2025-2026 (MY 2025) AYSO Age Chart

HOW TO READ THE AYSO AGE CHART

The effective date of age determination for registration is the player's age as of December 31, 2026. 

1. Using the row across the top, choose the year (the current soccer year will always be Column 1)
2. Using the left column, select the Birth Year of your player(s)
3. The result will show you the division your player is eligible for, as well as the actual age of the players

Registration Age Breakdown

AYSO will be changing from a school year registration to a birth year registration in order to align with other youth soccer providers’ interpretation of the U.S. Soccer Player Development Initiatives.

The effective date of age determination for registration shall be the player’s age as of December 31 looking ahead of the Membership Year.  Example: For MY2022 the division the child will be placed in  will be determined based on their age on December 31, 2023.

Participants who shall turn four years of age between January 1 and December 31 are eligible for AYSO Playground Soccer.

To help in determining the proper age and division for players, the following chart is provided and guidelines and rules are as follows from U.S. Soccer.For more information about this change click here to be redirected to the U.S. Soccer website.

To find the best program for your child in your area, locate your AYSO Region.

2024-2025 (MY 2024) AYSO Age Chart

HOW TO READ THE AYSO AGE CHART

The effective date of age determination for registration is the player's age as of December 31, 2025. 

1. Using the row across the top, choose the Membership year (MY); the current soccer year will always be the first Column
2. Using the left column, select the Birth Year of your player(s)
3. The result will show you the division your player is eligible for
4. These years and age brackets follow the guidance of AYSO and US Soccer and are based on birth year, not school year.

Frequently Asked Questions

1.   When are the soccer seasons?

• Fall season starts August and runs through the late October (5U-8U) or early November (9U-19U)
• Indoor/Futsal starts in December and runs into the end of February
• Spring season starts in March and runs into the end of May
• Registration for each season starts 2-3 months prior and there will be an update to our homepage when it is open
  

Please follow each of the links to find more information.

2.   When and where are soccer practices?

• Practices are held Monday through Friday
•  Coaches pick the practice days and times when they receive their teams, based on field availability
•  Practice locations are at Dublin or Palmer Park

  Fall/Spring: 
AYSO Playground (4U) practice once a week. Trainings may be offered several times during the week  
5U/6U practice 45 minutes to an hour once per week with a start time between 5:00pm and 7:00pm
7U/8U practice 1 hour and 15 minutes once or twice per week with a start time between 5:00pm and 7:00pm
9U-19U practice 1.5 hours twice a week with a start time between 5:00pm and 8:00pm

Indoor/Futsal:
There are no practices during Indoor/Futsal season

3.   When and where are the soccer games?

Fall/Spring:
Most games are played on Saturdays at Dublin and Palmer Parks 
Games may be played on weeknights, depending on the number of teams in a division, in order to eliminate weekend doubleheaders
2014 (12U) to 2006 (19U) teams may "travel" locally (i.e. - Huntsville, Harvest, Monrovia, East Limestone, New Market etc.) throughout the season
Game start times are anywhere from 8:00am - 3:00pm, with some exceptions during early fall if heat forces later game starts

2016 (9U) to 2006 (19U) Tournaments:
Tournament Games are played on all days of the week, including Sunday
Region Tournament (typically 9U and 10U age groups) - Dublin and Palmer Parks
Area Tournament for 12U - 19U age groups is usually held the first weekend in November

Indoor/Futsal:
Games are played at local Gymnasiums. See each season's Indoor/Futsal page for more details. 
Game times and locations vary year to year due to gym availability.

4.   How do I become a Coach?

Coaching children is a very rewarding experience. And coaching your own child's team can be one of the most rewarding experiences of all! Coaches are pivotal to having children get the AYSO experience. If AYSO regions don't have enough coaches, the experience for the children is diminished through reduced playing time and enjoyment. 

Do you have little to no experience with soccer? No problem! Our Region 498 coach instructors will teach you based on the level you are coaching. Unique age-appropriate coach training is one of AYSO's specialties. If you plan to be at your child's soccer practices and games, you'll also have time to be your child's coach. 

Coaches are essential to the game. They teach children soccer skills and help develop a healthy, positive attitude, teamwork and good sportsmanship. Coaching is a rewarding experience as you have the opportunity to build a child's self-esteem, help them learn new skills, and just have a lot of fun. 

To become an AYSO Region 498 coach, you must first complete a volunteer registration form. Next, you must complete the required online safety training at AYSOU. Lastly, you must complete the online and in-person age specific coaching course. In addition to this training, every volunteer must undergo a background check to ensure the safety of our children. 

For full information on How to Become a Coach, including detailed registration instructions, CLICK HERE 

5.   What happens when no referee signs up for a scheduled game?

For games hosted by AYSO Region 498 with no certified and approved referee is present, a friendly coach-led scrimmage can be played in lieu of a game. The role of the coach is to guide the scrimmage--NOT to referee--and to maintain a safe environment for the players allowing them have fun while learning in a game-like environment.

Parents, family members, and players themselves are encouraged to become certified referees so there is adequate coverage of all soccer matches. Visit Coach-Led Scrimmages for more information.

6.   How do I become a Referee?

Being an AYSO Referee can be a rewarding experience for both the kids and the volunteer with no long-term commitment and provides flexibility for those with uncertain schedules. Referees can select which game or games they are able to officiate each week, or none if their schedule does not allow.

To become a referee, a volunteer must complete a few short online courses and then attend the Regional Referee Training which takes around 3 hours.

If you have a child that is at least 10 years of age, we encourage them to become a Youth Referee. Besides knowing the fundamentals of playing the game, your child can learn ALL aspects of soccer by officiating games as well. Being a youth referee can become a positive self-esteem and confidence booster!

For more information, CLICK HERE for How to Become a Referee. 

7.   Are there other opportunities to volunteer besides Coach or Referee?

Yes. If you are unable to be a coach or referee but still want to be involved with your child's team, consider being a Team Parent. A team parent does the "admin" duties such as creating a snack schedule and organizing the end-of-season soccer party, if applicable. 

We also offer board member and staff positions. Whether you are a board member or not, you are always welcome to attend our regular board meetings. However, as a board member, you are eligible to vote on different items presented in meetings. Available staff positions may vary from year to year. if you are not sure that you have what it takes to volunteer at a board member or staff positions, all we look for is a positive attitude and willingness to serve our community!

All of our Region 498 volunteers continually learn as they go, and they take what they've learned to support new volunteers.

• Become a Volunteer
• Available Volunteer Positions
• Volunteer Registration Instructions
• Board & Staff

8.   What happens if we have to miss a game, or the game is rained out?

Due to the size of the region and limited field space, games are not rescheduled per rain-out or lack of players. 

9.   How long are the games?

• 5U/6U games are 20 minutes - two 10-minute halves
• 7U/8U games are 40 minutes - two 20-minute halves
• 9U/10U games are 50 minutes - two 25-minute halves
• 12U games are 60 minutes - two 30-minute halves
• 15U games are 80 minutes - two 40-minute halves
  
• 19U games are 90 minutes - two 45-minute halves

At 12U and below, games are broken into quarters with a short break between quarters, and a 5-minute break at the half. Substitutions are only allowed at quarter breaks.

15U to 19U play 2 halves with monitored substitutions throughout the entire match instead of quarter breaks.

10.  What are the age ranges to play AYSO Region 498 soccer?

Players can start AYSO soccer at age 4 (age as of 12/31/2021) up to age 19 for our youth soccer programs.

11.  How many players are there per team?

• 4U Playground does not form teams or have games
• 5U-8U play 4v4 typically with 6 players per team
• 9U/10U plays 7v7 typically with 9 players per team
• 11U/12U plays 9v9 typically with 12 players per team
  
• 15U-19U play 11v11 typically with 15-18 players per team

12.  When and where is registration?

Registration will always remain open for each core season until the posted date. After this date, we may take more players assuming we have enough coach volunteers to assign a team. The more parents we have volunteer as coaches, the more teams are created meaning more players can register to play. At the same time, it's also important for parents to considering refereeing. The more coaches we have, the more teams are created, leaving us in need of more referees to officiate the games.

Registration for each season generally follows the following pattern:

• Fall Season Registration opens May; closes approximately end of August
• Indoor Season Registration opens November; closes approximately end of January
• Spring Season Registration opens November; closes approximately beginning of March
  

Registration is completed online through our website at www.ayso498.org. Our preferred method of payment for registration is
credit card. Using this method is simple, quick, and allows your player to be assigned to a team faster. However, if you prefer to
pay by cash or check, please get the the final registration step and choose "Pay Later" then email our registrar for instructions on payment.

• First time registering, click REGISTER NOW at the top right of this page
• Returning players, click LOGIN at the top right of this page
• General Registration Information
  
• Registration Instructions
• Volunteer Registration Instructions

13.  Do the players receive uniforms?

Players have the option of ordering a uniform through soccer.com or purchasing one at Soccer Central during advertised open hours. If players have a uniform that fits from a previous season, they are not required to purchase a new one. Emails from soccer.com for uniforms are delayed after registration, as the upload from our system is a manual process.

• Blue Jersey (home)
• Red Jersey (away)
• Pair of Shorts - 5U and up
• Black Socks - 8U and Below
• Red/Blue Socks 9U and up

Players must provide their own shin guards (required) as well as their own shoes. Sneakers are allowed in AYSO soccer. However,
we recommend soccer cleats at every age (4U Playground is optional) for two reasons: 1) Wearing soccer cleats at a younger age
will allow the player to get used to these type of shoes as they grow; and 2) When playing both fall and spring season, the grass
on the fields may become wet at some point due to rainy weather and soccer cleats will help prevent slipping. Baseball and football
cleats are not allowed due to the toe cleats.

14.  What size ball do players need?

• 4U - 8U uses a Size 3 ball (23.0-25.0 inch circumference, 10-12 ounces)
• 9U - 12U uses a Size 4 ball (25.0-26.5 inch circumference, 12-14 ounces)
• 15U - 19U uses a Size 5 ball (26.5-28.0 inch circumference, 14-16 ounces)

While coaches are given soccer balls to use during practices, these are intended to be available for game use. Each player is expected to provide their own ball and bring it to each practice.

15.  How do I report Field Issues?

• Click Here to report non-urgent Field Issues or email [email protected]
• For immediate issues (such as a field that is unplayable or a safety hazard) call Madison Parks and Recreations at (256) 772-9300
  

16. When should I hear about my child's division or from my coach?

You should hear from your child's division coordinator at the beginning of the season, then from your coach once teams have been made. Teams are generally not made for Fall and Spring season until after at least one week of open practices where the coordinator will be available for questions.

19. How about a nice big matrix of this information?