AYSO is child-first and child focused.
Every decision, every rule and every program has ‘what’s good for the kids’ as its basis.  Every girl and boy stepping on a soccer field for the first time can have fun.  AYSO’s child-first approach also makes it one of the finest player development programs.  Everybody likes to win, but developing successful players and people is what’s fundamental in AYSO. With children’s natural joy in running and kicking, soccer builds on these two skills by adding techniques to control the ball and work as a team.  It also encourages creative decision making and strategic thinking.  It’s a fast game that keeps each player moving the entire time.   

AYSO has age appropriate small-sided games for the lower age divisions, which allow younger players more touches on the ball and a more successful soccer learning environment and experience. AYSO soccer encourages positive self-esteem, discipline, personal responsibility, teamwork, acceptance of and learning from disappointment and success, and perseverance. It is also an enjoyable game to watch as well as to play. We believe that quality soccer can and should be developed and that it can and should be fun.

Therefore, the emphasis of our program is not on who wins but how the individuals did and teams develop and did they have fun in doing so. We want all participants to reach their full, age-appropriate potential and to enjoy themselves in the process. An important aspect of the AYSO program is sportsmanship. Our children need to experience:

- the fun of hard fought but fair competition
- winning graciously,
- losing graciously,
- improving one’s abilities through practice,
- learning the social skills involved in becoming a member of a team, and
- acknowledging good play by teammates as well as opponents

One of the ways in which our children can learn and continue to have these experiences is by our demonstration of good sideline behavior. Our children learn by watching our conduct. Keep a positive outlook and demonstrate it by supporting the coaches, the players, and the referees, in spite of any mistakes they may make during the course of a game.