How to Support Your Players
Hilo AYSO is entirely volunteer run -- our board, our coaches, our referees are all volunteers. This is a lot of work! Hilo AYSO is becoming a more sustainable organization by asking for more frequent, lighter, engagement from all of our families. We would not be able to keep this soccer program going string without our family supports. At Hilo AYSO, every family gets out of it as much as they put into it.
What Season Fees are For
Your Hilo AYSO board has made a very intentional decision to keep season fees low so that more keiki can play the beautiful game. This decision means that our organization acts more like a club in the traditional sense -- your fees pay for the tools we use to organize and train volunteers, the field permits and insurance, the line paint and soccer balls. Hilo AYSO Fees do NOT pay for an executive director, coaches, or referees. These are all volunteers, giving their own time.
What happens when there are not enough volunteers? We cannot make another parent give their time to coach your player. We can place you on a team still, and the families on this team will have to choose a coach to be responsible for the team and complete training. If this happens, your fees are not refundable - Hilo AYSO has done it's part in making the equipment and fields available for your players, and in organizing the league to the furthest of our ability.
Ways to Volunteer
Registered Volunteers are essential to the operation of Hilo AYSO. These include coaches, referees, and board members. Every team needs 2 coaches, and teams 8u and above are required to have 1 referee attached. This may be a youth referee or an adult who has completed training. Registered volunteers sign up through the Hilo AYSO website.
Team Volunteers fill specific, small roles on their team so that their coaches can focus on the players. These roles include: team manager, equipment manager, bringing the team tent (so important!), team support (event planning or photos, ask your coach!), and AYSO Core Support.
That last one is significant -- organizing upwards of 500 players is hard work. To better support and maintain our board, every team is required to have a 'core support' volunteer who helps do the work of the larger organization. This role may be filled by an active board member, or by working with a board member. Get involved - fill out our form here.
