Recreational and Competitive Divisions
Teams formed from individuals who sign up 
Boys and girls, ages 6 to 14
One game per week
Season begins January 5, 2008 - No holiday conflicts!
No mid-week practices - just games
All games in Redwood City
Indoors, rain or shine
Fun - REALLY fun
Convenient online registration and payment

The San Andreas Youth Soccer Organization (SAYSO),
Gryphons Soccer Academy, and
World Class Indoor Soccer, present the
SAYSO Winter
Indoor 2008
Soccer League

About Arena Indoor Soccer

Arena indoor soccer is played on an artificial grass field surrounded by solid dasher-board walls. A regulation outdoor soccer ball is used, and the ball is played after it bounces off the wall. The goal and net are built into the wall at each end. There are no throw-ins and few interruptions, so the game is very fast and exciting. For a list of typical indoor soccer rules, click here.

Six players, including a goalkeeper, play at one time. Substitutes wait with the coach in the team's box outside the field. Substitutions are made 'on the fly' as in ice hockey. Games are refereed by a single official. Teams are generally gender pure, although 1 or 2 coed teams may need to be formed to accommodate all registrants.

94G Gryphons Yellow

Players wear shin guards and dress as they would for any outdoor soccer game. Players wear flat-bottomed athletic (i.e., "court", "running", "cross-training", "basketball", etc.) shoes rather than shoes with cleats.

Spectators are separated from the ball and players by either clear Plexiglas or netting. Spectators have almost as much fun as the players.

All games are refereed. Scores are shown on the scoreboard.

This is a fun, learn-by-doing league. This is not an instructional league. Coaches at games give helpful suggestions before and during the game, but players learn indoor soccer in the same way that children around the world learn to play soccer: by playing it.

Who is Invited to Join Us

Boys and girls ages 6-14 (U8-U14) who want to ...
     ... play during the winter season without getting wet and muddy
     ... stay game-fit between the fall and spring seasons
     ... prepare for CYSA State Cup or Association Cup in early spring
     ... make the exciting transition from recreational AYSO soccer to competitive CYSA soccer
     ... have a blast once a week
Depending on the number of players and teams that register for this league, 6 and 7 year old players and teams may be required to play in either a U8 or U9 division.

Click here to see the most frequently questions (FAQs asked by parents.


Coaches with newly-formed teams who want to ...
     ... bring all or some of their players into SAYSO for the spring outdoor season
Players may be hand-picked from any sources to play together. It is NOT necessary for a team to have played together or for players to have been registered in any particular league (e.g., AYSO, CYSA, PAL) during the previous fall season. U14 teams should register directly with World Class Indoor Soccer Arena.


Existing, non-SAYSO club teams are welcome in this league ...
     ... but non-SAYSO teams with existing CYSA affiliations should register directly with the World Class Indoor Soccer arena

95B Gryphons Red Celebrates 1st Place Win

Dates: The season opens the weekend of January 5, 2008, although first games may be a week or two earlier or later for some age divisions. Some age divisions play on weekends; others play during the week after school. Play-off games and make-up games, if any, due to team scheduling conflicts may be played on either weekends or weekday evenings. Playoff games for the top 2-4 teams in each age group or division are in addition to the 8 games.

Location: World Class Indoor Soccer Arena, 2692 Middlefield Road, Units G&H, Redwood City. Where is this? Fast, easy access from either 101 or El Camino. Stands/bleachers accommodate sitting families, fans, and spectators.

Playing Time and Numbers of Players: Teams formed in recreational divisions will have approximately 10 players, 6 of which are on the field at any given moment. All recreational players can expect to play approximately the same amount of time.  In the competitive division, playing time on competitive teams is determined by your coach.

Divisions: Existing club teams will be placed in competitive divisions. At-large players combined into teams will be placed in recreational divisions. Competitive and recreational teams will not normally play one another, although some competitive and recreational team interplay may be necessary to balance the schedule.

Balancing: SAYSO understands that no one wants their child to be on the 'weakest' team. Accordingly, results of the balancing practices will be used, to the extent humanly possible, to create reasonably equal teams in the recreational divisions. SAYSO encourages each player to enjoy the experience and to play with the same intensity, regardless of the strength of his/her team and the score of the game. Such is the nature of a true competitor.

Balancing Sessions: New-to-SAYSO players will be invited to attend one or more balancing and familiarization sessions during December at the arena.

Absolutely no borrowing or trading of players between teams. Teams may play scheduled games as friendlies/scrimmages using registered borrowed players, but such games will be shown as forfeits in the standings.

All players must be registered with WCIS. No guest players.

There are no protests. This is a fun winter league. The referee's decisions and mistakes stand.

How to Register - Individuals

Register and pay online by clicking in the box below. (All fall 2007 SAYSO players and all at-large players register in this manner.) Individual players will be combined into teams. It is not necessary to already be on a team.

You are requested to register online, upload your child's photograph, and pay by credit card or cash. There are no paper forms to sign or submit. However, if you need to give us a photograph or cash in order to complete your registration, mail or bring the items to:

SAYSO Winter Indoor Soccer League
1250 Fifth Avenue
Belmont, CA 94002
Where is this?
Hours: M-F, 8:30-12:00; 1:00-4:30
Use the document drop box at the front door on weekends.
Do not leave cash in the drop box.

Please do not mail your picture or check to World Class Indoor Soccer, as this will delay your enrollment.

Space is limited and registration is on a first-come basis.

97G Gryphons Red

After You Register, Then What?

After you register, you will receive information about your team, your coach, any preseason balancing and practice sessions, and the game schedule. This information will be emailed to you in late-December.

 Click here to see when the teams play and the current scheduling information.

Uniforms

Fall 2007 SAYSO teams will wear their current practice tee-shirt and pinneys. All others will be given their SAYSO Gryphons tee-shirts at the first game. The cost of the tee-shirt is included in your registration fee.

Game Schedules

Game schedules, including notification of reschedules and make-up games, are not posted on the SAYSO website. They are posted on the WCIS website. It is 100% normal not to have the game schedule until a week or two before the first game weekend.

1. My child is new to soccer and has never before played. Is indoor soccer an appropriate activity for him/her?

Answer: Anyone can participate in this program, even players who have never before played soccer. All children already know how to run, kick, bump into another, and (sometimes) fall down. The rules of the game are not complicated. It will only take one or two games (or, less) for your child to figure out what he/she should be doing. The only real requirements are a desire to have fun and a naturally competitive constitution. Indoor soccer is an activity with lots of running, lots of opportunities to be first to the ball, and lots of opportunities to be challenged, competitive, and aggressive. There is nothing in the game to be frightened of - it's a safe sporting activity, and each game is refereed by an adult. However, a very small number of children are too small, timid, or immature (mentally, socially, or physically) to enjoy this game fully. Most children consider this to be the most fun they have all year. If your child falls into this latter category, this is ample opportunity to learn more advanced soccer skills and strategies in the spring after he/she has played winter indoor soccer with us.

2. My child is 4, 5, or 6 years old. Is indoor soccer an appropriate activity for him/her?

Answer: The youngest age division in this indoor soccer program is U8. U8 players are mostly 7 and young 8 year olds, although many older 6 year olds fit in quite well. The two determining characteristics for younger players are being feisty and resilient and, to a lesser extent, being tall and developed enough. 4 year-olds generally are too small in size and stature, too timid, and too immature to play against 8 year olds. A few 5-year olds are not afraid of anything, and they run circles around older, larger players. But, they are the exceptions. Many 6-year olds look and act like older players, and they hold their own in the games without being intimidated by other players. However, some 6 year olds are still 5 years olds in a growing body. Soccer, indoors or outdoors, is fun game, and we hesitate to discourage a player from enjoying it at a later age by putting them into an arena with big kids and whizzing balls. For the 4-, 5-, and 6-year olds who would like a more gentler introduction to soccer, SAYSO offers the Crickets Soccer Academy each spring and fall.

3. My child is not currently playing on a fall SAYSO team. Do I register through SAYSO?

Answer: Yes. At-large players register through SAYSO and will be combined into recreational teams.

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