Your role, as parents or guardians, has a tremendous impact on your child’s experiences as he or she participates in sports.

Parent Code of Conduct

• Do not force an unwilling child to participate in sports.
• Remember children are involved in organized sports for their enjoyment, not yours. Teach your child to always play by the rules.
• Teach your child that hard work and honest effort are often more important than a victory.
• Help your child work toward skill improvement and good sportsmanship in every game. Your child will then be a winner even in defeat.
• Do not ridicule or yell at your child for making a mistake or for losing a game. Set a good example. Children learn best by example.
• Applaud good plays by your team and by members of the opposing team.
• Do not publicly question the referee’s judgment and never their honesty.
• Recognize the value and importance of volunteer coaches, referees and officials and give them their due respect. Without them, there would be no AYSO soccer.
• Support all efforts to remove verbal and physical abuse from youth sporting activities.

Conversations before the games

Tell your child you love him/her regardless of the outcome. Tell him or her “Go for it, give it your best shot and have fun!”

During the game

Understand that kids are over-stimulated during games. The Coach may be giving instructions, opponents and teammates are talking, the crowd is cheering, and the Referee is blowing the whistle. To a youth sports participant, the atmosphere is much like that of a fighter pilot with enemy jets racing all around. Do not yell instructions to your child during the game because it only adds to the confusion.

Sometimes the best thing you can do as a parent is to be quiet.
Cheer and acknowledge good plays by both teams.

After the game

• Thank the officials for doing a difficult job.
• Thank the coaches for their efforts.
• Thank your opponents for a good game.
• Congratulate your child and his or her teammates for their efforts.
• Compliment individual players on good plays they made in the game.

During the car ride home

• Point out a good play your child made during the game.
• Avoid criticizing or correcting mistakes.
• Ask open-ended questions about how the game was played rather than how many points were scored. Here are examples of
  open-ended questions that might apply:
  • Did you have fun?
  • Did you give it your best effort?
  • What did you learn from the game?
  • What was the best play you made and how did it feel?

Remember: Coaches Coach. Referees Ref. Parents Cheer.

In AYSO Region 6, we want all players, coaches, families, and volunteers to have fun! That’s where AYSO Kids Zone comes in. Kids Zone is a special program that encourages all in attendance, from the sidelines to the field, to use positive language, demonstrate good sportsmanship, and create a great experience and positive environment for every player. Kids Zone is a reminder that the AYSO soccer fields are a safe, friendly, happy, place for children to play and experience the joy of soccer without fear of judgement. Take the Pledge! When Regions participate in The Kids Zone program, we ask that they have helpful reminders, including buttons, signage, and t-shirts on the field, to reinforce that no matter how intense the game can be, kids need encouraging support from the sidelines.

Parents and spectators are asked to follow the pledge below and agree to the following guidelines:
1. Kids are #1!
2. Fun – not winning – is everything
3. Practice proper physical distancing
4. Set a proper example of sportsmanship
5. Players Play, Fans cheer and Coaches coach
6. Respect the volunteer referees…we couldn’t do it without them!
7. No yelling, swearing or abusive behavior
8. No weapons, alcohol, tobacco or drugs
9. No dogs
10. Leave no trash behind
11. Celebrate the player – win or lose

Is it okay to challenge or harass the referee?

NO. NOT EVER.

Being vocally critical of the Referee is not allowed at AYSO games -it's not ok for coaches, spectators or players - for any reason - at any time. Referees are VOLUNTEERS who are doing their best to provide a fun and fair experience for our children, and they really don't need spectator assistance. Being a Referee means you are constantly making judgement calls - and it's 100% their call to make.

It is reasonable to want your child/team to have a great experience. It is not reasonable or helpful for you to 'assist' by shouting at the Referee during a game. It's upsetting to the players, other parents, the volunteer referee, and it DOES NOT HELP. Solution: the Referee Administrator welcomes a discussion of your concerns AFTER the game, in a private setting. Your concerns will be listened to and addressed.

Referee Questions or Concerns?

You can reach out to our Region Referee Administrator, Rob Jensen, at: [email protected]