Parent FAQ

LBYSO was formed in 1983 as a volunteer-run, fully independent youth soccer league serving the Long Beach area. LBYSO is not affiliated with AYSO. We are a member of US Club Soccer and Cal South, and by extension the US Soccer Federation and US Youth Soccer. We follow their rules and guidelines, with a few league-specific adjustments.

No. Long Beach residency is not required.

Registration opens twice a year. Dates, fees and the sign-up link are on the Recreational Play page.

LBYSO is a nonprofit. Registration fees cover our operating costs and include:

• Team uniform (jersey, shorts, socks)
• Referees for U8 and up
• Participation medals
• Picture Day (fall only)
• Opening day and in-season events
• Free pre-season Skills Nights and goalkeeper clinics

Some teams ask parents to chip in for extras like a team banner, names on jerseys or an end-of-season party.

Fall: Starts early September (usually the first weekend after Labor Day) and ends mid to late November. Playoffs for U8 to U12 can carry into December.

Spring: Starts early March, weather permitting, and ends mid to late May. No playoffs.

Divisions are split into boys and girls. Most cover two birth years; U5 and U6 cover one. The season year runs August 1 to July 31, like the school year. Find your player's birth year on the age chart.

If your player falls between our divisions, they play in the next one up: a U9 plays U10, a U13 plays U14.

It means "under". A U10 player is under 10 for the season year.

No. Players cannot "play down" in a younger age group.

Yes, if they're ready. Players can move up as much as two years at a parent's request to registrar@lbyso.org. Talented players are highly encouraged to play up so they keep being challenged.

Siblings in the same age group can be matched: tell registrar@lbyso.org.

Other requests are player and coach matches, and both have to ask for each other in their registrations. For U5 and U6 there are no limits. From U8 up, requests are capped, depend on player ratings and are not guaranteed.

Practice times and locations are set by each coach, anywhere from a 4pm start to an 8pm finish, on any day of the week.

Players will not be moved to another team to accommodate schedule conflicts.

• U5 and U6: 1 to 2 times a week, 45 minutes to 1 hour
• U8 and U10: 2 times a week, 1 to 1.5 hours
• U12 to U16: 2 times a week, 1.5 to 2 hours

In-house games for U5 to U12 are on Saturdays between 9am and 5pm. Weekday games are rare and only used for make-ups.

U5 to U10 games are at Heartwell Park.

U12 games are primarily at Molina Park, and sometimes at Heartwell Park.

U14 and U16 play in regional leagues: Cal South Intercity in the fall and the JUSA Spring League. Home games are at Heartwell Park; away games are across southeast LA County and north Orange County, on Saturdays with the occasional Sunday.

See our fields for addresses and field maps.

Rosters are in the PlayMetrics app. We highly recommend getting it: search "PlayMetrics" in the App Store or Google Play.

All LBYSO coaches are volunteers. The league recruits them from our families, and anyone can coach: parents, friends and relatives are all encouraged. Coaches with a child playing get part or all of their player's fee back after the season. See the Coaches Corner.

A parent volunteer who handles off-field jobs like the snack schedule, team banner and end-of-season party, so the coach can focus on coaching. Every team should have one. Learn more.

Once rosters are set, coaches reach out by email, phone or PlayMetrics team chat. Add your phone number to your PlayMetrics account so they have more than one way to reach you.

Coaches don't get their roster until their certifications are complete, so don't worry if you don't hear from them right away.

Yes. Once a coach is assigned, their contact info is in the PlayMetrics app.

For every practice and game:

• Soccer cleats (not football or baseball cleats)
• Shin guards
• Practice clothes: shorts, soccer socks and a shirt
• Water
• A ball in the right size
• Team uniform on game days: jersey, shorts and socks

Coaches get some equipment from the league. Parents are encouraged to pitch in for extras.

• U5 to U8: size 3
• U10 and U12: size 4
• U14 and U16: size 5

Games can go ahead in light rain when fields allow. Long Beach Parks and the LBYSO Board make the call, and we post it in PlayMetrics and on Instagram (@lbyso_soccer) as soon as we can.

Yes. Every family agrees to the Parent's Pledge.