and must include the sponsor's name, the team's name, and each team member's name. You can make your own banner or order from one of the local banner vendors in our area.

Organize a Contact Information Sheet and Snack Schedule: Gather all the team information in one easy to view location and sign-up your fellow parents to supply snacks for a particular game. Encourage parents to utilize the BAND App for communication, game reminders, and league updates.
Some snack tips:
·Prepare/bring fruits (grapes, oranges, etc.) for a halftime snack; individually packaged is convenient.
·Bring end-of-game snacks; usually a drink and something to eat.
·Don't forget the coaches and referees, when determining the right amount of snacks to bring.
·Be sure to check for any allergies!

Weekly Updates: Once you've collected all the contact information, send out weekly email updates with game time, assigned snack duty, and any other relevant information (e.g. Change in practice, game time, or location) to the parents as a friendly reminder.

End of Season Party: Organize the end of season team party and buy the coaches a "Thank You" gift. Like the banner, the cost of the coaches' gift should be shared amongst all the team members.

Fun Stuff!

Team Parties & Coaches Gifts
We receive a lot of emails toward the end of the season regarding what to do for team parties and coaches gifts. So, we now have a whole section about this:

  1. Parties are good. They're a fun way to celebrate the season and say "thank you" to our team coaches, referees and parents.
  2. You don't have to go to a pizza parlor.  Consider a potluck at one of Paso'a fabulous parks, or grab a picnic table after the last game of the season!  Make a list of items and circulate it at a practice for people to sign up and bring things. This way, the kids get to run around and you have plenty of space for trophy distribution as well.
  3. Sometimes you get lucky and families will offer to host the party at their homes. You may want to send a quick email out to ask.
  4. Coaches Gifts.  They are a nice gesture, especially given the amount of time of coaches volunteer to help the kids.  Check out our list of suggested gifts and divide the cost of the gifts among players' families.  Or, you can simply collect $5, $10 or $20 per player and then purchase the gifts. Given the current economy, it is best to run these things by the team families and get their input. You don't want to go out and purchase a $200 item and your team only has 8 players and shock the families with the $25 per player amount. There are several ideas below that do not cost much at all – and they will mean so much:
  • a gift certificate to local restaurants;
  • take a picture of the kids at a game or practice and frame it and have the kids sign the matte;
  • purchase soccer equipment for the coach if you've got a soccer-loving coach. Training equipment is good;
  • buy some cool Paso Robles gear;
  • buy a cool soccer ball and have the kids sign it and purchase a case for it;
  • buy your coach tickets to a Cal Poly game;
  • purchase a t-shirt from their favorite soccer team

Trophies

Trophy FAQ:

  • Trophies are not provided by Paso Robles AYSO.
  •  Trophies are not a requirement for your team, but you can choose to order trophies to hand out at the end of the season.
  •  Each team will have to split the cost of trophies if you decide to purchase them for your players.

Trophy Vendors:
Recognition Works
Crown Awards
Trophy Hunters

Team Binder

What do I need in my Team Parent Binder?
To be available at the field during games


1. Roster with names and contact information for players and team volunteers

2. Fingerprint receipts for volunteers (copy given to you by Perry's Parcel)

3. Blank Incident Reports (click HERE)

4. Medical forms (will be given out by the Regional Commissioner or CVPA)

5. Snack schedule (including any allergy information)

Helpful Links

Team Parent Description
AYSO Parents
Incident Reports

Communicate on BAND
Team Banner Links:
Three M's Embroidery & Screening: (805) 835-7170
Vista Print
Banners USA
Theory Print
Team Banners 4U

Uniforms

Do not place the child's name on the uniform.

Uniforms Requirements
The region will issue the team a set of uniforms that includes a jersey, shorts and socks for every player. Each player must wear these items. Alterations are not allowed. Do not add anything to the uniform unless specifically instructed by the Region. Do not place the child's name on the back or anywhere on the uniform.  (For the younger ones, this is also a safety issue as children have been abducted in this fashion, by the abductor calling the kid by name and luring them just far enough away). Please refer to our Gear & Equipment page for all aspects of the players' uniforms and equipment.

AYSO National Rules & Regulations, VI.E: "No AYSO uniform may bear a team member's name, or team name, league name, or program name."

Uniforms Distribution
Uniforms are distributed at the team parent meeting in the fall season.  In the fall team parent meeting, coaches are not permitted to attend in lieu of their team parent without prior permission from the Team Parent Coordinator.

Resources
The complete rules regarding uniforms are included in the AYSO National Rules & Regulations. This link takes you to the page on the AYSO National website where the current regulations are maintained.

Team Banners

Creating a Banner
Banners are NOT mandatory. This is a team decision as it is a team expense. Typically, all lower division (U5 thru U8) teams have banners. Most U10 teams have banners and then it lessens from there. The cost is normally shared by the families on the team. Please see the below guidelines for team banners. 


If your team decides on a banner, please keep in mind the following:

  • Teams should have a team banner no later than Picture Day.
  • Homemade banners are allowed and encouraged.
  • Recruit a team parent to organize the making of the banner as well as putting it up and taking it down for every game (called the "banner parent").
  • Banners should include the team's name, each player's first name and number, the name of the coach, assistant coach, team parent, and sponsor (if you have one).
  • Try to incorporate team colors and the team name theme as much as possible.
  • With regard to the team name, please choose an appropriate name. We don't want to offend anyone or any group, race, etc. A "strong" name is great – however, a violent one in bad taste is not. Thanks!
  • AYSO National Rules & Regulations, II.A: "Team names shall bear no resemblance to a religion, race, ethnicity or nationality."
  • A stand will be required to hold up the banner

Contact Us

Paso Robles AYSO Region 741

AYSO Region 741, PO Box 3412
Paso Robles, California 93447

Email Us: [email protected]