Atlanta Region 1612 Frequently Asked Questions - Spring 2023 Season

What is AYSO?
When and where are practices and games held?
What equipment does my child need?
Who are the coaches?
How are teams formed?
I’ve submitted my registration. Now what?
Does AYSO Atlanta offer scholarships?
When are team assignments announced?
When do players meet their coaches & teams?
It’s almost time for Jamboree, and I’ve not been contacted. What should I do?
What is the cost, and does AYSO 1612 issue refunds?
When does the season begin?  When will the game schedule be posted?
What about late registration and waiting lists?
What happens if there is inclement weather?
What do the divisions mean?
Can I make a buddy request for my player?
Is there anything else I should know, and who do I contact for assistance?


What is AYSO?

The American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) is the oldest national youth soccer program in the US, and is a non-profit organization that provides youth soccer programs for over 500,000 players nationwide.

AYSO is a soccer program for the whole family, and our goal is for every girl and boy stepping on a soccer field to learn soccer and have a fun, fair and safe experience. In AYSO, every player on every team plays at least 50 percent of every game.

We run on volunteer power! Every coach, referee, and board member is a volunteer. Atlanta’s Region 1612 is managed by a local board that oversees recruitment, training, team formation, game schedules, and more. We rely on your volunteerism to make youth soccer fun and safe for all players.

Read more about AYSO

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When and where are practices and games held?

Upper Division & 10U practices are held one or two times a week depending on coach and team preference. 8U, 10U and Upper Division practices are held for about one hour per week. Practice days and times are determined by the Team Coach and Coach Administrator, based on availability. 5U and 6U teams practice for 30 minutes before each game on Saturday only.

Games are held on Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons. There are no games during holiday weeks or school breaks like Spring or Fall Break.

This season:
• Practices will held at Boulevard Crossing Park, Monday-Friday
• Games will held at Boulevard Crossing Park on Friday nights for Upper boys, and Saturday afternoons for all other divisions.

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What equipment does my child need?

The registration fee includes: complete uniform (jersey, shorts, socks), supplemental accident insurance, and team and individual pictures*.
In addition, your player will need:
• shoes (cleats are helpful, but not necessary; sneakers are fine),
• shin guards (mandatory; must be worn at all practices & games),
• a soccer ball (U5,U6,U8 - size 3, U10, U12 - size 4), and
• a water bottle.

Please make sure your child does not wear any jewelry to any practice nor game: this includes earrings, necklaces, bracelets, watches, fitness trackers, etc.

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Who are the coaches?

AYSO coaches are volunteers who give their time to bring a quality soccer experience to children. Coaches receive age-specific training for every experience level through online certification courses and supplemental local instruction and clinics. Learn more about becoming a coach here.

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How are teams formed?

The Regional Board is committed to ensuring all teams are well-balanced. Coaches rate players’ skills from previous seasons. AYSO then uses a computer generated system to randomize teams with an emphasis on creating balanced teams.

Please note: AYSO 1612 cannot honor requests that friends or siblings play on the same teams; our focus is on forming well-balanced teams so that everyone’s soccer experience is enjoyable. However, if a parent would like to volunteer to coach and the friend's parent would like to coach they can be on the same team.

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I’ve submitted my registration. Now what?

Once you’ve created an account and enrolled in a program at ayso1612.org, work begins behind the scenes to register your player. Fees are due upon registration.

About one month before the first game, the Regional Board balances teams, and finalizes coach assignments and schedules. These details will be communicated to you via email. General updates are also posted on AYSO Atlanta's Facebook page.

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Does AYSO Atlanta offer scholarships?

Yes. Each season we offer a limited number of need-based scholarships to cover registration fees. The scholarship application can be completed online.

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When are team assignments announced?

Your player (and coaches) will be able to view their roster online at http://ayso1612.org before each season begins. AYSO volunteers do their best to have a first draft of all team placements several weeks before the first practice; however please be aware that this is not the final team assignment. If a volunteer coach has not been identified or if there are practice day scheduling conflicts, some player/team swaps may be made to ensure teams are appropriately balanced. You can prevent delays by signing up early to be a coach or assistant coach! Email [email protected] to find out how.

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When do players meet their coaches & teams?

Coaches and teams meet together at Jamboree, about 2 weeks prior to beginning practice each season. Jamboree is the time for teams to get together, meet each other, and decide when to practice, team name, snack schedules, etc. After that all teams except 6U and 5U are permitted to begin weekday practices. 6U and 5U teams do not have separate weekday practices.

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It’s almost the start of the season, and I’ve not been contacted. What should I do?

Please don’t panic if you haven’t heard any information about your child’s team! If your child’s team does not have a volunteer coach, players' parents will be contacted to discuss to see if a volunteer can be identified. Again, AYSO is a 100% volunteer-run organization, and the best way to prevent delays in team formations is for YOU to step up and volunteer as a coach or assistant coach!

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What is the cost, and does AYSO 1612 issue refunds?

For Spring 2023, player fees are $160.00 Additionally, there is an annual AYSO national fee of $20.00 for all players, which is only paid once during a membership year (2 seasons starting in the Fall). Player fees cover insurance, uniforms, team photos, and help defray field leasing costs for AYSO 1612. There is also a processing fee of $2.75, so the total cost for a new player will be $182.75. 

Early bird registration is from 1/16/2023-1/31/2023 and provides a $20 discount, for a total of $162.75 for new players.

If your child played in the Fall 2022 season, the total will be $20 less as the AYSO national fee has already been paid.

$5 Family discounts are also applied to each additional sibling from the same family.

A $20 late registration fee will be applied to registrations after 2/9/2023 to cover the cost of rush shipping uniform orders.

Refund requests are individually reviewed by the Regional Board. For Spring 2023: Players withdrawing prior to 2/3/2023 can be issued a full refund of the AYSO Atlanta fee. Between 2/4/2023 and 2/12/2023  50% refunds, minus the AYSO national fee, can be issued. No refunds will be issued on or after 2/13/2023.

All refund requests must be submitted in writing to [email protected].

*Note: The AYSO national fee of $20 is separate from the AYSO Atlanta fee, and cannot be refunded once it is paid.

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When does the season begin?  When will the game schedule be posted?

Practices begin the week of February 27th. Note: 5U&6U does not practice prior to their first game. 
First Games: March 10th & 11th
No Games:April 1st, 7th or 8th (Spring Break)
Last Games: May 12th and 13th
Prior to the game schedule being posted, it is worthwhile to note that with the exception of Upper Boys who play Friday evening, games will always happen sometime between 1pm and 6pm each Saturday during the season.

In case of postponement, all make-up games will take place on pre-arranged dates.

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What about late registration and waiting lists?

Some divisions reach capacity before registration ends. When a division is full, players who attempt to register will be automatically placed on a waiting list. Players on the waiting list will be contacted if a spot opens.

Late registration may be available in divisions that are not at capacity by the end of regular registration. In that case, an announcement will be made on AYSO Atlanta's Facebook page.

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What happens if there is inclement weather?

Weather sometimes impacts soccer practice and game play. The City of Atlanta owns the field(s) where AYSO practices and plays games. They will not allow play if weather is unsafe or if there is standing water that could damage the fields. AYSO Atlanta uses Remind to send text messages for important updates like weather cancellations. Please visit the Remind page to join our group.

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What do the divisions mean?

We recognize that the names of the divisions may be a little misleading, as the AYSO national age groups are based on the child's year of birth. This means that your child may play with kids in different grades, but roughly the same age. Further, some divisions will be consolidated to allow for an appropriate number of teams. Below is a listing of each division and the corresponding birth years.

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Can I make a buddy request for my player?

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Is there anything else I should know?

Yes! Please Remember…

AYSO is a parent-based volunteer organization established to provide a positive experience for our children. Go to the games. Learn the rules. Familiarize yourself with AYSO's unique philosophy. Above all, be tolerant of any mistakes the player's coaches and referees might make. And volunteer for a job!

More Questions?
Email [email protected] and check AYSO Atlanta's Facebook page regularly for updates on AYSO Atlanta Region 1612. Leave a voicemail for AYSO Atlanta at 803-868-2570 and your call will be returned.

For technical questions about the registration website, please call the Sports Connect help desk at 1-866-258-3303. 

This page was last updated 01/20/2023 and will be routinely updated as information changes.

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