In Fall 2017, AYSO Region 1103 began offering a Playground program for our youngest athletes. This program was designed by Child Psychologists and Youth Sports Experts, to introduce your child to team sports, while engaging and refining the fundamental motor skills (FMS) required to participate in youth athletics.
It is obvious that as an infant develops, they learn to talk and communicate. They first learn words and phrases, then they learn how to put words together to form sentences. They learn to read and write in addition to speaking.
What is less obvious is that same process is going on with your child's FMS. First they learn to crawl, then walk, then run. The development does not end there, however. Running, jumping, hopping, skipping, throwing, and catching are not instinctive, they are learned behaviors developed by observing, trying, practicing, and doing. Fundamental Motor Skills are one thing that can be lost without use. They are also one thing that if not learned early on, they can never be recovered as an adult.
The goal of the Playground program is not to teach children soccer, but to help develop their FMS, in a fun, safe, and secure environment. Children receive positive coaching reinforcement, are introduced to the concepts of teamwork and group play, as well as the fundamentals of sportsmanship. Playground is designed to lay the groundwork for your child to be successful and engaged in a future soccer skills program, or whatever team activity they choose to be part of.
This program is considered part of our Primary Program Soccer offerings. As such, to register, you will simply click on the registration button at the top of the page. To be eligible, a player must be 3, 4, or 5 years old on December 31st of the current membership year. The program generally meets on game days (Saturday Mornings) between 8:00 and 11:00 AM. Registration in this program includes a full soccer uniform set, which are reused each registration year until they are outgrown.
Please note that each player that registered will also need to have a registered parent or other adult volunteer to participate with them. NO SOCCER KNOWLEDGE is required for this. You will be participating on the field during games and activities with your child. You will not be coaching them - you will be supporting them, providing them with stability, and having fun with them! You must register as a volunteer in order to satisfy insurance requirements. Additional information will be emailed out to all registrants on or around the first of August, or upon registration for any later registrants.
Depending on your child's birth year, you may qualify for Playground or 6U soccer as well. You should sign up for only ONE of these programs. Look them over, and choose the one which best suits the needs of your child.
If you have questions regarding registration for this program, please contact the regional registrar at [email protected]. If you have questions regarding the playground program in particular, please contact the U05 Division coordinator at [email protected]. If you have general AYSO questions, please email [email protected]. You may also download and view any of the documents below for more information
4U Program Flyer - https://ayso.org/play/ayso-playground/
4U Program Guidelines - available shortly
Which is best for my child - Playground, Schoolyard, or 6U? Available Soon