Registration has opened, with programs for youngest players

Brandon Kent, the regional commissioner for the American Youth Soccer Organization, said learning soccer can start as simple as balancing on one foot.

“This doesn’t look like it’s soccer related,” he said, holding his arms out to either side and one foot in the air behind him. “Because you’re just balancing.

But the reality is, if there’s a ball there and I’m going to kick it, you need to be able to balance on the foot.”This technique, he said, is one example of what he’s hoping to get started in the Verde Valley’s first AYSO Kickstart program.

Currently, AYSO includes athletes from ages 4 to 17. The kickstart program is aimed at kids 3 to 4.

“It’s no different than, I think, day care,” Kent said. “Like kindergarten drop off or preschool drop off. They’re really intimidated, or just haven’t learned to be comfortable in a new environment.”

It’s different from a normal AYSO team because there is no verse-play, there’s a lower registration cost and the parents are required to participate.

“‘If mom’s doing it with me, or dad is doing it with me, then I’m more encouraged to do it’ at that age group,” he said.
The goal is to have Kickstart in all of the Verde Valley, including Clarkdale, Cottonwood, Camp Verde and Sedona.

The Game

For kids older than 4, games and real, competitive soccer can begin.

Registration for the upcoming season, which goes from about August through October for practices and games, opened on April 15, said Chad McMahon, a board member. It will close toward the end of June.

Generally, athletes are split up by city or town and by age group, including 6U for 4 to 5 age range, 8U for ages 6 and 7, 10U for 8 and 9, and 12U for 10 and 11.

Older groups can sometimes depend on enrollment, which varies as some players will go play club or school soccer.

There’s usually about 750 to 850 kids who register, Verde Valley-wide.

Kent said he tries to keep it about having fun. Once it gets too competitive, kids can start being less motivated to go to practices.

“I had a new player,” he said. “By the end of the season, [her parents] had expressed, she every day gets home from school, [and] is like, ‘do I have soccer practice today?’ It was just something that she just looked forward to so much.”

The younger age groups have one practice a week, the day depending on the coaches’ schedules. The older age groups can have practices twice a week and which get longer as the group gets older.

“The way we try to do it is about a 50/50 balance,” he said. “Fifty percent of your games are going to be in your hometown, and 50% of your games are going to be in a visiting town.

McMahon said he’s loved coaching as a parent and watching the children grow.

Volunteers

“Everybody from team mom to the coaches to the referees to your regional board members, myself as a regional commissioner, all the way up to our national board members, we’re all volunteers,” Kent said.

The end of June is when Kent said the teams are put together, which all require coaches.

“Every year we have enough kids register that we have to call parents who did not sign up to be a coach, and we have to ask over the phone, ‘are you interested in becoming a coach?’” he said.

About that time will be a coach’s clinic for those who might be interested, but aren’t totally sure.

“They’ve never coached before,” he said. “Maybe … they don’t know the rules of soccer. We’re going to hold a camp for them to come and basically ask questions and learn the game.”

Kent said when he first began as a coach when he first moved to the area a little over four years ago, he didn’t know much about soccer. When the board at the time asked him to coach he was unsure of it.

He played baseball and basketball growing up, but he wanted to give his daughter a chance on the team. That year was a “learning year,” he said.

All training is provided, Kent said, which includes soccer knowledge and terminology, practice planning and training for other needs that might come up while working with kids.

“In the event that a child tells you ‘X, Y or Z,’ we equip all of our volunteers with the knowledge of what to do with that information, when to contact the authorities, when to contact the regional board,” Kent said.

AYSO also provides jerseys, balls and, working with the respective cities, the places to practice.

Kent began using the Mojo Sports app in the past couple years.

“You can go in and it’ll give you very specific practice plans,” he said. “‘OK, 6U [ages 4 and 5], week one, here’s your practice plan; 6U week two, here’s your practice plan. There are videos. There’s infographics that show you where to set up. The cones, where the players stand, what direction you’re kicking the ball gives you, step-by-step, instructions on how to get it all set up.”

Kent has two daughters, one aged 6 and one 9. He is now planning to coach both their teams.

Those interested in volunteering can visit ayso232.org.