
Category Archives: front page hero archive


2020/21 AYSO Region 20 Extra Tryouts Postponed
In order to limit potential exposure to COVID-19 and to best protect the health and well being of others the remaing EXTRA tryouts scheduled for March will be postponed until after the 31st. The city has suspened all field permits until then. Region 20 will continue to monitor the developing situation and recommendations from appropriate health and city authorities and will communicate to you when we can resume tryouts. Dates and times to be determined

AYSO United Tryouts
Sunday Feb 23 at John Adams Middle School.
AYSO United Los Angeles Open Tryouts (Santa Monica Hub).
2009 GIRLS
2010 BOYS
(12:30pm check-in)
1-2:30pm:
2004 GIRLS
2005 BOYS
(2pm check-in)
2:30-3:45pm:
2008 GIRLS
2008 BOYS
(3:15pm check-in)
3:45-5pm:

Sunday, November 3rd, at JAMS
Spring and Turkey programs are just around the corner and we will be holding evaluations again this Sunday, November 3rd, at JAMS.
Sign up here
- Evaluations are held for U10 and U12 only. The U14 coaches will be conducting their evaluations entirely during Core games.
- These are evaluations, NOT tryouts. They are not the only mode of selection for our Spring program, as our coaches evaluate all players in their Core games. Further, they are NOT mandatory. They are, however, very helpful for our coaches. Evaluations give our coaches an additional chance to see your child’s skills, attitude, and commitment. As such, they are recommended for all players in U10 and U12. While our smaller numbers last weekend were incredibly helpful for both the coaches, who got to see players in a different way than the usual evaluations, and for the players who got an additional chance to shine, we’d love to see everyone out this weekend.
- Your child will be evaluated in his or her Core games by our All Star and Spring coaches. While our coaches will have the names and numbers of ALL players in the division and are welcome to talk to and select any player based on performance in the Core program, you can ensure that coaches pay attention by registering your interest for Spring.
Even if you have attended or plan to attend an evaluation session, click here to register your interest in our tournament program. You can also indicate which program, Spring, Turkey, or Both, your child is interested in.
We will be holding evaluations according to the following schedule this Sunday:
-
B10 – 2 PM (check in at 1:30 PM)
-
G10 – 3 PM (check in at 2:30 PM)
-
B12 and G12 – 4 PM (check in at 3:15 PM)
We will open check ins a bit earlier for B12 and G12 as we expect larger numbers given the dual time slot. Please ensure your child has water, shin guards, and a ball.

2019 Soccer Fun Day
FOOD • GAMES • TEAM PHOTOS • TOURNAMENT
Sunday October 13th, 2019
Location: Clover Park, 2600 Ocean Park Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Parking is available at the Watt Parking Lot off of 28th and Ocean Park.
Soccer Fun Day is a wonderful community event and fundraiser for Santa Monica AYSO. Net proceeds from the event support our Financial Aid and diversity programs.
PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO VOLUNTEER FOR SOCCER FUN DAY ON THE SIGN UP GENIUS LINK.
THIS GREAT COMMUNITY EVENT FOR THE KIDS TAKES A VILLAGE TO GET DONE AND EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS!
Click here to volunteer!
Soccer Fun Day Times
- Set-up: 6:30 a.m. – 8 a.m.
- Team Photos: 8:30 a.m. – 4:15 p.m. View the photo schedule
- Food & Games: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Tournament: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m View the 5v5 game schedule
- Clean-up: 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Key Locations
- Pictures will be taken in “the Pit” at the far SW end of the park.
- 5v5 Tournament check-in is near the tennis courts at SW side of park.
- The carnival is located in the SW part of the park.
Join us for a day full of Fun, Food, Games, Team Photos & 5v5 Soccer Tournament at Clover Park!
Everyone is invited to bring food to donate to the bake sale. Please bring it to Clover park first thing in the morning.
5 vs 5 Tournament
BLAIR RENSHAW MEMORIAL 5-A-SIDE TOURNAMENT
Join us for an exciting 5-A-Side Tournament for U10, U12, & U14 regular season teams that begins at 9am. We expect all of the teams to participate in the tournament. It is a fun tournament and a great experience for players at any level.
Tournament rules
Carnival Booths
The Lower Clover Park area, “the Pit” is where you’ll find lots of fun carnival style games, like “Soccer Shoot Out”, “Sack Races” and of course the “Prize Booth!”
Every team is responsible for helping staff the booths.
Tickets
Tickets are $1.00 each for snacks & games. Accepted Payment: Cash, Visa, MC, AMEX, Discover. All Sales are Final.
All Day, Game Booth Wrist Band is $30.00 or Two Wrist Bands for $55. This includes a game card, and AYSO lanyard. You can recycle your lanyards at the Ticket Booth
Team Photos
All teams will be having their group and individual photos taken at the event. We will be posting the photo schedule early to help you prepare for your day at the park.
The order form will be posted on this website. If you would like to order calendars, magnets, trading cards & more – all starring your player, then please print and bring the bonus item order form with you.
Volunteers
Helping out at this event is really fun! There are lots of ways you can help, including Set-Up, Take-Down and special jobs like, Truck Driver, Ice Runner, Food Manager, Bake Sale Manager and helping out in the Volunteer Booth. All teams are required to provide 4-6 parents to cover a 2-hour shift in one of the Game or Food Booths. EXTRA teams are encouraged to volunteer in the AYSO info booth. Students can earn Community Service Credit. Contact your division’s Soccer Fun Day (Formerly the PIP Lead), or your Team Manager or Division Commissioner for more info.
Please contact SFD@ayso20.org if you have a contact for donations or another area of interest to you that would be helpful to the event). You can also sign up for individual booths, setup, take down, etc.
Donations
We can always use donations or discounts to help reduce the cost of the event. Bob’s Market, Niki’s Sports and Treats Frozen Yogurt are always very generous. If you have a contact that may be interested in helping us out please email us at SFD@ayso20.org
This year we are looking for a Gatorade or Powerade type donor, Items for the Prize Booth, Baked Goods for the Bake Sale booth, Fruit, Water and items that we typically rent, like walkie talkies, tables, chairs, and pop-ups.
Pass It On
The Pass It On program is a gear swap for AYSO players. If you have gently used gear bring it to the picnic and drop it off at the Pass It On booth. Players are encouraged to come by and shop for gear.
All remaining items are donated.

Monday night Open Training
Did you know that every time your child touches a soccer ball they improve their skills as soccer players? In AYSO Region 20 we want our children/players to have every opportunity to really develop in the short time we have them in the Fall, so we are providing an additional evening of soccer instruction EVERY MONDAY!
WHERE? JOHN ADAMS MIDDLE SCHOOL FIELDS (16th Street & Ocean Park Blvd.)
WHEN?
U5-U10 Check in 5:15-5:45pm Training 5:45 – 6:45 pm
U12 – U19 Check in 6:45-7:00pm Training 7:00 – 8:30 pm
Here is what you need to bring:
1. A wet signed (not copied) Medical Release form for your child. (you only need to bring this the first time your child attends MOT – after that they will be able to check in on their own).
2. A soccer ball for your child, marked with his or her name on it in permanent ink.
3. Water for your child. (Water ONLY is enforced at JAMS)
4. Shin guards for your child
COACHES – We highly recommend that all coaches attend the trainings to observe. This is your chance to observe another trainer working with your players’ age group.
PARENTS – We kindly request that you wait for your child off the field. If you will be dropping your child off, please be on time to pick them up. 25
If your child is interested in becoming a better player AND would like the opportunity to make new friends, we hope you will consider adjusting your busy schedules to allow them to attend.

Los Angeles AYSO United
AYSO United is the Club Program of American Youth Soccer Organization. United is designed to complete the AYSO Player Development Pathway, allowing players to play competitive soccer under AYSO’s Six Philosophies. AYSO United players will experience a positive, developmentally-appropriate environment, where they will not only develop in practice but during the game, where they are guaranteed 50% play. United is a year round program designed to help players reach their full potential while playing meaningful games in competitive leagues and selected tournaments.
The Los Angeles AYSO United Club currently has 11 teams and has produced two Cal South State Cup Champions in both the Girls 2007 & 2008 Divisions. Santa Monica AYSO is hosting a Westside hub of the LA Club, currently hosting a boys 2005 and girls 2004 club. The teams practice at JAMS and uses Samohi as its home field. We have a strong player pathway with our Core, Extra and United team continually producing some of the top talent in Southern California.
Ted Quong and Gerhard Benthin coach the two teams. Ted, a long-time Santa Monica volunteer and a member of our board, played in AYSO throughout his teenage years and was on the U14 Super Team that won the Pepsi Cola State Championship representing Region 10. Gerhard Benthin has spent 25 years throughout the United States instructing in major Soccer camps, clinics, clubs, high schools, group and individual lessons. His knowledge and experience of coaching in both positions certainly sets him apart from other soccer coaches and has built a reputation of making soccer training simple, yet highly effective with intense practice. Coach Benthin’s passion and love for the game is truly infectious. Through his career, Gerhard Benthin has been coaching at the highest level professional teams, such as L.A. Galaxy MLS, Brazil and the National Team U17.
We hope to add two new teams in the spring and will hold tryouts in January. If you have any questions, contact the LA Director of Coaching or our United Coordinator.

Referee Recognition Program
Refs! Earn your FREE stuff!!!
Region 20 wants to thank our hard working referees…..
It’s not going to be a World Cup Medal, but…..
Referee Recognition Program
Region 20 is grateful for all of our referees. Without volunteer referees we couldn’t provide an amazing experience for the kids at such a reasonable price point. We appreciate the time spent taking classes, studying the Laws of the game, dealing with the occasional negative comment from the sidelines, but most of all supporting the Kids of Region 20.
The Big Producers !!!
Region 20 is grateful for the hardworking referee volunteers that go above and beyond the call of duty. We want to say “thank you” for those over-achievers that make the referee volunteer role look like the coolest job in AYSO!
For going that extra mile–doing multiple games in a day, week in and week out, keeping the games Safe, Fair, and Fun for the Kids even when the going gets tough–Region 20 would like to say thank you by offering amazing FREE referee gear, accessories, and gifts.
Based on how many games you complete this season, you get to choose an item from the various benchmarks:
· 10 games: Referee socks, Write on cards, Fox 40 Classic whistle, Sonic Blast Cushion Mouth Grip Whistle, Score Accessory Pouch,
· 15 games: OGIO Region 20 Referee” performance t-shirt, Dolfin Whistle, Fox 40 Referee Pouch + Whistle, B+D Flex Hose Ball Pump, Agoura Gear Bag, Score Hoodie
· 20 games: Plastic Rain “Shirt” (clear), Agoura Flag Set, Yellow Referee Jersey, more ideas to come
· 25 games: USSF Folding Chair, Long Sleeved Yellow Jersey, more ideas to come
· 30 games: Fox 40 Whistle & Watch Combo Kit, OSI Flag Set, Windsor 1/4-zip Performance Top, OGIO Backpack, more ideas to come
Youth Referees–Our MVR’s (most valuable referees)
Getting out there and setting a great example for the kids, their peers, upholding the Spirit of the Game (and, oh yes, earning those community service hours)!
· 5 games: Referee socks, Write on cards, Fox Mini whistle
· 10 games: Fox 40 Classic whistle, Sonic Blast Cushion Mouth Grip Whistle, Score Accessory Pouch,
· 15 games: OGIO Region 20 Referee” performance t-shirt, Dolfin Whistle, Fox 40 Referee Pouch + Whistle, B+D Flex Hose Ball Pump, Agoura Gear Bag, Score Hoodie
First Ever “Women’s Only” Referee Class
THANKS to the women who attended the first-ever Women’s Only Referee Class: Sheila Murphy, Katy Henrikson, Charity Burton, Jessica Garcia, Monica Moore, and Sheila Taylor
Referees Taking Upgrade Courses
THANKS to the Referees that signed up for the Advanced Course: Kal Shobaki, Tim Silvestre, Andres Rangel
THANKS to the Referees that signed up for the Intermediate Course: Kapil Kulkarni, Bogdan Chifor, Chris Byrne, Andres Rodriguez, Jeffrey Reyna, Guido Faas, Doug Trussler, Perry Woo, Theodore Chandler, Hoda Khavari, Tim Langmaack
Referee Upgrades !!!
For upgrading from Regional to Intermediate referee (successfully completing the course, passing the test and passing your Intermediate Observation) you’ll get:
· Personalized monogramed referee gear bag
· Red referee jersey
· New pair of fashionable referee socks
· Upgraded flags or whistle
· Write-on cards (match report, YC/RC)
For upgrading from Intermediate to Advanced referee (successfully completing the course, passing the test, fitness test, and passing your Advanced Assessments) you’ll get:
· Referee jersey organizer
· Green, Blue, and Black jersey
· Another pair of socks!
· Upgraded whistle or flags
· Write-on cards (match report, YC/RC)
For upgrading from Advanced to National you’ll get:
· Set of long-sleeved jerseys
· Referee gear organizer (for your gear bag)
· Upgraded whistle of your choice
· An opt-out clause from Gray’s emails

PASS IT ON
- Donation boxes will be available for any family to “shop.” In other words, they can browse the boxes for items they might need and can take what they want (within reason).
- Remaining donations will be sorted and “passed on” to other communities who are in need (last year we donated items to: LA Scores – an after school program in the Palms area, Watts AYSO, and service trips to Haiti, Guatemala and Nepal.
TESTIMONIALS
“Thank you all so very much for your donations of soccer balls (and jerseys) to the kids of Haiti. We stayed at an elementary school in a classroom. After school, I would bring out the balls, and somehow, every teenage boy in the village would find out and come streaming through the gate to the courtyard to play soccer. They self-organized quickly in small games where winner stays on. I played with them a bit and also invited girls into the game. Even the Haitian workers who had done hard physical labor with us all day would come back to play – our interpreters and the cook too! We left some balls with the school, the church, and the local kids. We also left some in Port-au-Prince for other towns. It truly was a blessing and makes such a difference in the life of the village.”
Sherry Hoffman, former AYSO coach/parent and volunteer in Haiti
“Thank you so much for the incredible effort that your AYSO region has made to enhance the experience of the kids in our program. It was such a special day for so many deserving kids, and you made that a reality. I spent some time over the weekend reflecting on watching the kids selecting a pair of cleats and then running onto the field with pride. Their joy was visible, and the impact was palpable and immediate. The impact of those efforts will be felt for a long time to come, and as someone who has poured every ounce I have into this organization, I am very grateful.
Executive Director of America Scores LA, an after-school soccer/writing program for under-served kids in the Palms area
Pictured: 12U girls EXTRA team delivering donation-filled suitcases to Equmenia, an organization that builds schools in Congo.
Please contact passiton@ayso20.org with any questions or to volunteer.

We need volunteer Referees!
Without quality, trained referees, our children cannot play this game they love so much, and what better vantage point to watch a game from than center field! For such a small investment of your time, you can become a great referee, even with no prior soccer knowledge at all! You will be getting great exercise, feel great, and be helping your children and their peers to have a great soccer experience to boot!
First Step: Register as a volunteer with AYSO
If you are interested in volunteering as a referee, you must first be registered as a volunteer with AYSO. To do this you need to go to inLeague and register (or re-register) as a volunteer. Go to “Player and Volunteer Registration,” and then “User Accounts and Volunteer Registration,” and get your MY2019 up to date! Once this is done a background check will be performed by “Sterling Volunteers.”
Second Step: Sign up for a referee course !!!
“FOR WOMEN ONLY”–We will be having a Regional Referee course for women only (that means YOU, mothers and daughters (12+y/o) of Region 20 !)— taught by the best (female) instructors in Area 1/P! The class will be held in Beverly Hills, August 18th, from 9:15-4:30 (lunch will be served). Come out and meet other female referees, share their stories and knowledge, and become certified to referee our kids! To register and for more information go to www.AYSOU.org
“Regional Referee Course” or “Reg Ref On-Line Companion Course” (the two (2) “basic” referee course options) in Santa Monica are listed at AYSOU; you can find a list of local offerings on the “Upcoming Referee Training Schedule” link.
- “Regional Referee Course”–a full day course(two opportinities so far)
- Aug 24th, 9am-3pm, at Reed Park Auditorium, Santa Monica (7th and Wilshire). Lunch will be served
- Aug 31, 9am-3pm, Reed Park Auditorium (just added!)
- “Regional Referee On-Line Companion Course”–A shorter in-class session, but requires mandatory completion of an on-line referee course as a “prerequisite.”
- September 4th, 6pm-10pm, at Marine Park Auditorium.
To Upgrade: For current referees that want to upgrade to the Intermediate or Advanced certification Area 1/P will be holding classes in Beverly Hills over the weekend of August 24-25. They are also listed at the above link.
To sign up for either of the classes you will need to go to www.AYSOU.org In the meantime, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to become a volunteer referee.