NORTH TAHOE AYSO
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. What is AYSO Soccer?
2. What area does North Tahoe AYSO soccer serve?
3. When is AYSO Soccer Played?
4. What age groupings does North Tahoe AYSO offer?
5. When/Where/How do I sign up my child?
6. When/Where are the games?
7. Will my child’s team have practices?
8. I missed fall soccer registration, what can I do?
9. What equipment is provided?
10. What equipment does my child need?
11. What happens after I register my child to play fall soccer?
12. Can I request for my child to play with a friend?
13. Can I request a specific team for carpool needs?
14. Can my child play in a different age group?
15. We have not heard from my child’s coach or been assigned to a team, what should we do?
16. I would like to coach a team, what should I do?
17. I would like to volunteer to help with North Tahoe AYSO, what can I do?
18. What is your refund policy?
1. What is AYSO Soccer?
*AYSO is a recreational soccer program and North Tahoe AYSO is part of Section 2 of the national organization, AYSO, which supports youth soccer development. For more information about what AYSO is about, visit http://www.ayso.org. The umbrella organization of AYSO provides support and resources to our local organization such as rules and guidelines, coach training, post season tournament access, insurance, league management computer systems, etc. Each player is required to pay an annual membership fee to AYSO to secure their affiliation with the national organization.
North Tahoe AYSO is an ALL volunteer program which relies on parent volunteer coaches and referees. There are more than 10 board members who meet all year long to make our program happen. Each year there are over 300 players and over 35 teams in our league. We are always looking for more help, particularly with regards to coaching and refereeing. Please consider signing up to coach or ref when you register your child!
AYSO is a recreational soccer league. All players will get significant playing time – AYSO’s rule is that no player plays the 4th quarter until all players have played 3 quarters.
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2. What area does North Tahoe AYSO soccer serve?
*North Tahoe AYSO primarily serves Tahoe City and Kings Beach youth. All home games are played in and between these locations. Truckee and Incline Village each have their own AYSO league. which can be found at https://ayso.bluesombrero.com/region995/ (Incline) or https://www.truckeeayso.org.
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3. When is AYSO Soccer Played?
*North Tahoe AYSO is a fall sport. Occasionally, specific coaches in older divisions will organize a spring soccer team that travels out of the area for tournament play in the spring but we do not organize a league or offer open enrollment for any season other than fall soccer. Additionally, North Tahoe AYSO is not affiliated with the AYSO soccer camp that has been offered through Tahoe City PUD.
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4. What age groupings does North Tahoe AYSO offer?
*Currently NTAYSO is offered for boys and girls ages 4-14 in the following AYSO designated age groupings: (Click HERE to determine your child’s age group for this season)
· U5 – U5 is for our youngest girls and boys at 4 years of age. They play a very small game with 3 or 4 players per team. There are small goals and no keepers. These youngest players are being introduced to team sports. Games are played at Fenly Field (upper field at Tahoe Lake School), however, due to construction games will be played in a different location to be announced. U5 teams may have a preseason practice to distribute uniforms and for players and coaches to meet but once the season starts the team will probably only meet for games.
· U6 – U6 is for 5 year old players. It is a coed division with small teams of 4 or 5 players, small fields, and small goals. In this division the players begin to learn the concept of team sports and some very basic soccer skills. Games are played at Fenly Field (upper field at Tahoe Lake School), however, due to construction, games will be played at a different field to be announced. U6 teams may have a preseason practice to distribute uniforms and for players and coaches to meet but once the season starts the team will probably only meet for games with possibly a short practice time before the games.
· U8 Girls & U8 Boys – The U8 age group is the first year that girls and boys are separated into different divisions. These divisions are for 6 and 7 year old players. The fields and goals sizes are still small but it is a step up from U6. The ideal roster size is 8 playing 5 on 5 games. Goalkeepers are not recommended. In this division the players begin to learn soccer skills and teamwork. Games are played at Conners Field (lower field at Tahoe Lake School), however, due to construction, games will be played at a different field to be announced. U8 teams may have a couple preseason practices but will likely have limited practices during the regular season.
· U10 Girls & U10 Boys – The U10 divisions are for 8 and 9 year old players. The field is still not full-sized but it’s yet another step up from U8. The ideal roster size is 10 playing 7 on 7 games. Goalkeepers and the offside rule are introduced. Coaching emphasis at this level is skills development and team play. Home field is the turf field at Tahoe Vista Regional Park. Games are played against North Tahoe and Incline teams. U10 teams will definitely practice in the preseason and it is good development for the teams to continue to practice but it is up to the coach to work that out with the families on their team and each team may have a different preference for practicing (i.e. weekly practice, practice before games only, etc.)
· U12 Girls & U12 Boys – The U12 divisions are for 10 and 11 year old players. These divisions have larger teams, fields, and goals. Ideal roster size is 12 playing 9 on 9 games. Goalkeepers and the offside rule are used, proper throw ins are enforced with independent referees when possible. Coaching emphasis at this level is refining skills and team play. This is the level where the game really comes together and is fun to watch, coach, and play. Home field is Pomin field (Lake Forest at the boat ramp). Games are played against North Tahoe, Truckee, and Incline teams. U12 teams typically have regular practices.
· U14 Girls & U14 Boys – The U14 divisions are for 12 and 13 year old players with full sized teams, fields, and goals. Ideal roster size is 15 playing 11 on 11 games. Coaching emphasis at this level is technical skills, playing off the ball, and combination play. This is the full sized game and is fun to watch, coach, and play. Home filed is the beautiful turf field at Squaw Valley. Teams practice regularly and travel to games out of the Tahoe area.
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5. When/Where/How do I sign up my child?
*Registration is OPEN from May 1 - June 15 for the fall season. Please go to www.northtahoesoccer.com and click on the “Register Now” button.
Please Note: Enter your full name where it asks for Parent 1 Middle Name. We will have this fixed soon! You'll be able to complete the registration.
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6. When/Where are the games?
*Specific game schedules will be available in late August. The older divisions (U10 and above) are complex schedules and at times are out of our control due to coordinating play with Truckee and Incline and other communities. Please see additional general information about game locations HERE.
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7. Will my child’s team have practices?
*Practices are organized by each team’s coach and each team experience will vary based on the coach’s preferences. Generally in our younger age groups (U5-U8), teams will practice a couple times before the games start and then once the season is in full swing, practice may happen before the games or not at all depending on schedules and interest from the families on the team. As the players get older (U10-U14), team structure increases, practices will happen more regularly. Please see additional general information about practicing HERE.
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8. I missed fall soccer registration, what can I do?
*Unfortunately if you miss registration, there are no guarantees that your child will be placed on a team but please send an email to [email protected] and include your child’s name, gender, and date of birth. If there are spaces available on a team we will be able to process a late registration with a late fee. If your child’s age group is full, we will not be able to add them. As a courtesy, all efforts are made to add kids that are new and moving in to the community during the summer as joining a sports team is a great way to meet friends.
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9. What equipment is provided?
*All players are provided with a full uniform including a jersey, shorts, and socks. Each team’s coach is provided with an equipment bag including a field clip board, whistle, first aid kit, properly sized soccer balls, practice pinnies, a goalie shirt and gloves and AYSO provides each age group with regulation lined fields and goals.
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10. What equipment does my child need?
*Please provide your child with shin guards - they are required at all levels for games and practices. Athletic shoes or cleats are needed as well. Cleats are worn by most U8 athletes and older but are common at all levels but are not required. Metal cleats and toe cleats are NOT allowed.
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11. What happens after I register my child to play fall soccer?
*When you register, you will receive a confirmation email that you should file as proof of registration. Once the registration period closes, North Tahoe AYSO is able to determine specifically how many teams will be needed in each division. The actual team assignments is an automated process handled by the AYSO registration system which is aimed at keeping teams as fair and random as possible. Once teams are set the organization of the league can really start to take shape. The process of recruiting coaches has already started (it is an *ongoing* year-round effort), but we are able to now determine the specific number of coaches needed per division and we work to fill in the holes. Another team of volunteers are recruiting sponsorships. Yet another team of volunteers are now able to order uniforms and equipment based on team information. Game schedulers have already been working to secure contracts for field locations, and we can now begin to reach out to other leagues and reserve our own local schedules as well. Late registrations only serve to complicate all of these efforts once teams are set which is why it is imperative that we limit late registrations for the sake of all the families that registered on time. The registration confirmation email indicates that you will be contacted in LATE AUGUST by your child’s coach informing you of your team assignment, a kick off practice and game schedule if available.
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12. Can I request for my child to play with a friend or on a particular team?
* Players are assigned to divisions based on birth year. Exceptions to play UP or DOWN an age group are not allowed. Players are assigned to teams by an automated tool provided by our league management system. We ensure that each team has a coach and a team sponsor but with over 300 players, we do not have the capacity to ensure friends or carpools are placed on teams together. Siblings that are in the SAME divisions will be placed on the same team.
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13. Can I request a specific team for carpool needs?
*Players are assigned to divisions based on birth year. Exceptions to play UP or DOWN an age group are not allowed. Players are assigned to teams by an automated tool provided by our league management system. We ensure that each team has a coach and a team sponsor but with over 300 players, we do not have the capacity to ensure friends or carpools are placed on teams together. If you have an extreme hardship you can email us, however we cannot promise anything. Siblings that are in the SAME divisions will be placed on the same team.
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14. Can my child play in a different age group?
* Players are assigned to divisions based on birth year. Exceptions to play UP or DOWN an age group are not allowed. Players are assigned to teams by an automated tool provided by our league management system. We ensure that each team has a coach and a team sponsor but with over 300 players, we do not have the capacity to ensure friends or carpools are placed on teams together. Siblings that are in the SAME divisions will be placed on the same team.
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15. We have not heard from my child’s coach or been assigned to a team, what should we do?
*North Tahoe AYSO STRONGLY encourages coaches to reach out to their team as soon as they possibly can in LATE AUGUST, but we cannot control each coach and how and when they choose to communicate. Please be patient, remember your coach has agreed to be a volunteer for an entire fall season, and offer to lend a hand rather than air complaints when possible.
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16. I would like to coach a team, what should I do?
*Thank you so much for your interest in volunteering, your help is what makes this league possible for youth recreation soccer to exist in our community. Please email [email protected]. Training is provided!
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17. I would like to volunteer to help with North Tahoe AYSO, what can I do?
*Thank you so much for your interest in volunteering, your help is what makes this league possible for youth recreation soccer to exist in our community. Please email [email protected]. Training is provided!
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18. What is your refund policy?
No refunds are provided for any reason after August 1 for the coming Fall season. We have to reserve fields, order uniforms, and more, in addition to creating teams. Therefore, we will not issue refunds for any reason after August 1.