08/23/2026
A Reminder of What AYSO Is About ❤️⚽
Yesterday, there was an incident at one of our games that resulted in an adult confrontation in front of our players. We are aware of what occurred, we are taking it seriously, and we are gathering information from those who witnessed it so that it can be addressed appropriately.
We aren’t going to discuss the details or individual people involved publicly. What we will say is this: that behavior does not reflect the standard we expect from the adults involved in our program.
But today also gives us an opportunity to remind ourselves what AYSO is supposed to be about.
AYSO is about kids having a place to play.
It’s about the coach who gives up evenings to teach a group of kids something new.
It’s about the parent who gets up early on Saturday morning, packs the chairs and snacks, and cheers from the sideline.
It’s about the volunteer who spends hours organizing teams, uniforms, schedules, equipment and everything else that makes a season possible.
It’s about kids learning how to win with humility, lose with grace, work together, encourage one another, and keep trying when something doesn’t go their way.
It’s about friendships that start on a soccer field and sometimes last long after the season ends.
And most importantly, it’s about giving our kids a positive place to be kids.
We ask a lot of our players. We ask them to respect the referee. We ask them to listen to their coaches. We ask them to control their emotions. We ask them to shake hands, show good sportsmanship, and remember that it’s just a game.
The adults on both sides of the sideline have to hold themselves to that same standard.
Our children are watching us.
They are watching how we handle frustration.
They are watching how we disagree.
They are watching how we treat people when we’re angry.
And they are learning from what we show them far more than from what we tell them.
So as we move forward, we ask our entire AYSO community—coaches, referees, volunteers, players and parents—to remember why we’re here.
Let the kids play.
Let them learn.
Let them make mistakes.
Let them compete.
Let them have fun.
And let’s make sure that when they leave the field, what they remember is the game, their teammates, the goals they scored, the saves they made, the friendships they built—and the adults cheering them on.
We are grateful for every volunteer and every family who helps make this program possible. We know the vast majority of our AYSO community shows up every week with the right intentions and a genuine desire to make this experience great for our kids.
That is the AYSO we want to continue building together. ❤️⚽
