NEWS & NOTES: 

UNDER 19 ARIZONA STATE CUP, PRESENTED BY SCION:

State Cup for the U-19 age-group will be held on Memorial Day Weekend at the Reach 11 Sports Complex in Phoenix.  Click here for the full schedule

AYSA wishes the best of luck to all teams participating!

YOP CAMP REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN:

YOP Camp will be held this June 6-9 at Embry Riddle University in Prescott.  The camp is open to all Boys & Girls birth years '01 & '02.  ('03 players may register with a coach reccomendation.  Click here for more information

Tucson Association of REALTORS™ and Fort Lowell Soccer Club

Break Ground on Community Project for New Soccer Fields

Tucson, AZ -- Proceeds for the Tucson Association of REALTORS™ Shootout presented by Fort Lowell Soccer Club, along with contributions from the soccer community and private donors, are creating two new soccer fields for Tucson. Ground was broken on Friday, April 12, for two new lit fields at Doolen Middle School, Grant and Country Club. The fields are being built with the cooperation of Tucson Unified School District and the City of Tucson Parks and Recreation Department.

FOR A RENDERING OF THE NEW FIELDS CLICK HERE

Philip B. Tedesco, CEO of the Tucson Association of REALTORS™, said "The Tucson Association of REALTORS is proud to be a part of the Shootout and proud that the monies from the event are being invested in the infrastructure of our community to the benefit of our youth, our schools and our neighborhoods."

Councilwoman Karen Uhlich joined him in praising the project saying, "This partnership offers a model for improving parks and recreation facilities for our children and all residents. The generous investment from the Fort Lowell Soccer Club and the youth soccer community, plus the involvement of Doolen School/TUSD and the City's Parks Department has created beautiful, functional open space for young athletes and surrounding neighbors to enjoy for years to come. Our scarce resources must be better managed, and this kind of collaboration demonstrates how we can succeed by working together as a community."

Curt Cannon, who serves as the volunteer Director of Operations with Fort Lowell Soccer Club explained how the Doolen project is being put together. "With seed money from the Shootout, we have been able to create a community effort that will address the needs of the soccer community for more lit fields," said Cannon. "While Fort Lowell Soccer Club did the ground work and will fund the majority of the project with proceeds from the Tucson Association of REALTORS™ Shootout, Pima County Junior Soccer League, Tucson Mountain Soccer Football Club, TUSD, the City of Tucson, and private donors have all contributed to make this project a reality."

The two new fields are being built to the maximum regulation size. "The sizes of the fields provide great versatility," Cannon explained. "They can be used for competitive play for our older players or they can be configured to provide four small fields for younger players."   The fields will be surrounded by a resilient, paved, lit walking path that is almost a half mile long. "We want to maximize the use of the fields both by the soccer community, the school and the neighborhood," Cannon said.

The fields are expected to be ready for play in time for the 2014 Tucson Association of REALTORS Shootout next January. The tournament kicks off Tucson's busy tourist season and generates over $3 million for local businesses each year. "These fields were made possible by the Shootout and it is only fitting that the players who come to enjoy the tournament will inaugurate play on them," Cannon concluded.

The Fort Lowell Soccer Club would like to personally thank all teams who have participated in the Shootout over the years...  Your support of our annual tournament has made this project possible!

MONTHLY FEATURE ARTICLE

THE CRAZY SEASON

By:  Austin Daniels, AYSA Technical Director

The crazy season has arrived on the Arizona youth soccer scene... It's tryout time!!! What is it about tryout time that makes normally professional adults act immature and unprofessional? Why does this time of year change adults? Are they like this all year round but hide it during other parts of the season?

It's a question I ask myself every year around this time. It seems during the tryout season that many adults, coaches, and parents turn to have all the worst qualities that we dislike; greedy, selfish and unreasonable behavior.

Is the grass always greener this time of year or is it greener all year but this is the time they can find that greener patch?

Most people know what I'm referring to. If you don't, it's the perpetual searching for the perfect coach and the perfect team that will win every game and get every player a full scholarship to play in college even if they are 7 years old. Where did this craziness come from? I'm afraid to say it came from us, the adults. The kids didn't create this environment. The adult coaches, parents and administrators have. We all have had a hand in creating this type of environment... It is something we need to change.

How do we as adults change this environment that we have created?

First we need to take a step back and take a realistic view of where we are in the big picture. This is youth soccer not the professionals. Most players are playing to have fun, be with friends and improve and learn. Ask most players if they would rather play in games and lose or sit on the bench and win championships most players will opt on playing. Of course they all want to win but playing is the upmost importance.

Most of the players will not be receive a college scholarship. Many will not even continue to play in high school. Almost no one will make it to the professional level. So why do we treat every game as if it's the final of the World Cup?

Coaches need to understand that we are not at the level of Jose Mourinho or Alex Ferguson. We are at the level of the local school teacher working hard every day to make sure the players are as successful as they can be. If we can create an open fun and learning environment we would be amazed at how much better players will be.

Parents keep in mind why your children play. Understand that you can't solve every problem that arises in your child's life. Your child needs to learn how to solve problems on their own. They may need help on how to solve issues that arise, but let them work on their problem solving skills; it will help them in the long run.

As administrators we need to constantly look at the competitions we've set up and determine how much emphasis we put on wining. Every player strives to win whenever they step on the field. As adults we have to watch that we don't over emphasize the winning of a competition so not to put too much pressure on players.

During this tryout season take a look at your current situation. It may not be perfect but can you help make it better by staying? The solution is not always moving to the next imperfect situation.

Hopefully everyone can analyze where they are now and make a non emotional decision on what is best for their child. Keep in mind each club and team should be striving for a positive, creative, learning environment that is fun. At the end of the day soccer should be and is a fun game. There isn't a player out there that goes to work soccer; the players go to play soccer. Have fun and enjoy the summer.

AYSA PARTNERSHIP EXTENDED WITH MAXINMOTION: 

Arizona Youth Soccer Association is pleased to announce the extension of our partnership with the MaxInMotion™ Foundation for the upcoming 2013-14 youth soccer season!

ARIZONA YOUTH SOCCER ASSOCIATION TO HOST

NATIONAL YOUTH LICENSE: