Dear Head Coaches and Assistant Coaches,

Hi Coaches,

Thank you for your efforts in volunteering for AYSO. We appreciate the time and energy you dedicate to ensuring a positive soccer experience for our players. However, we want to take a moment to reinforce some important rules that must be adhered to for the safety and betterment of the kids and the league.

Sideline Behavior & Respect for Referees

We have observed inappropriate sideline behavior from some coaches and spectators, including verbal abuse, intimidation, and poor sportsmanship.

Please remember:

✅ Referees are to be respected at all times. Many of them are young and learning the game, just like the players. Referees have full authority to document incidents and take action when necessary.
✅ Verbal abuse, bullying, or threats toward referees, players, or other participants will not be tolerated. Any violations will result in disciplinary actions.
✅ We have a zero-tolerance policy, and referees have been instructed to remove individuals from the field if necessary.

Unauthorized Individuals on the Coaching Sideline

We have been made aware that an unauthorized adult (male) has been on the coaches' sideline, coaching children. This is strictly prohibited.

🚨 Per the new State Mandate, all coaches must be fingerprinted and officially assigned to a team in order to be on the coaching sideline. If someone is not assigned and fingerprinted, they are not allowed on that side of the field under any circumstances.

Game Management – Handling Lopsided Matches

To maintain the integrity and spirit of AYSO, coaches are responsible for managing one-sided games properly. Please review the guidelines on how to handle these situations with sportsmanship:
👉 How to Manage Blowout Games

Coach Education – Laws of the Game

To ensure all coaches fully understand the rules, we recommend completing the “Laws of the Game” course in your SafeSport coaches portal. This will help provide clarity on game regulations and improve your coaching approach.

Disciplinary Actions & Future Coaching Eligibility

Moving forward, we will be closely monitoring behaviors from coaches, players, and spectators. Any violations of AYSO policies will result in a formal email notification. AYSO 1370 reserves the right to remove a coach from their team or not assign them a team in future seasons if these policies are not followed.

Let’s keep everything positive, respectful, and in accordance with the rules so that we can all enjoy a successful rest of the season!

Thank you for your cooperation and commitment to AYSO’s mission.

Best regards,
AYSO Region 1370