Volunteers Needed

1. Referees & Asst Referees for Every Division!
2. Youth Volunteer Outreach Coordinator
3. Equipment Directors for Every Division

Volunteer Information

WSSL is a 100% volunteer organization. The coaching, refereeing, permitting for fields, setting and procurement of equipment and uniforms, etc. are all handled by dedicated volunteers like yourselves.

Every family must volunteer to fulfill two (2) volunteer positions. WSSL will provide fun and painless training for you. Most training takes place right before the season and other training is added on an as-needed basis during the season. If you have questions, please check Calendar of Events, Training & Clinics and/or ask your Division Head for guidance. Volunteer opportunities and job descriptions are included below. Some positions have limited availability.

WSSL needs the volunteer commitment from all involved to continue the excellent tradition of AYSO recreational soccer in NYC. Please lend your support enthusiastically!

All Volunteers Must Register

All WSSL volunteers - coaches, referees, team managers, etc. - must be registered as such with AYSO national. Volunteer backrounds and references are checked by national staff to ensure the safety of our children. Your information will not be shared with any third party. Key personal information (e.g., social security numbers) will be encrypted. You will need to fill in specific information including details on personal references. Once you are ready, please click on the link below to register as a volunteer through AYSO national's eAYSO system. http://www.eayso.org/

Tips On Using eAYSO to Register

It's easy to do. Just follow the Log In instructions. Click on Volunteer on the top of the eayso site, sign up and go. (Make sure you hit Volunteer, not parent.) If you have registered as a volunteer before, it takes just a few minutes to update your record. If not, it is easy to sign up as a new volunteer and takes just an extra couple of minutes. Once you are done, print the form, sign it (this is essential for you to be covered by insurance) and either give it to your Division Head OR mail it to WSSL's Child and Volunteer Protection Advocate, Deb Elman, at:

Deb Elman
WSSL, CVPA

If you have any questions or troubles, email elmand23@gmail.com.

Coach (C)

The Coach is the focal point for teaching soccer and team skills with the purpose of playing safe and fun games. Coaches are responsible for their teams, both at games and at practices. Coaches of 8 year olds and older are expected to hold at least one non-game day practice each week during the playing season. Every Coach is required to attend a Safe-Haven clinic (3 hr) at least once in their career and to be certified at the age-appropriate Coaching Clinic.

Assistant Coach (A)

Every team will have an Assistant Coach whose function is to help the Coach at games and practices and to substitute for the Coach in his/her absence. Assistant Coaches are also expected to attend Safe-Haven and Coaching Clinics.

Referee (R)

The Referee is the ultimate authority during the game. The Referee’s primary responsibilities are to insure the safety of the players and to enforce the Laws of Soccer. To accomplish this in an authoritative manner, Referees must have knowledge of the applicable Laws for the age group with which they are involved. Every prospective Referee is required to attend a training session and become certified at the appropriate referee level for their division. For U6, U7 and U8 levels, a three and a half hour course is required. For U9 and older levels, an additional four hour course is required. Referees will be expected to commit to officiating at least five times each season for games in which their child is NOT playing. Every team is expected to have at least o ne or two parent volunteers to Referee. Referees will be required to referee games other than the ones their child is playing in.

Assistant Referee (L)

Assistant Referees (ARs) are trained and utilized in divisions where goalkeepers are used and Offside infractions are called (ages 9 and older). ARs are uniformed officials who assist the Referee from the touch li ne by indicating offside infractions, fouls and penalties outside the Referee’s view, balls out of play, and other duties assigned by the Referee. Unlike Referees, ARs may officiate their own child’s games. This position provides parents with an excellent opportunity to participate in their children’s activity and enables them to experience the excitement and enjoyment of soccer officiating. AR’s are required to be certified by taking the appropriate training sessions.

Team Manager (T)

The Team Manager is responsible for all of the administrative work necessary for running a team including setting up a phone tree for communication between the Coach and the players’ families and distributing team rosters and other information from the Coach and the League. The Team Manager is also responsible for scheduling snack days, assisting at Photo Day, arranging team activities at Awards Day and any other duties assigned by the Coach. There is no special training required for this position and there is usually only one Team Manager per team.

Awards Day Assistant (W)

The Awards Day Assistants will work with the Divisional Awards Day Coordinator to set-up the trophies on Awards Day, to assist in seating players and parents in appropriate places prior to the ceremony, to ensure that their team area in the cafeteria is properly cleaned after use and to volunteer for any other duties required by the Division or the Regional Awards Day Coordinator. Volunteers for this position will be required to attend Awards Day ceremonies.

Fields and Equipment (G)

The team field person is responsible for being at the game site early to make sure the field is correctly lined and the goals, corner flags, etc. are correctly set up. The field person must know the field dimensions, what lines go on the field and where they go and all of the other items regarding proper field setup. If your team has the final game, the field person is responsible for putting away all of the equipment in its proper location and for making sure that the fields are properly cleaned up (i.e. every scrap of paper in the field area is put into proper receptacles).

Sponsorship/Fundraising (S)

Donors and sponsors help us offset the costs of scholarships, field and equipment upgrades and maintenance. Corporate and business sponsors play a very important part in funding our League. $600 will sponsor 2 teams. And every contribution helps with the upgrades and construction of fields.