Newsletter August 7th, 2008

To All Parents:
 
With school set to start in less than three weeks, it means that soccer season will also start in less than three weeks.  The division commissioners are putting the final touches on the team formations and teams should be finalized by August 15th.  The first week of practices will be the week of August 25th.  The first game will be on the weekend of September 6th (except for the  kinder league).  Games for U7 through U14 will take place on Saturday mornings.  Games for U16 and U19 will take place on Sundays.  The kinder league plays on Saturdays from 3 PM to 4 PM at JLS for six weekends starting on September 13th.  Signups for the kinder league will be open until September 13th, so if you know of a child entering kindergarten that would love to play soccer, let them know it is not too late to signup.
 
Next week, I will send out a more detailed newsletter explaining game formats for each division.
 
Coaches and Referees �| We are still short on getting the number of coaches and referees that we need for each team.  Ideally, each team will have two coaches and two referees.  Training is provided.  If you are interested in becoming  a coach or a referee and want more information, let me know and I will have the right person contact you.  It�fs a lot easier than you think.
 
Refunds �| If your child is not planning on playing soccer and you have already paid your fees, then you need to send an email to the registrar at registrar_08 @ ayso26.org and let her know.  Please include your child�fs name and the division that they are in.  Refunds will be paid out after the season concludes.  The refunded amount will be the fee paid minus $15.
 
Equipment Distribution �| Equipment distribution will take place on August 23rd from 1 PM to 5 PM at our storage locker off Embarcadero East.  During this time, coaches will receive theirs ball, cones, pinnies, ice packs and first aid kit.  If you are interested in helping out, please send me an email.  You do not have to be there for all four hours.
 
Web-Site �| We are looking to overhaul our web-site after this season.  If you have any experience with web-site design and would like to help out, please let me know.
 
Fields Volunteers - In the Labor Day weekend the Surveying volunteers will lay out the Fields and paint first lines. Teams of about seven volunteers will work for about three hours with an experienced leader.  After that, the fields need to be repainted every Thursday or Friday of the Season. This usually takes about an hour and each repainting volunteer does it for two or three weeks.  No experience necessary, you can learn what's to be done in a few minutes.  Fields volunteers: Please put my email address under 'allowed contacts'
or whatever your email program calls it, to make sure you'll receive my email. schuffelen @ mac.com
 
This is my fifth year as Fields Commissioner, and my child is no longer playing. I do hope a parent will come forward soon to take over my duties, so he (or she) can come along with me to learn what's to be done; I expect to help out for a few more years, but it's time for me to step down.  My (and my successor's) job could also be made easier if parts of it were spun off, like
- Paint Person: keep track of paint stock, order new paint as needed and pick it up at Palo Alto 'Ace' Hardware (Alma  @  Channing). I drive there five or six times a year.
- Repainting Coordinator: match 60-75 volunteers to about 15 fields locations (there will be an electronic sign-up sheet) and oversee repainting (each Field team will still have its own coordinator.)
 
Pictures of a Surveying party at: http://homepage.mac.com/schuffelen/SurveyParty.html
 
Hope to see you all on the Fields,
 
Marco Schuffelen                            Saul Rotblatt
Fields Commissioner                      Regional Commissioner