Coaching AYSO soccer is an incredibly rewarding experience. As a volunteer and leader in our community coaches help young athletes achieve their full potential, all while spending quality time with their own children. We in Region 14 pride ourselves on giving volunteers, some with little or no soccer background, all the tools, resources and mentorship they need to successfully develop youth players. One big component of that is training and certification.
As you begn your AYSO journey, a good rule of thumb for new volunteers is to create a separate AYSO account from the one used to register your children. This will help you avoid running into records management issues later on. To get started, you will want to register as a volunteer for a current team by going to ayso14.org, clicking the REGISTER NOW button on the top right and then scrolling down to the Find Volunteer Roles at the bottom of the page. This will send you to all the active programs in the region. Select the team and then the volunteer role. Once you are registered as a volunteer it will unlock the AYSOU courses you will need to take for the coaching and safety related training.
All of the volunteer requirements are listed on your profile page in the registration portal. On the left hand side, click the silhouette of a person labeled Volunteer and it will display the current status of all your certifications. 
You can find details on how to update your certifications by checking the box next to the item and then clicking the Renew & Update button on the bottom right. For more detailed instructions on updating your certifications you can click the link here. It provides an example of how to obtain your background check from Sterling, but it's applicable in general to all items that are required.
Below you will find additional details on the individual components of coaching certification:
Background Checks:
When you sign up for a volunteer role, you should receive and email from Sterling. Please follow the link to complete your Background Check. Due to County, State and Federal reporting, Background Check Processing can take up to 10 business days. Self disclosures can add an additional 5 business days. Sterling background checks are an annual requirement and must be renewed each year.
Livescan fingerprinting is an additional volunteer requirement in the state of California. You must complete this once in your tenure as a volunteer.
Online Training:
You will access the training system from the same Sports Connect page accessed by clicking the REGISTER NOW button on the ayso14.org page. Once there, click the "AYSOU" button next to your volunteer record. You will be automatically logged in to the training system.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest: To begin Sudden Cardiac Arrest training, go to AYSOU (you must be registered volunteer). From the home page select Training Library in the left hand navigation then the Safe Haven category tile. Completed certifications in AYSOU automatically update your volunteer profile. Simon's Heart Sudden Cardiac Arrest training provides training for recognizing and responding to potential sudden cardiac arrests for all volunteers in state that accept or use this course or the NFHS training.
Safe Haven: To begin to AYSO's Safe Haven training, go to AYSOU (you must be a registered volunteer). From the home page select Training Library in the left hand navigation then the Safe Have category tile. Completed certifications in AYSOU automatically update your volunteer profile. AYSO's Safe Haven fulfills a promise for a safe, fair, fun, family-friendly environment for everyone to enjoy the beautiful game soccer. Generally a one-time requirement, though some regions may ask for updates every two to three years.
Safesport - to access your FREE training, that will update your AYSO status, please use this link to enroll: https://safesporttrained.org/?KeyName=tsVWe36Xa6PS3b5NzOug . You do not need to upload your Safesport results unless you are supplying a completed certificate from July 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021. Safesport will automatically update your profile, generally within 2 hours of completion. Name, DOB, and email must match your AYSO volunteer record in order for the certification to automatically update your volunteer profile. Requires a full 90-minute "Core" training in the first year, followed by shorter 30-minute "Refresher" courses annually. Every four years, the full course must be retaken.
Youth Volunteers: Volunteers under age 18 are required to take Safe Haven but are generally not required to take SafeSport.
FAQs on AYSO's Required Coach Training Policy
"Why do I have to be trained?"
AYSO's National Coaching Program training will help you have the most successful experience for both you and your players. If you're a soccer novice, you'll be trained on how to introduce soccer to young children - learning alongside them as you develop your coaching skills.
If you have played soccer, the training will complement the soccer knowledge you have with AYSO's tools and techniques for working with children and helping them learn. As many professional players have discovered, playing and coaching are very different skills!
If you've coached soccer elsewhere, it will help you understand what is unique about AYSO's training methodology, so you can coach the AYSO way. The most important thing a coach can learn is how to create the best environment for the kid to learn and compete.
"How do I find training in my local Region?"
Check your local Region website for upcoming coach training -- most Regions schedule U-6 through U-12 coach training each season. You can also contact your Regional Coach Administrator or Division Coordinator for more information on available training.
"Does AYSO offer online training?"
AYSO currently offers U-6, U-8 and U-10 coaching courses online at AYSOTraining.org. You must be a registered AYSO volunteer and have your AYSO ID number to access the training site. Once you have taken the course and passed the exam, your record in eAYSO will automatically show the training. However, make sure you print out the certificate for your records.
"Do both the head coach and assistant coaches need to be trained?"
Yes. This year, all U-6, U-8 and U-10 coaches must be age-appropriately trained whether you are the head coach or assistant coach.
"If I am a U-12 trained coach and will be coaching U-8 this coming season, do I have to go back and take the U-8 course?"
Yes, all coaches must be age-appropriately trained.