Division Announcements

• [9/07/2012 - Monte Grix] - OPENING DAY: U10 Girls: Dear Parents of AYSO 20 U10 Girl Players: Welcome to the 2012 Fall Season. For those of you who do not know me, my name is Monte Grix, and I am the Commissioner for the U10 Girls Division. In addition to wanting to make sure that you have a great season for the simple fact that it is the right thing to do, I am personally invested in this as my own daughter is a player in the division and I am an assistant coach in the division. Both for those who are new to the region and for those who are returning, I have a few important thoughts that I would like you to consider for tomorrow and beyond: 1. BE KIND TO THE REFEREES. I hope everyone appreciates how important referees are and how extraordinarily difficult it is to get them to serve at times. Although the vast majority of us behave appropriately toward these referees, some of use lose our heads. Our referees are just like all of us--parents who are not getting paid and just want to create a great experience for their kids. We can't put on games or have playoffs without referees. Please treat them with the respect and dignity they deserve. And to be quite frank (though I hope this is not necessary) playing in AYSO is not an entitlement, and the Region, through me, will take all necessary steps to ensure that referees are properly treated, even if that means removal of a player whose family or "cheering section" has been verbally abusive. 2. POSITIVE CHEERING, AND LET THE COACHES COACH: Many of you are very knowledgeable about soccer and may be your child's first coach. Wonderful! But please do not coach your child in the game. That is the role of our parent volunteer-coaches who have devoted extraordinary amounts of time to coaching our kids. If you think that the coach is missing a teaching point or a strategy issue, speak to her or him after the game or after practice. Your words will certainly be well received, and the coach will actually have time to consider what you say (as opposed to saying it in the middle of a match). Also, be mindful that our kids are just kids--you may see a breakway opportunity and they just see grass. Too many voices telling them what to do is not necessarily helpful. Let the coach and the assistant coach be the only voices of "direction" that your daughter hears. Again, you can give your child pointers before and after the game, or over dinner, for that matter. 3. NOT EVERYONE CAN BE ABBY WAMBACH. Some of the players you will see are brand new to soccer and barely understand the rules. Others eat, breathe and drink the game and are very seasoned. Whatever the level of skill, please give all players your positive support. This is community based, recreational soccer, not club soccer. 4. ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD TO BE A GOOD SPORT: Sometimes we truly do learn more from losing than winning. And, barring ties, there will be 8 teams that lose tomorrow. Those teams are still winners if they hold their heads high and shake hands with the other team. After all, hopefully they are learning about a few things more important than just soccer. 5. NO DOGS: No dogs are permitted at Clover Park by the soccer fields. There is one section of the park where dogs are OK, but it is not the fields. Any owner who does not heed this warning will face a $1500 ticket and also jeopardizes Region 20's field permits, which is obviously unacceptable. Please consider the good of all and leave your dog at home or take it to another, permitted area of the park. 6. TRASH: Please leave the fields cleaner than you found them. Again, our field permits depend on all of us being good tenants and neighbors. 7. HAVE FUN, AND SEE YOU ON THE PITCH!