Frequently Asked Questions

What is AYSO?

The AYSO mission is to develop and deliver quality youth soccer programs which promote a fun, family environment based on our 6 philosophies:

• Everyone Plays
• Balanced Teams
• Open Registration
• Positive Coaching
• Good Sportsmanship
• Player Development

Information regarding the AYSO program, in general, can be found at www.ayso.org. The Burlingame AYSO organization is the largest youth sports program in the city.

What is PIE?

PIE= Positive, Instructional and Encouraging. It is the AYSO coaching philosophy that we want all to abide by when dealing with players. This means no negative comments toward a player when they make a mistake or fail to perform to your standards. Referees have the authority to eject parents, coaches, or spectators who verbally abuse a player. So please keep all comments PIE.

How do I register my child?

Register at burlingameayso.org. You will need to create a new account if you have not registered previously with Burlingame AYSO. Players and volunteers new to Burlingame will need to be able to provide a copy of the player’s birth certificate or a copy of the volunteer’s photo ID, as applicable.

Contact [email protected] if you are having issues getting into your existing account; please do not create a new account.

We encourage you to register as soon as possible to enable us to best gauge interest and support our volunteer recruitment efforts. Burlingame AYSO is a 100% Volunteer-run Organization. Please submit your interest in volunteering here!

What is the Season Registration Fee?

$250 (Burlingame residents), $335 (non-residents)
4U Playground Program: $125 (Burlingame residents), $210 (non-residents)

Financial assistance is available. No player will be excluded from AYSO due to insufficient funds.

How can I apply for financial aid?

Please contact [email protected]. No application is necessary.

Can I get a refund if my player doesn’t want to play anymore?

Through June 30, full refunds less the $25 processing fee are available. July 1-July 31, refunds of 50% are available. Starting August 1, refunds will not be available. Please contact [email protected].

What other soccer expenses can I anticipate this year?

Registration includes a team uniform (jersey, shorts, and socks), the basic photo package, and supplemental accident insurance for AYSO-sponsored activities. Not included are the required shin guards, appropriate shoes, and a strongly recommended practice ball.

What if I have other registration questions?

If you have other questions, email us at [email protected].

Will my children be on the same team?

Siblings in the same division will be placed on the same team. Parents may request that their children not be placed on the same team by contacting [email protected].

Can I request that my child be on the same team with friends?

We allow friend requests for the 5U and 6U divisions. At the 7U division and older, we do not accept friend requests for logistical reasons; there are too many players and teams to make this practicable. A player can be on the same team with a friend if both of their parents coach together.

How can I request to be placed on a team which will not practice on a certain day due to a potential conflict with another activity?

Practices can be any day of the week, Monday through Friday, depending on a coach’s schedule and field availability. There is no way to assign players to coaches based on practice day preferences. The best way to guarantee your practice day/time works for is to become a coach!

I need my child to be on their friend’s team so that that other parent can take my child to practice. What can I do?

Attach a note to your registration form describing your needs and circumstances. The regional registrar, when developing the teams, may be able to accommodate your request. Please note that the registrar considers many factors in the development of a team and may not be able to honor your request. In the Under 10 and older divisions, balancing teams is our primary concern, and with more than 1000 players in our program, special requests are harder to honor without a significant demonstrated need that goes well beyond convenience.

My child can’t make it to practices on the days the coach has chosen. What can I do?

If there are other activities (such as lessons of some kind), maybe it would be possible to adjust that schedule during soccer season.

Are there coed teams?

There are co-ed teams at the 4U division only.

Can my child play up a division?

Playing up is discouraged and will only be approved in limited circumstances. Play up requests should be limited to situations where development of the player is served by playing at a higher level without compromising player safety. Play up requests will not be granted to accommodate playing with friends or for the convenience of parents/coaches. Parents interested in requesting a play up accommodation should first communicate with the Division Coordinator of the division to which their player is assigned.

Can my child play down a division?

No player may play down into a younger division. Parents who feel that their players are in a situation necessitating playing down are encouraged to inquire about AYSO VIP program opportunities.

Is there a program for children with special needs?

Yes! The VIP program is designed to meet the needs of physically and mentally challenged children. This program is an Area program handled by the San Mateo AYSO region. Please email [email protected] for additional information.

4U (Playground) (3 year olds): This program is not about playing soccer games, but developing the skills needed to play any sport. We use soccer themed group activities and parent participation to develop the fundamental motor skills that prepare kids for all sports. Sessions are 30 minutes every Saturday for 7 weeks at Washington Park in Burlingame. The first session is the second Saturday after Labor Day.

5U and 6U (4 & 5 year olds): There are no practices in these divisions. They play every Saturday beginning on Opening Day (the first Saturday following Labor Day) for 8 weeks. All 5U and 6U children will play eight consecutive games with the final game being played the last Saturday in October. Games are generally played between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 2 p.m. All games are played on the Washington Park field in Burlingame.

7U and 8U (6 & 7 year olds): Practices are held once a week in this division and begin in mid-August. There are two to four practices prior to the first game. The first game occurs on Opening Day (typically the first Saturday following Labor Day). All games are 40 minutes in length, with a brief halftime period. All 7U/8U children will play nine consecutive weeks, with the final game being played the last Saturday in October. Please note that win/loss records are not kept in this division. Games are generally played between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. All games are played on the Washington Park field in Burlingame.

10U (8 & 9 year olds): Practices are held once a week in this division and begin in late-August. There are two to four practices prior to the first game. The first game occurs on Opening Day, which is typically the first Saturday following Labor Day. All games are 50 minutes in length, with a 5-10 minute halftime period. All 10U children will play eight consecutive regular season games where player development and team building are emphasized, so the win/loss record is not kept. All regular season games are generally played between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Following the regular season game, a Burlingame Cup tournament will occur in which all qualified teams will play games in a round-robin format to determine the top teams that advance to knock-out rounds. To qualify for the Burlingame Cup, a team must accumulate 9 Cup Volunteer Points. The teams that make it to the knock-out rounds of the tournament could play as late as the second Saturday in November. The winning team in this division will advance to the Area tournament, the first weekend in December.

12U (10 & 11 year olds): Practices are held once a week in this division and begin in mid-August. There are two to four practices prior to the first game. The first game occurs on Opening Day, which is typically the first Saturday following Labor Day. All games are 60 minutes in length, with a 10 minute halftime period. All U12 children will play eight consecutive regular season games where player development and team building are emphasized, so the win/loss record is not kept. All regular season games are generally played between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Following the regular season games, a Burlingame Cup tournament will occur in which the teams will play games in a round-robin format to determine the top teams that advance to knock-out rounds. The teams that make it to the knock-out rounds of the tournament could play as late as the second Saturday in November. The winning team in this division will advance to the Area tournament, the first weekend in December.

14U (12 & 13 year olds): Practices are held once a week in this division and begin in mid-August. There are two to four practices prior to the first game. The first game occurs on Opening Day, which is typically the first Saturday following Labor Day. All games are 70 minutes in length, with a 10 minute halftime period. All U14 children will play eight consecutive regular season games where player development and team building are emphasized, so the win/loss record is not kept. All regular season games may be played anywhere between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. depending on the field. Following the regular season game, a Burlingame Cup tournament will occur. All teams qualify for the round-robin tournament, and the number of games in the round-robin tournament and the number of teams to advance to knock-out rounds will be determined by the number of teams in each division. The teams that make it to the knock-out rounds of the tournament could play as late as the second Saturday in November. The winning team of the Regular Season in this division will advance to the Area tournament, the first weekend in December.

16U (14 & 15 year olds) and 19U (16,17 & 18 year olds): This division participates in Area play and is a traveling team. Although there will be games in Burlingame, half of the schedule may require your player to travel to a neighboring city anywhere from Brisbane to Mountain View to Half Moon Bay. Practices begin the first week in August with the first games being played by the third week in August. Teams generally practice once a week. Games can occur anytime Monday through Sunday. Usually there is one game a week, but occasionally there can be two. The regular season may run eight to ten games with an Area tournament following the regular season. The winner of the Area will advance to sectional and perhaps State play. Games for U16 players are 80 minutes in length, while those for U19 players are the full 90 minutes in length.

What seasons does Burlingame AYSO play?

Burlingame offers soccer programs throughout the year.

Fall: Core Recreational League - This is our largest program with boys and girls teams ranging in age from under 4 (4U) to under 19 (19U). The recreational season runs late August through early November, ending with a competitive two weekend tournament. Kids of all skill levels are welcome even if they've never played before. The goals of the season are player development & team building in a fun and positive environment. Some teams may stay together after the season to play in the San Bruno Turkey Tournament over Thanksgiving weekend.

Winter: Select Competitive League - Teams from the 10U, 12U, and 14U divisions are formed by invitation to compete with select teams from surrounding towns. This is a great opportunity if your player was among the top players in the fall league and wants an opportunity to extend their season in a setting with more competition and athleticism.

Spring: Pacific Coast Spring Soccer League - This competitive league is not as challenging as Winter Select, but is more competitive than the Fall Rec League. Teams are formed for 10U - 19U depending on coach volunteer availability, and games are on Sundays against surrounding towns. Some teams also participate in the El Palo Alto tournament in mid April.

What do I do if it's raining on game day?

On rainy days, the fields will be checked for playability. If it is determined that we should stay off the field, you should receive an email from your team parent or coach. You can also check this website for field closures.

Why can’t my daughter keep her earrings on? She just got her ears pierced and she can’t take them out or the holes will close.

Safety on the field is the first responsibility of every coach, referee, and all other AYSO officials. Players may not wear any earrings, bracelets, watches, barrettes, or any other object that could possibly cause injury to him/herself or another player. Pierced earrings will not be allowed, and covering them with tape is not an acceptable solution. NO EXCEPTIONS! If your child is considering a new ear piercing, please encourage them to defer the piercing until after the soccer season. (Also, please note that experience has proven that a freshly pierced ear will not close during the length of a game.)

What sort of hair clips can my child wear?

Metal and plastic hair clips are not allowed on the field for practice or during games. The referee shall decide if an article of clothing is unsafe.

How are injuries handled during a match?

The referee shall decide when to stop play to take care of an injury. At the younger ages (5U to 8U) the coaches are encouraged to stop play immediately. As a courtesy, a team is encouraged to kick the ball out of play, as the referee can most easily deal with the injury at that time. If a serious injury occurs, the referee will stop play as soon as they are aware of the injury.

A player that is bleeding shall not participate in the match until the bleeding has stopped and any blood on their clothing is covered or removed.

Can my child play with an arm splint?

The risk to other players mandates that the splinted player limit their participation to that of moral support on the sidelines. Players may not wear casts or splints that could possibly cause injury to themself or another player. NO EXCEPTIONS! This rule applies to practices as well as games.

Can my child play with eyeglasses?

Prescription glasses, hearing aids and medical alerts bracelets may be worn to practices and games. The use of a strap to hold your eyeglasses and/or specialized eyeglasses for sport are recommended. The referee may request the medical alerts be taped down but NOT completely covered.

Do players have to wear cleats?

Players are not required to wear cleats to play. Athletic shoes are fine, especially for younger players. Cleats can help older players with their footing on the sometimes slippery grass. If you buy cleats for your child, be sure to purchase soccer cleats, as soccer cleats do not have a toe cleat. If your child already owns cleats designed for another sport that you wish to utilize for soccer, please note that the toe cleat must be cut off to permit the shoe’s use on the soccer field.

How much do the board members, coaches and referees get paid?

We are an all-volunteer organization. Board members, coaches, referees, fields administrators and liners alike receive no monetary incentives for their service. Working with children and seeing them develop is our reward. Please volunteer today!

I have never played soccer and I don’t know anything about soccer. Can I still become a coach or a referee?

AYSO will provide you with all the coach and referee training for free. The only thing we ask for is your time and commitment. Contact the Regional Coach Administrator or the Regional Referee Administrator to learn more. If coaching or refereeing is not for you, there are other ways you can help. Talk to the Regional Commissioner or another board member about how you can help bring this quality soccer program to your community. You’ll be glad you did.