Registration Planning
The adage, “failure to plan is a plan for failure” is certainly true when it comes to Regional registration. A Registration Calendar of Events is a convenient tool for developing a plan and recruiting help from all Regional Board members.
The following is a general outline for a Registration Calendar for MY2024.
| January 2024 | Planning and Development – Goals, Dates, Venue, Budgets. |
| February 2024 | Supplies – Flyers, Posters, Banners, Equipment. |
| March 2024 | Get the Word out! |
| April 2024 | Assign Job Duties to Volunteers |
| May 2024 | Registration Season Begins |
PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Work with the Regional Commissioner, Treasurer, and other board members to:
• Develop registration goals, such as player and volunteer numbers and implementation of any new player programs such as Playground, EPIC or Adult Soccer.
• Make a list of expenses expected for the upcoming Season, any secondary seasons and any plans for new programs in following seasons.
• Work with Regional Board to develop the Region’s annual budget and the Region’s registration fees along with a Region calendar including registration events.
• Set date(s) for registration.
• Set Registration fees which can vary by Program and Age Division.
• Agree upon, document, and publish scholarship and refund policies.
• Set “Early Bird” discount relative to the minimum fee required from each player to meet budget plans. A discount is preferred to imposing late registration penalties when it comes to incentives for registering early.
• Develop a plan for informing parents and the community about registration. (Emails, Flyers, website news rotator, Social Media, etc.)
• Let every board member know that they are all expected to help at a registration event. Each board member oversees recruiting volunteers for their specific discipline.
• If the region holds an in-person registration event using a school or town facility, seek permission early to reserve dates/times. You may also need a building use permit and/or certificates of liability insurance. Work with the Regional Safety Director to ensure proper liability coverage for any/all events. See Registration Event Suggestions.
• Try to pick a location with separate entrance and exit doors for better traffic flow, internet access and computers for anyone who needs to register, ample parking, restrooms and any other facilities to host the event.
SUPPLIES
• Prepare and print registration flyers and/or Posters. Templates, flyers, and more can be found on the www. aysomarketing.org website. Seek permission to send flyers to each of the schools in your Region.
• Make signs for registration and volunteer recruitment positions: (Team Parents, Uniforms, Coaches, Referees, Treasurer, etc.)
• Make sure parents/families have a “take-away” with the Region Number/website/Name and contact information so that families can find information after registration. Consider refrigerator magnets, buttons, business cards, etc.
PUBLICITY
• Update the Region website with registration dates/times, Regional policies, especially refund policies, and contact
information.
• Set up registration Programs/Divisions in AYSO’s system of record using the set up wizard to create them.
Go to sportsconnect.com/ayso, click on “Already a Partner” to view training videos and to contact Support.
Do not wait until Registration Day to seek help setting up programs/divisions.
• Encourage parents to complete their volunteer applications and player registrations online before the registration day and not to wait until Registration day.
• Consider advertising in the local newspaper, movie theater, on television or local radio. Contact the AYSO Marketing department for assistance with public service announcements and videos.
• Remind the Regional Commissioner to send an Email blast to all previously registered players’ parents to notify them of the upcoming season.
• Contact Junior and High School soccer coaches and ask them to personally talk to their players about AYSO registration and give them extra flyers to pass out.
• Promote “Early Bird” discounts, create a “draw” like a “free” practice t-shirt to every child who attends an event with their parents, player evaluations or include fun activities for children.
• Consider setting up registration opportunities at any local community event like farmer’s markets, festivals, parades or other youth sports organizations.
ASSIGN JOB DUTIES TO THE EVENT TEAM
• Call event team members (at least 6- 8 in addition to board members) and confirm their job responsibilities at registration and what date/time to be there. Let them know they will be busy with parents and/or paperwork and money and that they may not want to bring their own children to these events.
• Ask the Treasurer to bring the cash drawer, receipts and startup cash. Encourage parents to pay online to reduce the burden and risk associated with handling cash/check payments.
• Decide on the layout of the room and the sequence of each station, creating many opportunities for parents to stop, become acquainted with the Region and to be recruited to volunteer. Registration events are the best opportunity to recruit volunteers.
Note: Regions cannot:
• Require parents to volunteer (some may not be eligible).
• Require parents to volunteer as a condition for a player scholarship.
• Reduce or eliminate a player fee based upon volunteer work done by a participant’s parents or guardians. Should a Region decide to incur the cost of the volunteer membership fee for its participating volunteers, an exception shall be made to allow a reduction of a player fee associated with the volunteer for an amount not exceeding the cost of the volunteer membership program. This rule does not impact the Region’s ability to set early registration discounts available to all participants, to create volunteer recognition programs, to provide scholarship programs and provide other programs available in the Region’s program. No fee distinction shall be made based upon parental or player participation in Regional fundraising activities.
