How We Form Teams

Region 76 forms teams with one main goal: to give every player a fair, positive, and balanced soccer experience.

AYSO is built on six core philosophies: Everyone Plays®, Balanced Teams, Open Registration, Positive Coaching, Good Sportsmanship, and Player Development. Team formation in Region 76 is guided by those principles, especially the goal of creating teams that are as balanced as possible.

Because team formation affects every player in a division, roster changes are not simple one-for-one moves. Moving one player often requires finding another player of comparable age, experience, and ability so that team balance is not affected. For that reason, once teams are formed, roster changes are very limited.

Our Team Formation Priorities

When forming teams, Region 76 considers several factors, including:

• Player age and division
• Player ratings or prior evaluations where applicable
• Team balance
• Coach availability
• Practice day conflicts where allowed
• Sibling or same-household requests
• School or friend requests in younger divisions only
• Waitlist status and available roster space

No single factor guarantees placement on a particular team.

8U and Younger

In 8U and younger divisions, teams are generally formed based on practical and social factors, including friend requests, school, coach availability, and practice day limitations.

At these ages, creating a welcoming first soccer experience is more important than team balance. We do our best to honor requests, but requests are not guaranteed. We also cannot allow teams to be built almost entirely from requests or from one school.

Requests are made through the Region 76 InLeague portal at the time of registration. Requests should be submitted via the "Submitter Comments" field on the player registration form. Requests or changes may be submitted after registration by following these steps to Update Player Registration Information. Requests made after July 31 are unlikely to be granted.

9U and 10U

Beginning in 9U and 10U, team balance becomes a much higher priority.

Teams are formed using available player ratings, prior coach evaluations, and other evaluation opportunities when available. Coach pairings may be allowed only when they do not create an imbalance.

After teams are formed, roster adjustments may be made based on the one weekday practice conflict submitted by each family, where applicable.

Because 9U and older divisions become more competitive and balanced-team focused, friend and coach requests are not accepted.

12U

In 12U, teams are formed with special attention to balancing older and younger players within the division as well as skill of the players.

This helps avoid teams being weighted too heavily with players who are in their second year of the division, while also recognizing that some younger players may be placed or rated comparably to older players based on ability and experience.

14U

In 14U, team formation uses a combination of coach involvement and Division Director oversight.

Coaches may provide input during the team formation process, but the Division Director is responsible for reviewing the overall division and making adjustments as needed to maintain balanced teams. The top priority is always the competitive balance of the entire division, not the preference of any individual coach or team.

This process allows coaches to contribute their knowledge of players while ensuring that final team assignments remain fair, balanced, and consistent with AYSO’s Balanced Teams philosophy.

Player Requests

Region 76 accepts player requests only in limited situations.

8U and Younger

Friend, school, and coach requests may be considered, but they are not guaranteed.

9U and Older

Friend and coach requests are not accepted or considered.

The only exception is for siblings or children living in the same household who are in the same division. Families may request that those players be placed either on the same team or on different teams.

Practice Day Conflicts

For divisions where practice-day conflicts are accepted, families may submit one weekday when their child cannot practice.

We will do our best to honor that one-day conflict by placing the player on a team that does not practice on that day. Families may not submit multiple unavailable days, because doing so would make balanced team formation unmanageable.

Beginning in 14U, practice day opt-outs are generally not used because they make it too difficult to maintain balanced teams.

Late Registration

Late registrations can be difficult to place, especially in 9U and older divisions.

For 9U and older players, a player may need to be rated or evaluated before being placed so that the player can be added without disrupting team balance.

If team balance allows, late registrations are generally handled based on available space, registration timing, coach availability, Beverly Hills residency in waitlist situations, and the needs of the division.

Late registration cannot be used to manipulate team placement. A highly rated player who registers after teams have been formed may be delayed, waitlisted, or unable to be placed if adding that player would disrupt team balance.

Waitlists

Sometimes a division has more registered players than available roster spots, or not enough certified volunteer coaches to form additional teams. In those cases, players may be placed on a waitlist.

Players do not always come off the waitlist in exact registration order. Region 76 may consider several factors, including:

• Available roster space
• Beverly Hills residency
• Registration timing
• Player rating or division balance
• Parent volunteer status
• Coach availability

When a player drops from a team, Region 76 will try to replace that player with a waitlisted player who maintains the best possible team balance.

If a player cannot be placed by approximately one-third of the way through the Fall season, families may choose either a full refund or to remain on the waitlist until the halfway point of the season. If the player still cannot be placed by the halfway point, Region 76 will provide a full refund.

Final Team Assignment Authority

The Division Director, under the supervision of the Regional Commissioner and Assistant Regional Commissioners, has final authority over team formation and roster adjustments.

Region 76 may make adjustments when necessary to protect team balance, address coach shortages, correct mistakes, or prevent manipulation of the team formation process. Adjustments may be made after practices have begun or after the first two weeks of games if necessary.

When Will I Hear From My Coach?

Families typically hear from their coach near the end of August or beginning of September. Team assignments will be available on your InLeague Dashboard once they have been released.

If you have not heard from your coach by Labor Day weekend, please contact your Division Director.

In Summary

Region 76 does its best to form teams that are fair, balanced, and consistent with AYSO’s philosophies. We understand that families may have requests and scheduling needs, and we try to accommodate them where appropriate. However, once players reach the older divisions, balanced teams must come first. Refunds will not be granted simply because friend, carpool, or coach requests were not granted.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as our volunteers work to create the best possible soccer experience for all players.