Introducing Kickstart: AYSO’s New Entry-Level Experience

Laughter, movement, child-centered, and nonstop action. Welcome to Kickstart!

• This Fall, AYSO 266 Marine Park Soccer is bringing a new program for players ages 3-5 with a simpler, more flexible experience built around what young children love most: movement, imagination, exploration, and play.
• Kickstart Soccer uses a fun, jamboree-style format instead of traditional teams and schedules, allowing children to jump right into the action each week.
• There are no standings, no pressure, and no waiting around. With small goals, live restarts, and game-like activities, every child stays active, engaged, and smiling from start to finish.
• Parents are part of the experience too, helping on the field, sharing in the fun, and creating the kind of welcoming, energetic environment that makes AYSO special.
• Kickstart was shaped by a national U.S. Soccer research project involving AYSO and organizations from across the country, all working together to better understand what creates the best possible first soccer experience. The result is a program designed around what young children want and need most: joy, connection, confidence, and a love of the game.

Why?

• Kickstart looks and feels different from traditional youth soccer, and that is intentional.
• Today’s youth sports are often over-structured and adult-driven, which do not always match the needs of the child.
• Kickstart adapts the environment, so the game belongs to the kids again.
• The streets, parks, and backyards have produced some of the world’s most creative players. When children are given the freedom to play, they become healthier, happier, and more confident.

Benefits include:

1. Physical health
2. Unleashed creativity
3. Social and emotional growth
4. Confidence and independence
5. Accessible and inclusive play environments

What

• AYSO Kickstart is AYSO’s entry-level soccer experience designed to reimagine early play environments, spark joy, boost development, and help kids fall in love with the game from day one.
• Grounded in years of sport and early-childhood research, Kickstart transforms traditional practice into child-centered play. Sessions feature fun, fast-moving activities and modified small-sided games that create a lively, sandlot-style jamboree experience.
• Kickstart is typically offered for the youngest and first-time players and serves as the first step in the AYSO player pathway.

What does a session include?

Each Kickstart session is simple, fast-moving, and designed to keep players active.

Every session includes:

1. A Fundamental Motor Skill activity (such as skipping or balancing)
2. A game-like soccer activity to build skill and understanding
3. The Big Match – a modified small-sided game (2v2 or 3v3)

Each session also includes a social and emotional learning theme, such as helping others, sharing, or teamwork.

Why do parents choose Kickstart?

Parents choose Kickstart because it:

• Feels welcoming and low-pressure
• Fits into modern family schedules
• Focuses on fun, development, and child ownership
• Builds confidence instead of stress
• Is run by an organization they trust
• Encourages parent participation and support
• For many children, Kickstart is their first organized activity, and the program is designed to make that experience positive and memorable.

Development

Kickstart creates a strong foundation for future soccer participation by:

• Introducing basic ball familiarity and movement
• Building comfort in a group play environment
• Encouraging listening, sharing, and simple directions
• Helping players transition confidently into team-based soccer

The goal is not to rush development, but to set players up for long-term success and enjoyment.

Values

As an official AYSO program, Kickstart follows the AYSO Six Philosophies:

1. Everyone Plays®
2. Positive Coaching
3. Player Development
4. Good Sportsmanship
5. Open Registration
6. Balanced Teams

Kickstart introduces these values from the very beginning of a player’s soccer journey.

Snapshot

• Who: First-time and youngest players (3-5 years old)
• Focus: Fun, movement, confidence, and play
• Style: Sandlot-inspired, small-sided, child-centered play
• Structure: Flexible sessions designed for families
• Outcome: Happy kids, confident parents, players ready for team-based soccer