CONGRATULATIONS TO AYSO FOR ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY

Congratulations to American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) for reaching its 50^th Anniversary!  Much thanks to the organization for providing millions of boys and girls with the opportunity to play and enjoy the game of soccer. Thanks to all of the parents, coaches, referees, team Mom’s and volunteers that have supported AYSO over this period.

AYSO was established in the Los Angeles area in 1964 with nine teams. It was the dream of a group of devoted soccer enthusiasts who started the organization in a garage. Today, AYSO has 50,000 teams and over 500,000 players. It also employs 50 people at the AYSO National Office in Torrance, CA.

Over the years, AYSO has created many valuable programs and concepts. Most notably, AYSO revolutionized youth sports with its "Everyone Plays^®" and "Balanced Teams" philosophies. In AYSO, each child who registers is guaranteed to play at least half of every game. To help create evenly matched games, all AYSO players are placed on new or "balanced" teams each year. These decisions are made based on each player's skill level and the overall ability of the team.

In 1971, two San Fernando Valley residents developed AYSO's first girls program in Granada Hills, CA. Today, a corporate sponsor has joined with AYSO as the organization's first official sponsor of its national girl's initiative. Currently, 40 percent of AYSO's players are girls.

In the mid-70s, an AYSO coach chartered new territory as he welcomed the organization's first player with Down Syndrome. As a result of this landmark union, soccer was introduced into the Special Olympics. Today, AYSO offers its membership the Very Important Player (VIP) program for kids with special needs. The VIP program boasts 75 programs and 1,500 players. For more information on the organization, please visit www.ayso.org.