What's New for 2024-25

SILENT SATURDAY 

When: Oct 5th 2024 All Fields
Why: Silent Saturday is a throwback to the old schoolyard days when kids would congregate after school and on weekends just to play all day, without regard to who was winning and repercussions for poor play and decision-making. Coaches are requested to communicate and reinforce this with spectators!

The objectives of Silent Saturday are:

• To emphasize that the game is about letting the kids have fun and play.

• To show that kids can play well on their own with limited instruction.

• To help the few parents and coaches who feel they must provide constant direction, understand how disruptive it can be.

• To give players the chance to trust their skills and instincts without sideline input.

• To encourage leadership skills among the individual players as they have the unique opportunity of giving their own instruction on the field.

• To encourage a sense of true teamwork as the players must learn to rely upon one another and communicate with each other accordingly.

• To support our volunteer referees, both youth and adult, by eliminating sideline interference and comments.

The spirit of Silent Saturday is to allow players to make decisions and learn the game. After all, if the child doesn’t make their own mistakes, it will hinder their development in the sport. If parents think their children are confused and don’t know what to do without sideline instruction, that’s an indication that players haven’t been allowed to make their own decisions. Players will learn the game by making their own decisions, learning from their mistakes, and continuing to play.

For more information, watch this video discussing the benefits of having a Silent Saturday. This interview was featured on the Hallmark Channel and talks about best practices, why screaming from the sidelines is bad for player development and what to do when all of this becomes unmanageable. Consider sharing this video with families during your kick-off meeting or as needed when sideline behavior becomes an issue.

Some basic rules:

Spectators

We request that you make no verbal comments about the game or direct any comments to the players, referees or coaches. Clapping IS allowed! Be creative in how you choose to cheer your child’s team – make signs to hold up or bring a rally towel in the team’s color and wave it wildly. There are lots of ways to cheer other than verbally – applaud/clap, but please no horns, whistle or noise-makers.

Coaches

It is recommended that you do not provide any direction – verbal or non-verbal – to players who are on the field. Speak to the team before the match, at substitution breaks and at halftime as you normally do. During the match, speak quietly to players on the bench about the game. If required, quietly call a player on the field over to the touchline to provide tactical instruction. Then let them convey the message to the team.

Players

While on the field, you are encouraged to speak to each other as normal. Continue to support and provide direction to each other, as you have in the past. Substitute players on the bench, should remain quiet and not cheer or provide tactical instruction to their teammates. Lest they simply replace the coach or act on their behest.

Referees

For this special day, referees are asked to monitor the spectators and coaches’ adherence to these guidelines and to offer gentle reminders if the recommendations are not being followed. Continue to verbalize often during the game as you normally do. You are there to help the players have a safe, fair and fun time.

What remains in effect?

Live Scan Policy for CA Volunteers

Effective, January 1, 2022, all volunteers in California MUST have a one-time background check as approved by the California Department of Justice to exclude individuals with a history of child abuse. This form of background check requires fingerprinting by LiveScan.

Safe Sport certification for Volunteers

Effective, January 1, 2022, all volunteers for youth sports MUST complete the Safe Sport course. If you have taken the course for another youth sport you may upload your certificate to your account. Please see the volunteer page for instructions on how to take this course.

7U/8U Referees

7U/8U teams are required to have at least one team referee again, as we found that having the coaches officiate the game was not very successful. Newbury Park does not offer the course, but team referees may take the online "8U Official" course or an in-person course administered by a neighboring region. If another referee is not assigned to a 7U/8U game, the home team is responsible for officiating the game. The head coach may not be the team referee, but the assistant can, if another volunteer cannot be found. If the assistant coach is the referee, they may not coach while officiating the game. Assistant referees for the sideline can be parents or coaches. ARs will signal in or out of play only, as offside isn’t enforced at 7U and 8U level.

Field monitors

Although we have had field monitors in previous years, beginning in 2022 field monitors will be required for all games in the 7U, 8U, and 10U divisions. Games will not be permitted to start until a field monitor is present.

Coach encroachment on the field

Region 42 will have zero tolerance for coaches entering the field of play to challenge a referee. Referees are instructed to send the coach off, meaning the coach will leave the vicinity of the field and go to the parking lot. If a coach refuses to leave the field the game will be terminated as a forfeit win for the opponent. In addition to the sendoff, the coach will receive at a minimum an additional one-game suspension.

SCA (Sudden Cardiac Arrest) Training

In accordance with California state law, SCA certification is required for all coaches, referees, and other administrators. The course is available at AYSOU. Please see the volunteer page for instructions on how to take this course. 

Changes to the Laws of the Game

Please review these changes carefully as there are several that will likely cause some spectators and coaches a bit of confusion if they are uninformed. Link to Law changes.

Handshake line clarification

We have had far too many instances of coaches using the handshake line at the end of games to air grievances, whether to opposing players, coaches, or the referee team. The handshake line is for one purpose, and that is to express sportsmanship. The only words that should be used in the handshake line are phrases such as “Good job”, “Well done”, and “Thanks”. Any instance of airing grievances to a player, a coach, or a referee, no matter how valid the grievance, will earn an automatic one game suspension. Issues with a player or coach should be brought to the attention of the division director, and issues with a referee should be brought to the attention of the referee administrator.

Age Appropriate Coach Certification

You must be certified at the age level you are coaching. Online coach certification by itself is no longer acceptable; field training is also required.

Safe Haven/Concussion Awareness

AYSO Safe Haven and Concussion certifications are required. In accordance with California state law, the CDC Concussion Awareness class is now required for all coaches, referees, and other administrators. Both courses are available at AYSOU. Please see the volunteer page for instructions on how to take this course. 

U.S. Soccer Player Development Initiatives

12U Division

Beginning the 2017 season, it was decided that goalkeepers may not drop kick or punt the ball into the air. This restriction has been rescinded. In 2018, drop kicking/punting by the goalkeeper is permitted. However, players still may NOT head the ball and coaches may not do any activities in practices that involve heading.

8U/10U Divisions

In an effort to encourage possession football, an extra line known as the "build-out line" has been added to each half of the field, halfway between the penalty area (aka the "18-yard box") and the half line. (Note that U.S. Soccer only proscribes the use of the build-out line in 10U, but Region 42 has decided to use it in younger divisions as well.)

• When the goalkeeper is in possession of the ball, either in their hand or taking a goal kick, the defending team must retreat behind that line.
• The goalkeeper may throw the ball or put it down and kick it, but may not drop kick it.
  
• For the rule that goalkeepers must release the ball within six seconds of picking it up, the clock does not start until the defending team has retreated behind the build-out line.
• When the goalkeeper has possession of the ball, it is in play as soon as the they release it, even if the opposing team has not yet retreated behind the line (i.e., if the goalkeeper doesn't want to wait, they don't have to).
• On a goal kick, the defending team must wait until the ball is kicked before they may advance.
• In 10U, the build-out line also serves as the offside line. In other words, an attacking player will not be considered to be offside when they are standing between the halfway line and the build-out line in the opponent's half.

7U Division

In the 7U division, we will also be using the build-out line as in 8U/10U, but as there are no goalkeepers, the build-out line is only applicable to goal kicks. The defending team must wait behind the line until the ball is kicked. However, if the kicking team decides to kick the ball before the opponents have all gone behind the line, then the ball is in play.