Transcript Understanding Effective Team Balancing

“Balanced Teams”
– How Important is It?
1
AYSO is…
“…a soccer organization, a community, a lifestyle, a family, an
adventure, a learning experience, a place to make memories
and a season of exciting and busy Saturdays, all wrapped up in
color-coordinated jerseys and socks.
Give your child the opportunity to play soccer and learn
about life, sportsmanship and the fun of competition and
physical activity with a soccer program that has been kicking
around since 1964.”
What a tremendous legacy. Do AYSO’s philosophies
play a role in people walking away with this feeling?
2
Why Players Don’t Come Back…
…or why their parents do not register them
again after they have already participated in AYSO
Two recent surveys’ results:
• “Non-returning parent survey” cited lack of
balanced competition as a major reason.
• “Season satisfaction survey” of parents and
volunteers cited lack of balanced competition
as a major weakness in many Regions.
3
AYSO Philosophies
EVERYONE PLAYS
BALANCED TEAMS
OPEN REGISTRATION
POSITIVE COACHING
GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP
PLAYER DEVELOPMENT
4
Where did it come from?
• The notion of balancing teams – by re-forming
them each year – is almost as old as AYSO.
• Three years into the fledgling league, growth
stopped – until the founders adopted
“Balanced Teams” in 1967 as a main
foundation of AYSO and though losing some
coaches who had started to build ‘dynasties’,
gained phenomenal signing up of players.
2013
5
Where does it say that…
Regional Commissioner Manual
“…in all instances for the
enjoyment of all players,
coaches and parents, our
primary goal is to strive to
balance teams within each
Region.”
6
What were they thinking?
With its inception in 1964, AYSO’s founding
fathers’ unique idea of balancing teams grew
from the notion that participating in soccer
games in which either team might prevail by a
winning score would be much more enjoyable
for the players….
7
…rather than the certainty that the skill level of
one team would likely always overwhelm the
more limited abilities of the other to score
goals.
Do you think that most players
would agree with their thinking?
8
National Governing Documents of American
Youth Soccer Organization
Bylaws Section 1.01. Philosophy
…to educate and develop young people by encouraging their
interest and participation in soccer through it’s “Everyone Plays”,
“Open Registration”, “Balanced Teams”, “Positive Coaching”
,“Good Sportsmanship” and “Player Development” Concepts.
Standard Regional Guidelines Section 1.04. Duties and
Responsibilities of a Region
(d) To assign players and coaches to assure proper balance of
teams within each age division within the Region or within a
reasonable part thereof
Rules & Regulations Teams
D. Every effort will be made to balance team strengths within
any one age division, within a reasonable geographic area.
9
Balance - How Important for Players?
• In its simplest analysis, for youth players, it is more
fun and more fair to “be competitive” in each
contest.
• The joy and anticipation of going to the field each
week is enhanced.
• Evenly matched competition is ultimately more fun
for the spectators and for the officials as well.
• It is important for AYSO Regions to facilitate this.
10
National Rules and Regulations
Who knows AYSO’s retention rule?
Answer:
Retention of players on any team shall
be limited to the head coach’s
child(ren).
11
National Rules and Regulations
III. Transfer of Players
A player may transfer from one team to
another within one Region or from one Region
to another after the following conditions have
been met:
12
National Rules and Regulations
1. Approval of both coaches of the teams
involved.
2. Approval of Regional Commissioner(s).
3. Approval of team member and
parent/guardian; parent/guardian approval is
not required if team member is of legal age.
13
What does team balancing
give your Regional program?
Answer: CREDIBILITY
14
Role of Valid Ratings
• Ratings can be from coaches from prior
league season
• Methods used to get ratings back from
coaches?
• Ratings should be reviewed by coaches of
current season
• The better the ratings, the better the
chance of balance
15
New Player Evaluations
• Early registration helps to ensure that all new players
receive skill evaluations
• Decide who will do your evaluations and how they will be
conducted
• Discuss important evaluation techniques to achieve
objectives
• Evaluations are rarely done in U-6 and U-8 and other
divisions in which standing are not kept
16
Team Balancing and Formation
Many different factors are used to form
and balance teams:
• Maturity of the Region
• Geographical distribution of players
• Age levels – two year divisions
• Skill level of players
17
Team Balancing and Formation
Skills are usually a primary factor
in balancing. Other factors:
• size
• age
• years of experience
• attitude
18
Team Formation
• Drafted by coaches or variations thereof
• Dealing of teams based on ratings
• Lottery and “blind” drafts – both help cut
down on unfairness
• Computerized drafting- options and
potential drawbacks – eAYSO option and
other off-the-shelf computer programs
19
Methods for Younger Players
• Geography is extremely important
• Players have not developed high levels of skill
• Some Regions are dispersed so greatly by
geography that all children are randomly mixed
each year and everyone has to travel some
distance for practice and games.
20
“Blind” Formation Works Well
•
•
•
•
•
Performed by a committee
Based on numbers of children available
Nearness to schools
Takes ages into account
Coach’s child(ren) can be assigned at the
beginning or end of the procedure
21
Options
• Teams can be put together at a draft in which
players are chosen one by one.
• Teams can also be put together based strictly
on a random selection by age and school location
• Computer balancing is another method
eAYSO has a built-in program for balancing teams
through a serpentine dealing of the players in a division.
Check the Help site on eAYSO for detailed information.
22
Transfer of Players if
Teams are Unbalanced
Transfers must be controlled by
the Region, not by the coaches
or other interested parties!
23
Late Sign-ups and
Waiting Lists
• Establish Regional policy and follow it!
• First come, first placed on teams….
…Until the team formation is done
• After teams formed, waiting list is distributed with
balance as priority
• Distribute to balance
• Deplete waiting lists by maximizing rosters,
keeping balance in the forefront
24
What is the one of the best ways to
make sure that players will have a good
time playing AYSO soccer?
Answer: BALANCED TEAMS
25
Results of your efforts
Team Balancing=
Competitiveness=
Credibility
26