Frequently asked questions

Q: What are the boundaries for Region 56?

A: Region 56 encompasses southern Huntington Beach, CA. Our boundaries are Beach Boulevard on the west to the Santa Ana River in the east, and from Adams Ave. on the north to the beach on the south, although members are not required to live within these boundaries.

Q: What Division will my child be in? How old must my child be to play in AYSO?

A: Please see the chart below to determine which division your child will be playing in for the 2008 Fall Season. 

View Current Division Assignment Guide

Q: What size ball should I buy?

A: Please refer to the following table for ball sizes appropriate for the various divisions.

Q: How much does it cost to register?

A: Fees: U5 – U14 $90.00 U16 – U19 $45.00.

If registering after April 19th it is considered late registration and the fee becomes $110.00

Q: What else do I need to bring to registration?

A: A check or cash. Know your emergency contact information for your child - friends/relatives names and phone numbers, child's doctor's name and phone. Proof of age is required only if the player is new to Region 56 OR if the preprinted age is incorrect. Know your Medical Insurance carrier.

Q: How are the teams put together?

A: Teams in Region 56 are put together in one of two ways:

U9 through U14: Teams in this age range are selected by a system known as the Blind Draft. In July, coaches are called together to participate in the Draft. Each coach is given a list of players registered in their Division, along with the evaluation points for each player from the previous year. The coaches are given the opportunity to discuss the points and may collectively agree to raise or lower points that, in their collective opinion, are out of line. When the list is acceptable to the coaches, the Draft begins.
A chart is made up that lists the number of teams in the Division for the coming season (based on the number of kids available.) The players are then placed on the chart according to the information provided. After all the players have been assigned to a team, each coach draws a number and is assigned to the team with that number. The children of Coaches and Assistant Coaches may shuffle around within their draft position or "round" in order to be assigned to their parents' team. (Example: A Coach draws Team #6 and his child was selected in the 3rd round and assigned to Team #9. The coaches child will simply trade places with the child assigned to Team #6 in the 3rd round.) The same procedure applies for the Assistant Coaches child. No other trades are allowed.

U05 & U06 Selection: Each coach may select a total of 5 players including his/her own child, PROVIDED THAT the Coach has the following adult volunteers included with his selection: 1 Coach; 1 Team Parent; 1 Referee; 1 Field Maintenance person and 1 Regional Volunteer

U07 & U08 Selection: Each coach may select 3 players including his/her own child PROVIDING THAT the Coach has the following adult volunteers included with his selection: 1 Coach; and 2 Referees. Referees MUST attend one U06, U07, & U08 referee training class at Le Bard(see calendar for tentative schedule) before the season begins. The remaining players will be placed on the team based on age, years of experience and school (geographic area) There is no trading of players once the teams are formed.
No matter how teams are determined, some will do better than others from a competitive standpoint. Children develop and mature at different rates. They will continue to do so into the season. The most important thing to remember is that a positive attitude makes us all winners. 

Q: Nick’s coach has never coached a team. Can we ask for a new coach?

A: AYSO coaches are parents and members of our community who enjoy working with kids. If you have knowledge of the game or coaching techniques, this is great time to offer your help, or better yet, call the Chief Coach before the season starts and take a team yourself.

Q: Katie doesn’t get along with her coach. Can she change teams?

A: Discuss the problem with your child and the coach and try to resolve the problem between yourselves. It is almost impossible to move teams around after they’re assembled. If you still feel the problem is serious and are unsatisfied, you can attempt to contact the Personnel Director for assistance.

Q: Jessica is 8 years old, but is very, very small. Can she play on a team with younger players?

A: No. A player can never "play-down" into a younger age group. Most players in this situation do quite well. Soccer is one game in which size is generally not a hindrance.

Q: Jimmy can’t make it to practices on the days the coach has chosen. What can I do?

A: If the problem is transportation, just speak to the coach or team parents. There is always someone who will be available and willing to give your child a ride. If there are other activities (such as lessons of some kind), maybe it would be possible to adjust the schedule. Please try to make it to practice. Your child is involved in a team sport. The team cannot learn to work together if there are players who consistently miss practices.

Q: Ricky’s best friend lives right next door. Can they be on the same team?

A: Everyone has a friend they would like to play with, but if it was done for Ricky, it would have to be done for everyone. This would be an administrative nightmare and would make team balancing impossible.

Q: What do the registration fees cover? Are there any other "hidden" costs?

A: Registration fees cover a portion of the costs of running the program, a uniform that your child keeps at the end of the season, the "basic" photo package, supplemental accident insurance for AYSO-sponsored activities. You must pay separately for shoes, shin guards and a soccer ball. Proper equipment is essential for safety.

Q: Our kids have not received a call from their coach, but all of their friends have. How do I find out who their coaches are?

A: It may take a few days for your coach to get in touch with you. Please refer to the Regional Calendar. If it has been more than a week since your child's division has been drafted, please contact your Division Coordinator. The Coordinator will have a list of players in the Division and their team assignments

Q: "I cannot see the changes to the web pages you said you posted." Or, "Why haven't the results been posted?".A: In such cases, there is a good chance that your browser is not set up to fetch the very latest changes off the web. During periods where the website is modified often, we get a lot of questions like this, particularly from AOL users and Boeing employees. Change your browser to get the latest versions of web page each and every time you access them:

In Microsoft Internet Explorer: Click Tools|Internet Options. Click on the Settings button. On the "Check for newer versions of stored pages" section, click the radio button for "Every visit to the page". Save your changes and exit by clicking OK twice.

In Netscape Navigator (v6.2): Click Edit|Preferences|Advanced|Cache. Under "Compare the page in cache to the page on the network, click the radio button for "Every time I view the page." Click OK to save.