All AYSO regions are entirely run by volunteers. The roles below outline the ways community members contribute to running youth soccer in Pasadena, Altadena, La Cañada, and surrounding areas. AYSO has fewer than twenty paid employees nationwide; everyone you meet at Region 13 is a volunteer.
To express interest in any of these roles, email the Regional Commissioner at [email protected].
Team Volunteers
These four roles run the day-to-day of every team. See the Volunteers Overview for getting started.
Coach
Leads practices and games for an assigned team. Requires age-specific certification (Safe Haven plus the appropriate division class). See the Coaches section.
Assistant Coach
Supports the head coach with practices and games. Required for 6U–8U divisions. Same training requirements as the head coach.
Referee
Officiates games. Requires 8U Official or Regional Referee certification depending on the division. See the Referees section.
Team Manager
Handles team communication and logistics — schedule reminders, snack rotation, picture day coordination, and end-of-season events. Requires Team Manager orientation and Safe Haven training. See the Team Managers section.
AYSO Region 13 Board
The Regional Board coordinates the work of every other volunteer. The board meets once a month, usually on the first Thursday at 7:15 PM, at the Region 13 Clubhouse in Altadena (occasionally on Zoom — see the regional calendar). Anyone is welcome to attend.
The board uses email, Slack, and text messaging to communicate. Slack access is open to all Region 13 volunteers and families.
Executive Board
The Executive Board is the voting subset of the Regional Board, with authority over appointments and key regional decisions.
Region Commissioner (RC)
Final responsibility for every aspect of the region — players, families, volunteers, and year-round programs. Chairs monthly board meetings and represents Region 13 to Area 1/C and AYSO National.
Deputy Region Commissioner (DRC)
Optional role. Assists the RC with projects and programs that need experienced leadership. Often filled by a previous RC who stays involved.
Region Coach Administrator (RCA)
The RCA reports directly to the RC. The RCA has responsibility for all aspects of coaching and training for coaches inside the region. The RCA has a wide area of responsibility and great latitude in terms of how they complete their role. The RCA is often an experienced coach who has previously been a DCA (Division Coach Administrator). Knowledge of the policies and procedures for how Region 13 operates is an important aspect of this role, along with a passion for coaching and the importance of coach instruction and mentorship.
Region Referee Administrator (RRA)
The RRA reports directly to the RC. The RRA has responsibility for all aspects of refereeing and training for referees inside the region. The RRA has a wide area of responsibility and great latitude in terms of how they complete their role. The RRA is often an experienced referee who has previously been a DRA (Division Referee Administrator). Knowledge of the policies and procedures for how Region 13 operates is an important aspect of this role, along with a passion for refereeing and the importance of referee instruction and mentorship.
Treasurer
The Treasurer has responsibility for managing the finances for the Region. They manage and monitor all income and expenses and provide financial reports to the Regional Board. The Treasurer also manages the yearly budget process and is key to regional decisions that impact revenue or expenses.
Registrar
The Registrar manages the registration process and status for all players and volunteers. The manage the registration system, distribute data to other volunteers, track and forecast enrollment, and provide revenue data to the Treasurer. They monitor compliance issues, such as ensuring that all volunteers sign their waivers and complete their background check. They provide player and volunteer info to coach and referee staff. They record and track player assessments. The Registrar position is data-intensive as this person maintains the Region’s most important records – our member data.
Secretary
The Secretary attends the Regional Board meetings and records board meeting minutes. They distribute those minutes to the board members for approval and distribution. All board meeting minutes are publicly available.
Child and Volunteer Protection Advocate (CVPA)
The CVPA works with the RC, RCA and RRA and is responsible for ensuring that all coaches, referees and other volunteers are properly trained and certified each season and for each role in which that volunteer is participating. This is an important role for maintaining AYSO’s key child protection policies. The CVPA also often has a role in dispute resolution.
Safety Director
The Safety Director has broad responsibility for the safety of players, coaches, referees and all other volunteers in the region. They assist and report any players, coaches or referees who experience an injury during an AYSO sanctioned event. The Safety Director also keeps the Board apprised of upcoming safety issues and possible regulation and compliance changes.
General Board
These roles are not required by AYSO but are essential to running a region of Region 13’s size. General Board members advise on policy and operations at monthly meetings.
Division Operations
Division Coach Administrator (DCA)
Division Coach Administrators are the coach contact point and organizational lead for their AYSO division (such as B8U). We have a DCA for each division, to distribute the workload. They are responsible for confirming coach, referee, and team manager volunteers that volunteered during the registration process, and for recruiting additional coaches to fill out our teams. They manage the team formation process for the division including collecting and confirming ratings information for players. They communicate with the coach volunteers in their division and provide them with any information and assistance they need. They also confirm that the volunteers in their division are properly certified and trained for their volunteer roles.
Division Referee Administrator (DRA)
Division Referee Administrators are are the referee contact point for their AYSO division (such as B8U). We have a DRA for each age division, although boys’ and girls’ divisions are generally managed by the same person. They are responsible for confirming referee volunteers that volunteered during the registration process, and for recruiting additional referees to fill out our teams. They communicate with the referee volunteers in their division and provide them with any information and assistance they need. They also confirm that all of the referees in their division are properly certified and trained for their volunteer roles.
Program Coordinators
4U/5U Program Coordinator
The 4U/5U Program Coordinator is responsible for running the preschool program. The program coordinator is responsible for coordinating the family volunteers and the professional trainers that work with the players. The program coordinator communicates directly with the families of the players, divides the players into playing groups and monitors the training each week. This program normally takes place on Saturday mornings at Victory Park.
Upper Division (UD) Coordinator
The Upper Division (aka UD) Coordinator is for players in the 16U and 19U divisions. This program is an Area program which means that the rules and decisions about how the program runs are determined by Area 1/C. The Upper Division Coordinator acts as the DCA for these age groups and represents the Region to the Area program. The Upper Division Coordinator is responsible for coordinating with the RC and RCA to choose coaches, coordinate the team drafts with Area and answer questions from coaches and families about the program. They also work with the UD Referee Coordinator to coordinate the referees from Region 13 that participate in the Upper Division program.
Upper Division Referee Coordinator
The Upper Division Referee Coordinator is responsible for coordinating the Region 13 referees that participate in the Area 1/C Upper Division program. These referees are all Intermediate, Advanced, or National badge referees that have spent considerable time to reach a level of competence in their refereeing that allows them to keep up with the play of the older players in the Upper Division program.
Grad Series Coordinator
The Grad Series Coordinator organizes and executes our winter Grad Series program. This program is custom-made for players who just finished 8U and will be moving up to 10U in the fall. This is a substantial change, since 10U is the youngest competitive division at which the standard Laws of the Game apply. Nevertheless, Grad Series is built to be a more casual, low-stress environment where players and coaches and referees can learn all of the new skills and rules, but within a fun and supportive environment. The Grad Series Coordinator will lead the way essentially building a small 10U division: collecting registrations and volunteers, building teams, and scheduling games. The GS Coordinator will work with the RC, RCA, Field Managers, and Uniform Coordinator to put everything together. During the course of the season (which is usually January and February), the GS Coordinator will communicate with the Grad Series families and coaches. Sometimes this program is done in collaboration with South Pasadena (Region 214).
Winter Stars Coordinator
The Winter Stars Coordinator organizes and puts on our low-stress winter program for all ages. In January and February, Winters Stars provides a weekly Saturday session at which any player, from 5 to 18 years of age, can come play soccer with their peers. We hire trainers to run each age group, so the WS Coordinator is primarily responsible for communicating with the families, ordering and distributing t-shirts, and ensuring that balls, goals, and other equipment are ready for the session. In this program, the emphasis is on fun and letting the kids play.
Director of Advanced Play
The Director of Advanced Play is essentially the All Stars Coordinator. Like Upper Division, All Stars is a program run at the Area level. The Director of Advanced Play will supervise signups of coach and referee volunteers, execute tryouts for All Stars players, and assemble teams, which will be submitted to the Area for incorporation into the All Stars program. The Director of Advanced Play is primarily an organizational role. The All Stars season is January and February each year. Often this volunteer will also assist with the coordination of Spring Soccer, which takes place in the March-May timeframe. Again, Spring Soccer is often an Area-wide program. This role benefits from experience with All Stars and other Area programs.
EXTRA Coordinator
EXTRA is a tryout-based AYSO program for players in search of a more competitive play environment. EXTRA involves more practices, a wider geographic area for games, and a more serious commitment from players. As such, Region 13 has not always had an EXTRA program. In 2026, we are bringing back this program with a pair of 10U teams. The EXTRA Coordinator is a significant volunteer role, as this person will be responsible for everything involving the EXTRA teams: from coach and player recruitment and tryouts, to overseeing finances, to communication with families throughout the season. EXTRA is run as an independent program, so the EXTRA Coordinator has additional responsibilities, but also the associated freedom to guide the program. This person will work with the RC, RCA, and RRA, as well as the Field and Uniform Coordinators.
EPIC Coordinator
The EPIC Coordinator organizes and executes our EPIC program. EPIC is an AYSO National effort which provides soccer programs to children with disabilities. It helps them to enjoy the beautiful game to the fullest extent, in an environment guided by AYSO’s six Philosophies. The EPIC Coordinator communicates with families, recruits buddies, and provides a Saturday afternoon program, usually at Victory Park. Our EPIC program also frequently participates in EPIC activities with other nearby Regions.
Training
Director of Coach Instruction
The Director of Coach Instruction oversees the scheduling, planning, and execution of coach training classes. This includes everything from 6U Coach up to Advanced Coach classes, as well as the occasional in-person Safe Haven class. The DCI works with the Director of Communications and the DCAs to publicize each class. They then work with the Field Coordinator (if a field space is needed for the class) as well as with the Treasurer to provide refreshments. The DCI arranges instructors for each class and follows up to make sure that those instructors grant credit to the attendees in a timely manner. The DCI may also work to publicize coach classes being held throughout the Area and/or at events such as the Section 1 Roadshow.
Director of Referee Instruction
The Director of Referee Instruction oversees the scheduling, planning, and execution of referee training classes. This includes everything from 8U Official up to National Referee classes. The DRI works with the Director of Communications and the DRAs to publicize each class. They then work with the Field Coordinator (if a field space is needed for the class) as well as with the Treasurer to provide refreshments. The DRI arranges instructors for each class and follows up to make sure that those instructors grant credit to the attendees in a timely manner. The DRI may also work to publicize referee classes being held throughout the Area and/or at events such as the Section 1 Roadshow and the summ Ken Aston Referee Camp.
Operations
Volunteer Coordinator / Team Manager Coordinator
The Volunteer Coordinator is responsible for organizing the general volunteers in the Region for events like our annual tournament and for staffing the information tent on game days. They also coordinate the Team Managers. Team Managers play an important administrative role on most AYSO teams. The Team Manager Coordinator conducts the Team Manager orientation meeting and interfaces with the Team Managers throughout the season. They are invited to attend monthly board meetings and and often contribute messages to the Communication Director for the newsletter. They also usually supervise the Picture Day Coordinator and the Awards and Trophies Team.
Auditor
The Auditor is responsible for ensuring that the Region’s finances are accurate, transparent, and well-managed. You’ll review financial records and confirm that income and expenses are properly documented. Audits are normally performed every six months, in collaboration with the Treasurer.
Uniform & Equipment Coordinator
The Uniform and Equipment Coordinator handles selection, ordering, and distribution of player uniforms and coach equipment for each of our programs. For each program, the Uniform Coordinator will determine the number of players and teams, work with the vendor to provide appropriate styles and sizes, and then organize volunteers to distribute the uniforms to the various teams. A substantial effort are the uniforms for the large fall season, but we also provide uniforms for Grad Series and All Stars in the winter, and Spring Soccer in the spring. The Uniform Coordinator also orders sweatshirts for our Upper Division and All Star players, as well as t-shirts for our Winter Stars program.
The Equipment Coordinator (who is often also the Uniform Coordinator, but doesn’t need to be) orders equipment for our coaches. This equipment includes ball pumps, cones, first aid kits, ice packs, etc., as well a a bag for all of these items. Usually this person orders enough stock to equip coaches for the large fall season, with extras supplying coaches throughout the rest of the year. Volunteers are recruited to assemble and distribute the coach equipment bags.
Scheduler
The Scheduler computes the schedule of games, including creating the matchups and assigning fields for each game. There are various software solutions for this effort, with the better solutions being able to deal with the complexities of our many coaches who coach more than one team. The Scheduler also loads the game schedules into InLeague so that they are available to everyone in the Region.
Statistician
The Statistician records scores, injuries, sportsmanship reports, and referee information from the game cards, which are submitted for the competitive divisions (10U-14U). Game scores are published to InLeague, and the Statistician ensures that the resulting published team standings are correct. Sportsmanship Points and Referee Points are calculated and published as well.
Communications & Events
Communication Director
The Communications Director is responsible for the content, tone, and messaging of all of the various Region 13 communication channels. These include the newsletter, website, and other e-mail communications, such as Peachjar communiques to local schools. This volunteer regularly attends the Region 13 board meetings to inform the leadership about best practices and to assist with publicizing upcoming Region 13 events. They monitor AYSO National’s branding recommendations and review their monthly marketing tookits.
Special Events Coordinator
Region 13 has a small number of “special events”, such as the kickoff dinner in August and the holiday awards dinner in December. The Special Events Coordinator works with the Treasurer to reserve a location and provide food and/or other refreshments. They also consider entertainment options and generally oversee the event. They also work to recruit volunteers for each event.
NWSL and MLS Liaison
This Liaison develops relationships with group sales staffs for professional soccer teams, such as Angel City FC, the LA Galaxy, and LAFC. This volunteer will arrange group outings to games, distribute tickets, and organize on-field experiences, such as holding the flag or walking the players out before a game. This volunteer helps connect the Region with the broader soccer community.
Picture Day Coordinator
The Picture Day Coordinator works with the Volunteer Coordinator and the photography studio to schedule and staff picture day(s) for the Region. Normally these are held on two or three Saturdays late in the fall season, at Victory Park. The Picture Day Coordinator provides the photography studio with a list of teams, assigns teams to photo appointments, and attempts to reconcile schedule change needs. This volunteer works with the Communications Director to publicize picture days, the Volunteer Coordinator to staff the picture day tables, and the Treasurer to ensure that timely payment is made for the photos.
Awards and Trophies Team
Region 13 awards trophies and/or medals for most of our seasons and activities. A group of volunteers helps to put all of that together. In some divisions, such as 4U and 5U, we award general trophies indicating the league and year; in other divisions, such as 6U-8U, we award individualized trophies, so players’ names have to be collected and assigned to the selected trophies. In some divisions, we award medals, sometimes on a variety of ribbons. The Rose City Cup also requires medals and trophies. Ultimately. we gather a small group of volunteers to organize all of these details.
Tournaments
Tournament Director
The Tournament Director oversees our Region’s two annual tournaments: The Thanksgiving Tournament, which takes place the weekend after Thanksgiving and the Bill Owen Spring Classic, which normally takes place in the late spring. The Tournament Director manages all aspects of the tournaments and works with many other Region staff, including especially the RRA and the Fields Coordinator. Our Tournaments are managed via an online portal, which handles registration, referee and player roster submission, and payments. Our tournaments are a significant income source for our Region.
Rose City Cup Director
The Rose City Cup Director is like the Tournament Director, but for our own Region 13 end-of-season playoff tournament. Responsibilities are similar, with a somewhat smaller scope, since the Rose City Cup involves only our own Region 13 teams. Nevertheless, the Rose City Cup Director must deal with issues of field availability, game scheduling, referees, and trophies and medals. Working on the Rose City Cup is an excellent way to introduce oneself to the tournament process.
How to Volunteer
To express interest in any role, contact the Regional Commissioner:
- Email: [email protected]
- General questions: [email protected]
- Phone: 626-316-6900
Most board roles begin with a conversation about your interests, time, and skills. New volunteers often start in a smaller role and grow into larger ones over time.
Related Pages
- Volunteering Overview — Getting started
- Training Classes — Certification requirements
- Training Matrix — Required training by role
- Board Meetings — Meeting notes archive
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