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American Youth Soccer Organization Providing world class youth soccer programs that enrich children's lives.

Welcome to Region 188 of the American Youth Soccer Organization.

AYSO Region 188 History

Welcome to Region 188 of the American Youth Soccer Organization!  Our region is located on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.  We are proud to be serving in our 45th year as an AYSO Region supporting the military communities of Southern Oahu including, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Ft Shafter, Camp Smith, and the Sand Island Coast Guard Station.

Our Region was originally chartered in July 1978 by Regional Commissioner Bob Mendonca, and is recognized as one of the first AYSO Regions on Oahu. We average 500 players a year, supported by approximately 100 volunteers.  AYSO is an all volunteer program.

The AYSO Mission is to develop and deliver quality youth soccer programs which promote a fun, family environment based on our six philosophies:

                             •   Everyone Plays                                        •   Positive Coaching
                           
  •   Good Sportsmanship                               •   Balanced Teams
                           
  •   Open Registration                                    •   Player Development 

We operate two seasons per year. Our Fall Season runs from August-November and our Spring Season is a split season that runs from January-March for our younger age groups (5U-12U) and March-May for our older age groups (14U-19U). We also host a week-long summer camp in July for all players.  Our teams participate in AYSO tournaments and competitions island-wide and have traveled to the mainland to participate in the AYSO National Games.

What is AYSO?

How we started

The American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) is the oldest national youth soccer program in the United States. AYSO was established with only nine teams by a handful of soccer enthusiasts in 1964 out of a garage in Torrance, Calif. They wanted to make sure American kids were introduced to the beautiful game. Five decades later, AYSO has thriving programs in nearly 900 communities all over the country, over six million AYSO alumni and a logo that’s recognized nationwide. Great soccer starts here!

Who we are

AYSO is a non-profit organization that provides youth soccer programs for participants all over the United States and internationally in the Virgin Islands and Trinidad and Tobago. Consisting of over 50,000 teams and 500,000 players nationwide, AYSO is one of the leading youth soccer organizations in the world. It is often called “the biggest soccer club in the world.” 

Our Vision
To provide world class youth soccer programs that enrich children’s lives. 

Our Mission
To develop and deliver quality youth soccer programs which promote a fun, family environment based on our Six Philosophies

What we do
AYSO has various programs for different age groups and athletic needs/capabilities: 

AYSO Playground: This program is for kids 3 to 5 years old. AYSO Playground uses group activities, soccer themes and parent participation to develop the fundamental motor skills that prepare kids for all sports. 

AYSO Schoolyard Jamboree: The Jamboree program exposes 4 year olds to soccer, and teaches them the basics such as kicking, dribbling and throw-ins, all in a low-pressure setting. 

Core: Core is another name for AYSO’s standard soccer program. The Core program spans the U-6 to U-19 age divisions and is typically separated by gender, although co-ed soccer is offered in some communities at the early age levels and for teen recreational programs. 

EXTRATM: EXTRA offers a more serious level of soccer for AYSO players who have the interest and the abilities. Though players are more advanced, the EXTRA program follows the same core values as the other programs and embraces AYSO’s Six Philosophies. 

VIP: The VIP (Very Important Player) program provides a quality soccer experience for kids and adults whose physical or mental disabilities make it difficult to successfully participate on a mainstream team. 

For more information on any of these programs view our programs page

What makes us different?

AYSO is a soccer program for the entire family. AYSO’s goal is for every girl and boy stepping on a soccer field to learn soccer and have a fun, fair and safe experience. But it’s also to ensure that the whole family can be involved creating memories that last a lifetime. AYSO's kid-first approach makes us a leader in player development. Everybody likes to win, but developing successful players and people is what's fundamental. We also create a terrific experience for parents who can be involved with their child as a coach or referee. Training is important to ensure that excellent experience, but it’s easy and usually free. We want to make sure it’s as much fun for mom and dad as it is for your players! With player development in mind, AYSO makes sure that no kid signs up to play soccer and ends up only riding the bench! That’s not how you learn the game. In AYSO, every player on every team plays at least 50 percent of every game. 

Volunteer Power

AYSO runs on volunteer power. Nearly 150,000 registered volunteers run the local AYSO programs all over the country. Every coach, referee, Regional Commissioner – the list goes on – is a volunteer. Even the National Board of Directors and National President are AYSO volunteers. If it wasn’t for the thousands of volunteers throughout the U.S. donating their time every season, AYSO wouldn’t be as successful and far-reaching as it is today. 

How we are structured

AYSO is structured by Regions, Areas and Sections: 

Region: AYSO’s grassroots programs begin with a community-based league, called a Region. A Region can range in size from less than a hundred players to several thousand. Each Region is run by a volunteer Regional Commissioner and a volunteer Regional Board.  

Area: A group of AYSO Regions combined form an Area. AYSO has close to 100 Areas nationwide. Area Directors are trained to support and mentor each of their Regions, and are responsible for oversight of activities within their Regions. 

Section: AYSO divides the country into 14 geographic Sections based on player population. Section Directors are responsible for activities in their respective Section, ensuring that Areas and Regions comply with all AYSO fundamentals and deliver quality programs. 

National Office: The AYSO National Office, located in Torrance, Calif., provides support to Regions, Areas, Sections and the National Board of Directors. The 50 National Office staff members are here to support AYSO programs and answer any questions AYSO families may have. Learn more about the National Office staff here.

Famous AYSO Alumni

Landon Donovan

What he loved about AYSO: The beauty of AYSO was that you had kids from all walks of life who just wanted to be active and run around and play soccer. I started playing club soccer at the age of 10 but I wanted to continue playing AYSO because I enjoyed the camaraderie and the ability to just play for the love of playing. The games were still competitive but they never revolved around winning.

Alex Morgan

What she loved about AYSO:
It's a great place for girls to have fun and enjoy playing soccer.  I didn't go to youth club soccer until I was about 13 years old because I enjoyed playing AYSO with my friends.  Just have fun and when you're ready to make the switch to a more competitive program, you get to make that decision.

Shannon Boxx

What advice would you give a first-time AYSO coach? Make soccer fun for the kids and get them to enjoy it first, then teach them skills. The most important thing is to have fun on the soccer field; winning is not so important. If you teach the value of teamwork and you instill that early, that's what's important.

Natasha Kai

What did you love about AYSO? I could just play. I wasn't someone who played soccer year-round; I only played during soccer season. I knew if I kept playing all the time, I'd get sick of it. After high school I stopped playing and didn't go to college right away because I was sick of playing from being drilled and drilled.

Brian Ching 

Memories of AYSO: The friendships I made. I still have friends who were on my first AYSO team back in Hawaii. The pure excitement and joy of running around and playing soccer with my friends is something I'll never forget. I was always a competitive kid and I remember crying after every loss. When my mom was coaching me, I remember her having to console me after every game we lost. 

National Partners

Contact Us

AYSO Region 188 Hickam/Pearl Harbor/Fort Shafter

Region Commissioner, AYSO Region 188 - Hickam/Pearl Harbor/Ft Shafter Hawaii
 Hawaii 96818

Email Us: [email protected]
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