REGION 1521 - THE ACREAGE & LOXAHATCHEE

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AYSO Alumni Player Profile 

Landon Donovan
Forward
Los Angeles Galaxy, U.S. National Team
 
Age started playing soccer: 2
 
Favorite AYSO memory: I started playing AYSO when I was 5. Before that, my older brother, Josh, would take me out to the backyard and kick the ball around with me. My favorite AYSO memory is that I got to play on the same team as my best friend when I was 8 years old.
 
What he loved about AYSO: The beauty of AYSO was that you had kids from all walks of life who just wanted to be active and run around and play soccer. I started playing club soccer at the age of 10 but I wanted to continue playing AYSO because I enjoyed the camaraderie and the ability to just play for the love of playing. The games were still competitive but they never revolved around winning.
 
Advice for the first-time coach: One of my biggest pet peeves is youth team coaches who take winning too seriously. This has always bothered me, and I always tell coaches to forget about winning with young players. They need to create an environment where the kids enjoy playing and are developing their soccer skills. Winning should never be a priority.
 
AYSO Alumni Profile

Brian Ching
Forward
Houston Dynamo, U.S. National Team
Member of 2006 World Cup squad, three-time MLS champion
 
Age started playing soccer: 7
 
Number of years in AYSO: 5 years
 
Favorite coach and why: My mom. She told my brothers and I that we had to play a sport and suggested soccer. I told her I would play if she coached me. So she did! I remember her reading the AYSO manuals on the way to work as well as practices. She fell in love with the game and started to play soccer herself in a women's league.
 
Memories of AYSO: The friendships I made. I still have friends who were on my first AYSO team back in Hawaii. The pure excitement and joy of running around and playing soccer with my friends is something I'll never forget. I was always a competitive kid and I remember crying after every loss. When my mom was coaching me, I remember her having to console me after every game we lost.
 
On playing for the U.S. National Team: Every kid dreams about becoming a professional soccer player and playing for your country. It's the ultimate goal and the World Cup is the ultimate tournament.
 
AYSO Alumni Profile

Shannon Boxx
Midfielder - Los Angeles Sol
2008 & 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist
NCAA Division I champion (Notre Dame 1995)
 
Age started playing soccer: 4
 
Favorite AYSO memory: Oranges at halftime, parents lined up on the sidelines to make a tunnel after the game, and Prince's "Purple Rain" blasting on the boombox.
 
Favorite AYSO coach and why: I don't remember his name, but I do remember he taught us that real ball skills were more important than tricks to win the ball. I also learned that it was ok to get knocked around and fall down while playing soccer. You just get back up again!
 
What advice would you give a first-time AYSO coach?  Make soccer fun for the kids and get them to enjoy it first, then teach them skills. The most important thing is to have fun on the soccer field; winning is not so important. If you teach the value of teamwork and you instill that early, that's what's important.