Twinsburg AYSO
Fall 2025 / Spring 2026 Soccer
FAQs

Registration
How do I register my child to play?
Access our website twinsburgsoccer.com.  The button to register is in the upper right corner of the home page.

What is the cost for soccer?
Cost is $107.75 for the first player in the family.  $105 per player thereafter. ($80 league fee + $25 AYSO National fee + $2.75 fee from Sports Connect for the registration software.)

There is a maximum fee of $300 per family. If your family qualifies for the maximum $300 family fee. Click on the family discount box in the registration process prior to payment.
Note: Discover and American Express are not accepted.

Is it the same cost for spring?
Yes, except if you played in the fall there is no $25 AYSO National fee. It’s just once a year.

When is registration?
Fall – Head coach registration starts mid-April and runs through mid-May.
Fall – Player registration officially starts mid-May and runs through mid-June.
Spring – Head coach registration starts mid-February and runs through mid-March.
Spring – Player registration officially starts mid-March and runs through early April.

Why are players initially put on a waitlist?
We want to insure we have enough coaches to afford every player a dedicated and committed coach. Once we know how many coaches we have we will activate registrants to be on a team.

Why is the registration for head coaches first?
The number of head coaches will determine the number of teams for the division which will determine the number of players activated from the waitlist.

What if you don’t get enough coaches for a division?
We will send multiple emails to all those involved in the division. If that still doesn't bring forth any volunteers, we will cancel the division. 

I still have some questions regarding registration.  Who should I contact?
Email us at [email protected].
 

Eligibility
Who can play?
Basically anyone.  The child must be born on or before July 31, 2021.  The child will then be 4 by the start of the season – August 1.  AYSO insurance requires the child to be at least 4 to be covered.

Do you have to be a resident of Twinsburg or in the Twinsburg school system to be eligible to play?
No. Anyone from any city can play. Although the city of Twinsburg provides support and field maintenance, the program is run completely by volunteers not employed by the city. The registration fee is the same regardless of where you live.

How do I know in which division my child will play?
The age / division breakdown is listed below.
Division               Age         Eligible birth dates
u5                        4              8.01.2020 thru 7.31.2021
u6                        5              8.01.2019 thru 7.31.2020
u7                        6              8.01.2018 thru 7.31.2019
u8                        7              8.01.2017 thru 7.31.2018
u10                      8–9          8.01.2015 thru 7.31.2017
u11                      10           8.01.2014 thru 7.31.2015
u12                      11           8.01.2013 thru 7.31.2014
u14                      12-13     8.01.2011 thru 7.31.2013
HS                       14-17     8.01.2007 thru 7.31.2011 – freshmen thru seniors

My child seems to like soccer but is physically challenged.  Can they play in the league?
Yes.  AYSO nationally (and ourselves locally) have an EPIC (Everyone Plays In our Community) program for individuals challenged physically or mentally. The program is designed to help players who would not be able to successfully participate on a mainstream team.  EPIC players are assigned “buddies” from mainstream teams who would provide prompts and guidance on the field.  For more information contact [email protected]. 

Can you provide more information on the EPIC program?
The AYSO EPIC Soccer team is a unique program to AYSO with the purpose of creating a rich soccer experience for those with special needs. 

This program is intended only for those with intellectual and or physical disabilities from 5-18 years of age. Our program emphasizes the rule of inclusion and has a peer model support system that consists of volunteers that are neurotypical children aged 12-18 to help promote soccer and social emotional skills. 
When registering for this team, you are acknowledging that your child has a speech hearing or vision impairment, physical and/or intellectual disability that has been diagnosed or demonstrates a need for an alternative setting that is a smaller ratio of players to coaches and with more modified coaching instruction. 

Guardians may choose to register their child for the EPIC team or a team in their child’s age group. It may be beneficial to the coach to share any diagnoses to allow for the coach to be cognizant of and able to know where to offer supports when working with your child. 

What to expect on the EPIC Team:
Meet for one hour on Saturdays. 
A warm up and stretch circle. Working on communication and learning teammates and buddies names. 
Dynamic stretching. 
Drills: dribbling, shooting, passing, etc. 
Scrimmage 
Stretching closing circle. 
Tunnel for goodbye 

What is different about EPIC:
We do not have games with other teams. We are one whole team and split into groups depending on group roster size. 

Safety
There’s been a lot of press about concussions. How is AYSO handling this?
Every coach and referee must go through a training session every three years to familiarize themselves with the symptoms and hazards of concussions. Additionally, each parent and player must signoff on the concussion awareness form as part of registration.  

What if my child gets injured during the game or practice?
After the injury has been treated, contact Patty Mold at [email protected].  Patty is our Child and Volunteer Protection Advocate (CVPA.)  She’ll let you know what insurance forms need to be completed and processes followed. 

What is the policy regarding thunderstorms?
We NEVER play when there is thunder or lightning in the area. The game is almost always cancelled as waiting 30 minutes to resume playing would completely throw off the day’s schedule. The only exception to cancellation would be if the game was the last of the day. Cancelled games are not rescheduled. The rule is if thunder is heard, the game is canceled.
 

Volunteers / Coaching
I’d like to help, but don’t really want to spend all my time doing soccer stuff.  What can I do to help?
Step 4 of the online registration process allows you to volunteer for coach, assistant coach or a variety of other positions.  We’re always looking for more people to help out.  You don’t have to be fanatical about soccer to help; just be willing to lend a hand.  Whatever you can do to help would be appreciated.
Here are some areas in which we need help:
-  Pregame field setup (put the goals on the fields, place the corner flags)
-  Assist the Equipment Manager
-  Awards distribution / supplies / logistics
-  Tournament help
-  Photo day “crowd” control
If interested, complete the volunteer form, call the hotline 330.405.0678 or email [email protected].

I want to be a coach.  How do I sign up?
Step 4 of the online registration process allows you to volunteer for coach, assistant coach or a variety of other positions. If you have any questions about the volunteer tasks, email us at [email protected].

But I never coached soccer before.  I don’t know the rules.
Soccer is a pretty simple game.  The rules are relatively minimal.  Offsides is the most challenging to learn and that is only applied to u12 and higher divisions.  Besides, even offsides pales in comparison to the complexity of explaining baseball’s infield fly rule. 

If I coach, I’m still concerned that I would be starting from ground zero relative to coaching.
Chad Cummings (coach administrator) and Cory Kovach (assistant coach administrator) have put together training materials and practice plans for new and veteran coaches.

Is the training just all “book” stuff?
No. Our Coach Administrator will conduct an outdoors training session too. It’s a few weeks before the season and lasts about three hours. It is not mandatory, but it is recommended. We’ve had great feedback on it.

Can my son or daughter be my assistant coach?
No.  A minor child cannot be listed as an assistant coach for the team.  They are not allowed to supervise other minors on their own.  They can be a team training assistant and help with demonstrating skills at practice, provided the adult head coach or adult assistant coach is present.  More details can be found under Youth Volunteers here. 
-  Youth Volunteers should be at least 12 years old.
-  The volunteer application must be submitted annually by a parent or guardian.
-  The youth volunteer must complete training before becoming active in their role, including; AYSO's Safe
   Haven, CDC Concussion Awareness, and Sudden Cardiac Arrest.

Teams
When will we be notified about what team our child is on?
Fall
You should hear from your child’s coach by the first or second week of August. If you haven’t heard from a coach by Aug 1, you can email us at [email protected].  We’ll get back to you with the connections for the coach. 
Spring
You should hear from your child’s coach by the first or second week of April. If you haven’t heard from a coach by early April, you can email us at [email protected].We’ll get back to you with the connections for the coach.

What if I decide to pull my child from the program?
You may pull your child from the program at anytime if you wish.  Once the uniform has been ordered or the player has practiced, only a partial refund will be given.  After the start of the season, partial refunds will be given only for unusual circumstances.

When must the league be notified our child is not playing?
Earlier is better than later, but barring unusual circumstances, we must be notified prior to the start of the season.  Notify us thru email at [email protected].  In addition to enabling us to process a refund, advising us of your child not playing enables us to let someone on the waiting list play.

What if my child plays both AYSO and another soccer program?
If it’s ok with you, it’s fine with us.  AYSO games are on Saturdays with a few on Friday nights.
However, state school rules prohibit a child from playing in a recreational league and on a school team. This only affects the older players.

Can I request for my child to be on the same team as one of her friends?
Yes, in step 2 (question 6) you can request specific teammates. However, we can’t promise the request will always be honored.  We try to keep friends together whenever possible, but the overriding factor is keeping the teams balanced.  If one team has a bunch of friends that want to play together and they all are above average players, there’s a strong likelihood that some of the requests won’t be honored.

My 5 year old is quite athletic.  Can she play “up” in the u7 division?
No.  We don’t honor any requests to have 4 or 5 year olds playing in the u7 division.

Will the divisions be single gender?
If we have the numbers, yes.  As a general rule, u5 thru u10 is single gender.  U12, u14 and the high school division have been coed.  However, if we don’t have the numbers, any division could be coed. 

Why not have single age divisions all the way through?
We would if we had the numbers, but we don’t.  We generally have single gender divisions for u5, 6, 7, u8, and u10.

Practice

When is practice and how often is it?
Fall
The coach sets practice days and times – usually what fits best into his / her work schedule.
Practices generally start the first week of August with a few teams starting practice the second week of August.  Almost all teams only practice once per week. Some teams may conduct an additional practice on a Saturday before the season starts.
Spring
The first weekend of the season is a practice followed by seven weeks of games. There is practice one day per week during the week.

Where will the practices be held?
Fall / Spring
You will be notified of the exact location (within the Twinsburg area) and time by the coach. 
No team can practice on the varsity field at Chamberlin or the Chamberlin practice field (behind the stadium).

My child has other commitments on Tuesdays.  Can we request that she be placed on a team that doesn’t practice on Tuesdays?
No.  The practice day is determined by the coach; what day works best for him or her.  The only way to absolutely guarantee there’s no conflict with other activities is to volunteer to coach.  Then you get to choose the practice date.

If the practice time doesn’t fit my child’s schedule, can he be transferred to a team with a compatible practice schedule?
No. That would be a very slippery slope. Once we start transferring players because of schedule conflicts, pandora’s box would be open.

Can I know when the team practices before I register my child?
No. Practice days and times are determined by the coach generally at the coaches’ meeting. The league doesn’t assign the practice times, the coach does.

Games
How long is the season?
Fall
The season officially starts August 1 and goes through mid-October.  The season is nine weeks long.
Spring
The season is seven weeks long, starting in April and runs through most of May.

When will the games be played?
Fall
Almost all the games are on Saturday. The exceptions being. U7 and higher divisions will play at least one game under the lights at Glenmeadow on Friday evening / night. There are also some games scheduled on Wednesday. There are no games on Sunday.
Spring
All games are on Saturday.

When time should we show up for the games?
Your coach will inform you, but generally show up 15-20 minutes before a game.  All games need to start on time.  If your game starts late, it will may be shortened to keep the league on schedule.

What if it rains (or snows)?  How do we know if the games are still being played?
In the event of bad weather, please show up for your game.  The decision to play will be decided by the referee or league officials once you get there.  If the games are cancelled early, we will contact the coaches.  In the absence of a call, the games are on.

Is a phone call the only way we would be notified of cancellations?
No. We will also get the message out via our website, our Facebook page, and our Twitter account.

Where and when can I get the game schedule?
Fall
Schedules are generally provided about one to two weeks prior to the start of the season.
Spring
Schedules are generally provided about one to two weeks prior to the start of the season.

When watching the games does it matter where I sit?
Yes.  Parents and other fans are to sit on the side opposite the players.  Only the coaches and players are to be on “their” side of the field. 
Also, we ask you do not sit in the area behind or near the goals.  If the ref or coach asks you to move, please do so.

Why is there a line outside of the sidelines?
We ask that you sit behind this line.  The space between the field line and the “fan” line provides space for throw ins and pursuit of the ball.

Are there tournaments?
In the past we’ve conducted tournaments for the u10, u12, u14 and High School divisions in the fall season. However, this is contingent on having an adult volunteer to oversee the tournament and a high school student to act as tournament coordinator.

Where are the tournaments held?
Tournament games are played on the same field on which our regular games are played, i.e. Glenmeadow and Liberty fields.


Older Teams - U14/HS
My son intends to try out for the school team.  Can he still play in AYSO?
No. If he makes the school team, he cannot play in AYSO or for any other team.  This is a state rule.  However, if he doesn’t make the team, he can definitely play in AYSO.  Because school tryouts are not held until August, we recommend registering your son or daughter in AYSO.  If he makes the team, we’ll refund the money.  If he doesn’t make the team, he’ll be registered with us, and uniforms will have been ordered and a team assigned. 

If my daughter makes the school team and I already registered her for AYSO, am I out the AYSO registration fee?
No.  Assuming you advise us in a timely manner (within the week of knowing she made the team); we’ll give you a full refund. Mark on the registration form that your child is trying out for the school team.  This will enable us to place the potential school players on different teams so no one team is decimated if the players all make the school team.

How many teams are there usually in the high school division?
In the recent past we’ve had two teams. The uniforms are reversible. This allows the coach to assign players to different teams each week. This keeps the competition fresher.

Is it mostly boys playing in the high school division?
The split has been running about 60/40 boys to girls.

Equipment
What size soccer ball should I get for my child?
U6 and u8 teams use a size 3 ball.  U10 and u12 use a size 4 ball.  U14 and HS use a size 5 ball.

Do I have to get soccer shoes for my child to play?
Soccer shoes are not mandatory.  If you do buy soccer shoes, they cannot have a toe cleat.  (Baseball shoes have a toe cleat.)  Generally speaking, as the players get older, the probability is higher that their teammates will have soccer shoes.

Why no shoes with toe cleats?
Because of possible injury.  The toe cleat can either get caught in the turf causing an injury or it could injure another player.  In baseball or football, the toe cleat serves the purpose of getting a better start whether from the base or the line of scrimmage.

What must they have to play?
All players must wear shin guards to play or practice.  Any extra article of clothing must be worn under the uniform.

Is it ok to wear earrings for the game?
No.  Jewelry of any kind (necklaces, watches, bracelets, earrings) cannot be worn during practice or games.  If your child wants to get their ears pierced and you’re concerned about the piercing closing up during the game, we suggest postponing the ear piercing until after the season. 

But, why?
Playing while wearing earrings exposes the player to the risk of injury.  The earring shaft can either be caught on another player’s uniform and tear from the ear or can be driven into the neck upon impact.  Is it likely?  No.  Neither is it likely that someone will get hit by lightning, but it unfortunately happens every year somewhere. 

My daughter just had her ears pierced.  Can she play if I cover them up with band aids?
No.  We even double checked with our National office on this one.  The rationale is that as long as the earrings are in, there’s the chance that they could get caught on something and cause a significant injury.

Must the players wear eyeglass straps?
No.  We think it’s a good idea, but it is not mandatory.

What about mouth guards?  Are they needed?
No.  They are not mandatory but are a good idea. 

Can the players wear clips or other things in their hair?
As a general rule, no.  Refs usually allow a soft, cloth hair band. Anything else, including hair beads, is not permitted.  The judgment of the ref is always final.

Any restrictions on socks? 
Yes.  They should be the team’s sock color.  Socks are provided as part of the uniform.  Also, the socks must cover the shinguard.  Being of the same color as the uniform makes it much easier for the ref to determine who kicked the ball out of play.  Covering the shinguard with the sock eliminates the possibility of the otherwise exposed shinguard from catching on another player.

Referees

My child would like to be a ref?  How do we go about this?
Fall
The age requirement is 12 years old as of August 1.  Register at our website or email in[email protected].  The training is usually scheduled for the first two Saturdays in August. Refs need only attend one session.   
Spring
The age requirement is 12 years old as of April 1.  Register at our website or email [email protected].  The training is usually scheduled for late March.

When is the training?
Fall
Training is scheduled to be at Liberty fields usually on the last Saturday of July and the second Saturday of August. (Twinsday weekend is in between those dates.)
Spring
Ref training is about two weeks prior to the start of the season. There will be emails about this.

Are there any other requirements besides the training?
Yes.  All volunteers (coaches, referees, youth referees, and others) must register as a volunteer and submit a volunteer application.  For a youth referee, the volunteer application must be submitted annually by a parent or guardian.
-  Youth Volunteers should be at least 12 years old.
-  All youth referees must complete training before becoming active in their role, including; AYSO's Safe
   Haven, CDC Concussion Awareness, and Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness.
-  All adult referees must complete training before becoming active in their role, including; AYSO's Safe
   Haven, CDC Concussion Awareness, Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness and SafeSport.

Does the online training need to be taken every year?
There are different renewals for each training.
-  AYSO's Safe Haven only needs to be completed once.
-  CDC Concussion Awareness must be renewed every three years.
-  Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness – Training must be completed in AYSOU.  Forms are signed each year
   when registering to volunteer.
-  SafeSport (adults only) – The main training is taken in year one with refreshers each year.  In year five, the
   training cycle begins again.

How much do the refs get paid?
Refs are paid per the following schedule.
U5/U6 $10 per game
U7/U8 $12
U10 $15
U12 $20
U14 $25
HS $30 

Uniforms
When will we get the uniforms?
The uniforms are expected to arrive at least one week prior to the start of the season.  The coach will distribute them.

Can I order different size shirt and shorts?
No.  We found it considerably more difficult to administer when the uniform sizes are mixed and matched.  You’ll need to decide what size fits best overall.

What do we get with the uniform?
Your child is supplied with a full uniform consisting of shirt, shorts, and socks.  These are yours to keep even after the season ends.

What if my child’s uniform doesn’t fit?
If your uniform doesn’t fit, please try and trade it with someone else on your team.  If that doesn’t work, contact Melissa Capriotti (201.303.4300) for a new uniform. There is a $25 - $30 fee for new uniforms. 

What else can I do particularly for my child’s team?
Your coach is a volunteer so anything you can do to help him/her will be appreciated.  Volunteering can be done in a variety of ways; no matter how small or large, just ask your child’s coach what you can do to help.  Remember you are also helping your child.

Photos
Will there be photos and if so when?
Fall
TBD – usually around the second week of September
Spring
No.  We don’t do photos for spring.

League Officials