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AYSO Region 161 - Port Huron MI

AYSO Philosophy of Coaching



In AYSO, Positive Coaching is a core philosophy. We believe that kids best develop as players when they receive positive encouragement and mentoring. Every AYSO coach is a volunteer. Come share the joy of soccer with your own child and the other members of the AYSO family of players and volunteers. We provide all the training you need in a few hours. You provide the fun.

AYSO philosophy:
Everybody Plays
Open Registration
Balanced Teams
Positive Coaching
Good Sportsmanship
Player Development

•The coach is the most important AYSO person for the kids. You have the most contact. 

•You make it or break it for the kids. 

•The kids will have lasting memories about how you treat them.

•Control the sidelines.  You are responsible for your own conduct, the conduct of assistant coaches, players and parents. Most of them take their cues from you. If you are yelling at the refs and players, they will feel that it is ok to do so.  It's not.  You need to set the example that all of the others will follow.

•Referees don't point out your coaching mistakes. Likewise, do not vocalize referee errors.

Region 161 Coach Administrator

Coaching Questions or Concerns:

Coach Administrator
[email protected]

  • Fall 2019 Coach Meeting:  Thurs, Aug 15 - 6:00pm at Lightfoot Fields

AYSO Coaching

Coaching AYSO soccer is about the kids having fun and developing their skills. 

How Should You Coach a Game?
Your conduct, mandated by AYSO, is to be:
•positive
•instructional
•encouraging

AYSO Coach Requirements

All AYSO coach volunteers must complete the following:
•Current AYSO Volunteer Form (online)
•Safe Haven Training (online)
•CDC Concussion (online)
•AYSO Coach Training (Team's Age Division appropriate)

See Coach Certification/Training for more information

Coach Goals for Game Day

Playing soccer is FUN. Children love free-play. It enhances the development of individual and cooperative DECISION MAKING, crucial to the flow of the game. Adults can help this development by not shouting negatively from the sideline. Shouting divides the player's attention away from the action on the field. Allow the children to make their own on-the-field decisions. 

Your objective as coach must be to facilitate the development of players to play attractive soccer. Attractive soccer is the skillful / cooperative actions of ALL players on a team to maintain possession of the ball with accurate passes to each other using ALL areas of the field in a concerted effort to maneuver the ball toward the opponents goal and SCORE. If we are ultimately working toward well-paced ball circulation, then 1st touch (reception) ball control is our highest priority. Formulate your coaching methods with that technical skill as the primary objective. A well executed reception, turn and pass has much more value than a ball kicked with reckless abandon and no target in mind.

National Partners

Support our local Organizations that Support Port Huron Region 161

Contact Us

AYSO 161

P.O. Box 610224 
Port Huron, Michigan 48061

Email Us: [email protected]
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