Hello Coach,
Welcome to Hilo AYSO and we appreciate your efforts in volunteering this season. One of the six philosophies of AYSO is Balanced Teams. The philosophy of Balanced Teams stems from a desire to create the most fair, fun, and exciting soccer for our youth. Balanced teams ensures excitement among the players, involvement among their parents, and a better product overall.
One of the greatest tools we have at our disposal to ensure balanced teams is player ratings. These ratings provide a window into the skill level of each player from which teams can be formed in an equitable manner that evenly distributes the talent pool of the division.
Below is a detailed list of our new rating system that ranges from 1 through 10. Each level represents an incremental growth in a player’s ability starting with a Beginning Player all the way to a Game Changer. As the player improves through the season you as the coach will be able to track their progress and confidently assess their skill at the conclusion of the season.
As the season is coming to an end you will be provided a ratings card with the ratings scale listed below. We ask that everyone complete and return the ratings card as soon as possible to ensure the valuable information you gained as a coach this season is passed on for the next season. When completing the cards we also ask that coaches consider the following:
1. Please evaluate your players in comparison to the division as a whole and not just against your team. A 1 or a 10 in comparison to one team might look all together different in comparison to another.
2. Please understand that within any division there may be a total of three or four 10’s and a similar amount of 1’s. Most players fall between the ratings of 2 and 8. Some teams will not have a 10 on their team and no team should ever have more than one. The same is true for those players evaluated to be a 1. An accumulation of players in either ranking (1 or a 10) is not beneficial to the season and is not in line with the philosophy of Balanced Teams.
Hilo AYSO and the families of this community thank you for the time and energy you will give by volunteering this season and hopefully for seasons to come.
Have a great season and see you on the field,
Marc Butz
Hilo AYSO
Hilo AYSO Player Rating Scale
1) Beginning Player
• Player is just starting to acquire the basic skills necessary to play at age-level.
• Player is not proficient in basic skills and rarely uses them in practice or a game setting.
• Player may be disconnected from practice or a game setting for an extended period of time.
2) Developing Player
• Player begins to acquire some age appropriate skills.
• Player at times makes contributions in practice or a game setting.
• Player may occasionally alternate between engagement and disengagement in activities.
3) Improving Player
• Player shows signs of improvement beyond a 2 level in games and in practices..
• Player demonstrates with increased frequency the ability to contribute in practice and in games.
• Player may occasionally demonstrate, during practice or a game setting, a skill level on par with a 3.
4) Promising Player
• Player shows more interest in participating in practice and in game settings but is not considerably impactful.
• Player shows signs of improvement beyond a 3 level in practices or games.
• Player is developing and can show with more frequency age appropriate skill, higher than a 3, but may not use them effectively.
5) Average Player
• Player has acquired age appropriate skills and increasingly uses them effectively.
• Player contributes in practice and in game settings on a more frequent basis than a 4.
• Player may begin to show proficiency beyond an age appropriate level in a certain skills in soccer.
• Player contributes frequently to practice or a game setting but is not considered impactful.
6) Increasing Player
• Player demonstrates above age appropriate skills on a more frequent basis than that of 5.
• Player at times shows signs of skill development associated with that of a 7.
• Player, through the use of their developing skills, begins to have an impact during practice and games settings. The impact will be offensively or defensively but rarely both.
7) Above Average Player
• Player has acquired all age appropriate skills and uses them consistently both in practice and in games.
• Player shows a solid understanding of various positions on offense and defense.
• Player consistently contributes on offensive and defensive and may begin to be show a high level of play in one area of the game: offense, defense, or goal keeping.
8) Star Player
• Player has mastered some areas of the game while being above average in others.
• Player is a strong contributor to the team and is often dictating the game on one side of the field but not necessarily both.
• Player fluctuates in skill between that of a 7 and a 9.
• Player begins to show signs of leadership.
9) Effective Player
• Player has mastered many parts of the game but may not show it consistently to be considered in the 10 level.
• Player is taking on much more of a leadership role within the team and is able to help teammates either to focus or with their skill.
• Player is an all around contributor to the team but not consistently to be a 10 level.
10) Game Changer
• Player has mastered age appropriate skills and consistently demonstrates them in practice and games without prompting.
• Player is the most effective individual on the field – a game-changer in nearly all positions: offense, midfield, defense, or goal keeper.
• Player is a leader and makes other players around them better.
• Player is capable of competing with those in a division ahead of their own.