Area Director Checklist
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New Area Director Checklist
Welcome, Area Director! This checklist will assist you in getting started.
AD Checklist and Associated Links
1. If you do not have a current volunteer application on file with the AYSO Office, log on to your home Region’s Sports Connect Site, renew your volunteer status, and complete your background check if it is missing or expired. If you are a new volunteer to AYSO, select the Register Now button on your Region's website. You will also have to complete AYSO's Safe Haven, SafeSport, Concussion Awareness and Sudden Cardiac Arrest training (collectively, “Safety Training”) and, if you are a California volunteer, a Live Scan background check (including fingerprinting).
● Accept Sterling Volunteer Invite
● Checking your Sterling Background Check Status
2. Submit the AD Appointment Request Form, Board Checklist, and Conflict of Interest form to your Section Director once nominated by the Regional Commissioners.
● Executive Member Appointment Forms
3. Obtain all Area records and digital and physical assets from the previous AD or your SD. Identify and visit location of Area equipment storage facilities, if applicable. As applicable, get keys to Area mailbox and add yourself as an account representative.
4. Obtain access to computer applications. Your Section’s Member Relations representative, as well as the AYSO Finance Department, will reach out for a short orientation to verify access.
- Area website (Sports Connect Portal)
- Area level Association platform
- QuickBooks
- Bill/Divvy
- AYSOU Area Admin
- Region Sports Connect Portals
- Region Divvy/QuickBooks
- Admin access to Google Workspace Organizational Unit
5. Attend AD training within one year of appointment. Reach out to SD for next date.
6. Arrange with the SD for an audit of the Area accounts (if your Area maintains a checking/savings account).
7. Review of the current Area board for staffing needs and potential personnel changes. If necessary, recruit new board members. Note: In certain Areas, volunteers may hold multiple positions based on community needs and their willingness to serve. Your board should have enough positions filled to support the Regions you serve. Board positions may include:
● Assistant Area Director
● Area Treasurer
● Area Auditor
● Area Coach Administrator (ACA), Area Coach Instructor(s) (ACI), Area Coach Trainer (ACT)
● Area Referee Administrator (ARA), Area Referee Director of Instruction (ARDI), Area Referee Director of Assessment (ARDA), Area Director of Referee Mentoring (ADRM)
● Area Management Administrator (AMA)
● Child and Volunteer Protection Advocate (ACVPA)
● Area EPIC Coordinator
● Area Scheduler
● Area Safety Director
● Area Webmaster
● Area Tournament/Area Interplay and/or Playoff Director
● Area Secretary
8. Using the Association Platform, update the Area Board information.
9. Provide Area Board members and key volunteers with access rights through the Registration Portal and Association Platform to perform their duties effectively. For example, give Area Coach/Ref admin access to running their own reports. Encourage all board members to become familiar with the Registration Portal, the Association Platform, and AYSOU.
● Security Access Sports Connect
● Security Access Association Platform
10. Update the Area website (Sports Connect) and Area social media to include the new Area Board, calendar, and other pertinent links, events, and information.
11. If the Area uses Google workspace or other custom email system, update the users and their passwords so new members have access and past board members cannot access them (may need help from the AYSO Office account admin).
12. Instruct each Area board member and other Area volunteers to log on to their Region’s Sports Connect Site and register to be a volunteer and complete their background check.
● Accept Sterling Volunteer Invite
● Checking your Sterling Background Check Status
13. Work with the Area CVPA to ensure all Area board members and volunteers have registered, have current background checks, completed Safety Training and job-specific training as required. Safety Training courses vary by volunteer position and by state. Most job-specific training is available through AYSOU. You can also work with your Section staff as needed to obtain training.
● AYSOU
14. Schedule Area board meetings and other events organized and lead by the Area (in person or remotely) that include your Area board, Regional Commissioners and other invited guests. Meeting frequency should be based on the Regional and Area need, but at a minimum every other month. You may also invite your SD to attend. Keep SD on the Area board meeting notifications.
15. Set up or update Area bank account(s) to add you as a signatory. Ensure your SD is a signatory on the Area’s bank accounts. Get access to online banking at the Area’s bank. Manage the Area's finances using current AYSO systems, including QuickBooks and BILL.
16. Have your name added to each Region’s bank accounts as an authorized signer. Contact the AYSO Office at finance@ayso.org for support with this process.
17. Work with the Area Treasurer and the Area Board to prepare an operating budget for the Area and share it with your SD. Evaluate the Area’s ability to fund itself and consider additional funding sources such as an Area tournament or charging Regions a per player fee. If the Area has financial needs that are supported by the Section, this is the time to request such needs for approval and a disbursement plan.
18. Work with each Regional Commissioner regarding their Regional budgets and program needs. Budgets are due to the AD/SD by June 1st annually. Adjust your deadlines if your SD wants them by an earlier date.
19. Work with Regional Commissioners and other members of the Area Board to review at least annually and update as needed all Area rules, policies, and guidelines.
20. Ongoing support to Regions:
● Ensure that the RC or the Safety Director has secured the necessary permits and, where required, certificates of insurance for all practice fields, playing fields, and other Regional event locations. Help as requested by the RC.
● Work with the RCs to support Regional interplay (regions regularly play between each other to support low registrations in a particular playing division or upper division programs). Have written Area Interplay rules/guidelines, review. Example: simple as home rules apply. OR full rules that RCs agree on for a season.
● If there is an Area Play Off program or tournament, pre-planning is the main ingredient to success.
● Support and promote AYSO Play! EXTRA, and other national programs as it fits into your Area.
● EPIC can be implemented at the Area level or supported by the Region level.
o -U16/U19, All Stars, Select play
● Have the ACA, ARA and AMA coordinate training support needs with their Regional counterparts. Consider offering Super Camps.
● Ensure that each Region’s Standard Regional Policies and Protocols (P&Ps) or customized Regional P&Ps were reviewed/updated/adopted and signed by the RC, the AD and SD, prior to their submission to the AYSO Office.
● Attend board meetings for each Region (in person or remotely) at least once annually.
● If the Area’s geography permits, visit each Region on a playing day and support in any way requested/able (referee a match, train volunteers, etc.)
● Ensure that your Regions follow AYSO's vision, mission, philosophies, Rules and Regulations, and National Policies and Procedures.
● Provide each Region with the tools, policies and protocols and other supports needed to be successful, but do not micromanage their program.
● Have a plan to get to know more members of the Regions than just the RC.
21. Attend Regional board meetings (in person or remotely) as invited, the National Annual General Meeting (NAGM), your Section’s annual EXPO, and Section board and planning meetings. If you are unable to attend the NAGM submit a proxy form to another designated executive member or directly to your SD or the AYSO Office. Encourage the attendance of volunteers at EXPO within the constraints of the Area budget. Reach out to the AYSO Office (Dan Howald) for financial support as needed and if you are available for these meetings.
22. Oversee the election of new Regional Commissioners. Regional Commissioners must be elected or re-elected at least 45 days before their term expires. Review the Region’s Standard Regional Policies and Protocols to determine who is eligible to vote.
● Executive Member Selection Protocol
23. Conduct Regional Commissioner Orientation in person with each newly appointed Regional Commissioner and their Regional Board. Verify that all area RCs have completed AYSO RC Training.
24. Review and submit all RC Appointment Request Forms that meet your approval to your SD within one month of election.
25. Serve as the conduit for communications from the AYSO Office and SD intended for delivery to the Regions. Facilitate effective communication between Coach/Ref admin and the Regions.
26. The AD must be elected or re-elected no less than 45 days (and preferably 60 or more days) before his or her term expires. The SD creates a nominating committee and appoints a chairperson to oversee this process.
● Executive Member Selection Protocol
27. Provide transition training to your successor, including transfer of all the records of the Area.
Prepare ahead for exiting the position.
