Sign up now for winter soccer 

Lost and found

Did you lose a car key? A sweatshirt? A water bottle at All-Star tryouts? Reply to this email and we'll try to reunite you with your possessions.

Parents

There will be an awards ceremony & dinner for volunteers on Monday, Dec 13, at Victory Park. 

COVID-19 testing is on Tuesday (11/23) next week for MST players or anyone else who needs testing before Thanksgiving. The results will be available on Wednesday. AYSO will offer testing on subsequent Thursdays from 6-8 pm, through December 16. 

Playoffs for 10U-14U are Dec 4-5 and 11-12.

Sign up for an hour staffing the tent at Victory Park. AYSO works because of you, and this is an easy way to contribute.

Managers

Pick up trophies for 6U, 7U, 8U at the clubhouse (711 W Woodbury, Unit E, Altadena CA) from 6- 8 pm on Thursday (11/20)!

Coaches

The teams that win in playoffs are the teams that used the last 8 weeks to put players in positions that challenged them, not necessarily where they were the strongest. If you were clever, you kept notes on your game plans, and these last two games are your chance to try out formations for the playoff tournament.

Exhort your strong players to apply for All-Stars, and go ahead and advocate for them to the All-Stars coaches. There's still time for scouting at the final Saturday of Fall season games.

Myles Standish Thanksgiving Tournament (Friday Nov. 26 - Sunday Nov. 28)

AYSO Region 13 hosts the Myles Standish Thanksgiving Tournament over the Thanksgiving weekend every season. We are thankful to be hosting our tournament again after a season off. This tournament is a big fundraiser for Region 13 and helps us close the gap between the funds needed to fund our regional programs and our registration fees. If you have never experienced a soccer tournament, come out and join us - and volunteer! If you are interested in helping with manning the information tent, setting up goals, or being a field monitor please email Steve Haegelin at td@ayso13.org.

Playoffs

Every team in 10U-14U compete in the Playoffs. 10U-14U teams will take a 1 week break from practices over the Thanksgiving week. The Playoffs happen over the weekends of Dec. 4-5 and Dec. 11-12. The teams are seeded so that the teams are matched in ability, and there are multiple tournaments in parallel for each age group. If you win or place in your tournament, you get a shiny trophy.

The A flight competes to represent Region 13 in the play-through tournament on Dec 17-19. The B and C flights compete for glory and a shiny trophy, and it's so exciting, you'd think it really is the World Cup. Remember -- this is still a rec league, and nobody remembers who won what from 10 years ago, not even the people involved, but they do learn from the experience of pushing themselves to their limits.

The schedule will be assembled during the week of Thanksgiving, based on tabulating the game cards from regular-season pool play. The exact breakdown of A/B/C flights changes every year, based on team count and the distribution of abilities.

Looking ahead

See more by subscribing to the Region 13 calendar

Tuesday This week, it's Tuesday! COVID testing at the clubhouse, 711 W Woodbury, Unit E, 6-8 pm
Nov 26-28 Myles Standish Tournament at Victory Park. Come watch your Pasadena tournament teams compete.
Dec 2 Board meeting on Zoom, 7:15 pm
Dec 4-5 Playoffs week 1 of 2
Dec 11-12 Playoffs week 2 of 2
Dec 13 Holiday Volunteer Awards Dinner - 7 pm at Victory Park

Winter soccer

Winter programs run for approximately 8 weeks in January - February. For All Stars players must have played in the Fall season in AYSO Region 13. For the other winter programs, new players are invited to join after registering as AYSO members ($30, nonrefundable, pays for the insurance) at https://ayso13.org/register.

Winter Stars is an informal pickup-style soccer program on Sunday afternoons for ages 5-13, even during the Superbowl. Anyone may play, and the coaching is done by professional trainers. Parents volunteer by carrying goals, setting up the field, etc. Parents who have previously coached in Region 13 are welcome to join and learn a thing or two from the pros. Players who participate in Grad Series and All-Stars are invited to join Winter Stars at no extra cost. Winter Stars is $110 and includes a jersey and professional trainers.

Grad Series is a mini-season for 8U players to try the more formal game (10U rules and fields), with large nets, positions, goalkeepers, and offside. Parents are trained to coach and referee in December and at the start of January. The cost of Grad Series is $125.

We're looking into starting Kindergarten Series, a 6-week mini-season for 5U players (who will generally be entering Kindergarten in the fall) to join a team with uniforms, play with other teams, and enjoy a juice box afterwards. Parents are trained to coach and referee in December and at the start of January. $125 We do not yet know if we will have the field space to support this program. 

All Stars are travel teams that play in the San Gabriel Valley, with a playoff tournament at the beginning of March. The cost of All Stars is $135.

For those who just can't get enough, a few programs continue in the Spring.

Spring Cup is a 3-week tournament among teams within the San Gabriel Valley. Tryouts are required. Check back in February.

Bill Owen Spring Classic is a competitive (meaning, bring your A game or you'll lose 13-0) tournament at the Rose Bowl around Spring Break.  Fee: around $450/team

Photo of the week

Lacey Holmquist took this picture of the Komodo Dragons and Firebolts streaking toward the ball. Send your pictures or tag @aysoregion13 on Instagram
Now, if your newsletter editor could get yellow jerseys, the team would be called "Orange you glad I didn't say banana?" But nobody ever asks the coach. Probably for the best.


Commissioner's message

Last week, at All-Stars, 45 kids were exposed to a COVID-positive child. That meant that all those kids missed a week of soccer, and the entire B12U program was severely impacted. Except ... one player who was fully vaccinated from participating in a vaccine trial, for whom life went on as normal. If you're playing any sport this winter, whether with AYSO or anyone else, and anybody on your team tests positive with COVID-19, being fully vaccinated will mean you don't have to quarantine for 10 days. Don't let your team down -- get your 5-11 year old players vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine now. 

Given the current LA County youth sports guidelines which require vaccination or testing for all youth sports participants 12 and over, in my humble opinion, LA County is likely to lower the age of this mandate to 5 within the next few months. If your child is vaccinated now you won't get caught with additional testing requirements and last minute work to submit the testing information.


Taj Chiu
Regional Commissioner (Volunteer) and Soccer Mom


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