AYSO Kickstart Program

A Fun First Soccer Experience for 3-Year-Old Players

AYSO Kickstart is the newest youth soccer experience offered by AYSO Region 286 and is specifically designed for our youngest players, typically 3-year-olds and first-time participants. Kickstart replaces our previous Playground program and introduces children to soccer through fun, movement, creativity, and play in an environment built around how young children naturally learn and grow.

Unlike traditional youth sports programs that can sometimes feel overly structured or adult-driven, Kickstart is intentionally designed to look and feel different. The focus is not on competition, standings, or pressure. Instead, the goal is to create a positive first experience with soccer that helps children build confidence, develop basic movement skills, and simply fall in love with being active and playing the game.

Kickstart sessions are fast-moving, engaging, and designed to keep kids participating the entire time. Every session uses age-appropriate activities and small-sided games to create a fun “playground-style” soccer environment where children can explore, learn, and interact naturally with both the game and other players.

Registration Information

The registration consists of:

• $25 Division Fee (used to operate the Region 286 soccer program)
• $25 AYSO Annual Membership Fee (Non-Refundable) (used to operate the National AYSO program)
• Total Cost: $50

There is no uniform cost associated with the Kickstart program. Participants will receive a T-shirt for participating.

What Each Session Includes

Each Kickstart session typically includes:

• Fundamental movement activities such as balancing, skipping, jumping, or coordination exercises
• Fun soccer-based games that introduce basic ball familiarity and movement
• Small-sided “Big Match” games such as 2v2 or 3v3 play
• Simple social and emotional learning themes such as teamwork, helping others, sharing, and listening

Why Kickstart Matters

Kickstart helps prepare players for future soccer participation by building comfort in group play environments while introducing basic soccer concepts in a low-pressure setting. The program focuses on long-term development and enjoyment rather than rushing players into competitive play too early.

The goal of Kickstart is simple: help children become healthier, happier, more confident, and excited to come back each week.

Volunteer Opportunity – Program Leader Needed