Every two years, teams from all over the country come together for a week of soccer, cultural exchange and fun at the AYSO National Games. Next year's Games will be held July 4-11, and couldn't be in a better place - beautiful, sunny Florida. The Village of Wellington, in Palm Beach County, Fla., will be the site for a week of soccer, sand, sun and many other activities for all participants and their families.

The Games will be held at the world-class International Polo Club Palm Beach. Among the most exciting element for the teams will be playing on the lush, open grounds of the International Polo fields, particularly for fans of equestrian sports.

How can my team play in the Games?
In order to play on a team attending the AYSO National Games 2010, players need to be registered and play in their Region's primary program in the 2009-2010 membership year. Participating Regions were selected in May via a lottery system during the National Annual General Meeting. Section 14 is playing host for next year's Games. The Section, which encompasses most of the state (except the panhandle), South Carolina and parts of Georgia, is relatively new, having started in October 2001. But Section Director, Wendy Smith, believes they are up to the challenge of hosting this special AYSO event. "We are a small Section, but we felt that the National Games would bring exposure…to our Section better than anything else we could ever do without spending a lot of money," she said.

What's there to do during the Games?
The week is not just all about soccer. Want to take your team to Disney World? Not a problem. Organizers are setting aside time for teams to explore Florida. A wide variety of activities are accessible nearby. The 220 participating teams will have a chance to visit beaches, zoos and other locations. Players young and old can expect a good time, said Smith.

Section 14 is planning a variety of events and activities for Games participants, including the multitude of soccer games, an indoor Youth Event and a VIP showcase. Organizers haven't overlooked the fact that the Games will begin on Independence Day. If you're looking for a Fourth of July celebration, the Village of Wellington holds a party every year, complete with live music and a nighttime fireworks show.

How about Soccerfest?
Of course, you can't forget the ever-popular Soccerfest, a day-long soccer extravaganza. Players are shuffled at random into new, one-day teams, so it is truly an opportunity to make new friends. While National Games players are automatically included, Soccerfest is open to all kids U-10 to U-19 whether or not they are on a Games team. Soccerfest inevitably has players concerned at the prospect of playing with "strangers," but by the day's end there are no strangers and it is consistently mentioned by players as one of the most memorable days of the entire event.

AYSO began the National Games in 1988 with the purpose of bringing together teams from different Regions, Areas and Sections to experience the diversity AYSO has to offer. The Games are a chance for participants to make new friends and gain exposure to new parts of the country and other cultures and to enjoy a lot of soccer. The Games are not a national championship, but a celebration of all that is AYSO. Reese said that aside from soccer, there is one thing each attendee can expect: "A really good time!"

U12 Girls & U19 Girls National Games & State games Team Tryouts:

2010 National Games will be held for one week over the July 4th weekend at the International Polo Club. The 2010 AYSO Section 14 State Games will be held in Wellington (Pierson Park) January 16-18, 2010 (the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend). The tournament is open to all AYSO Region 345 players, boys and girls, in U10, U12, U14, U16, and U19 who have played at least half of the Fall 2009 Season. Players will be selected at the following open tryouts for 2010 AYSO Region 345 Section 14 State Games and the 2010 AYSO Region 345 U12 Girls & U19 Girls National Games Team:

Sunday, Oct 11, 2009 U10B, U10G, U12B, U12G 3:00 to 4:30 pm
Sunday, Oct 11, 2009 U14B, U14G, U16B, U19B, U19G 4:30 to 6:00 pm
Friday, Oct 16, 2009 U10B, U10G, U12B, U12G 6:00 to 7:30 pm
Friday, Oct, 16 2009 U14B, U14G, U16B, U19B, U19G 7:30 to 9:00 pm
Sunday, Oct 18, 2009 U10B, U10G, U12B, U12G 3:00 to 4:30 pm
Sunday, Oct 18, 2009 U14B, U14G, U16B, U19B, U19G 4:30 to 6:00 pm

To be considered for selection to a 2010 AYSO Region 345 Section 14 State Games team or 2010 AYSO Region 345 National Games Team in any division, players must attend at least one of the above three tryouts, however, players are welcome to attend all three tryout sessions.

The U12 Girl and the U19 Girls National Games Team, parents and players, will be required to attend a mandatory meeting on Wednesday, October 28 from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm. As part of the selection for a National Games Team, each AYSO Region 345 National Games team player is responsible for volunteering a minimum of (3) three hours to be eligible to be a member of the AYSO Region 345 National Games Team.

Teams will be selected the week of October 18 and a coach will call you within (1) one week. The 2010 AYSO Region 345 Section 14 State Games registration fee is $75.00 (payable in cash only) per player which includes complete uniform and tournament fee. Each player will need a 1” x 1” current picture for their id card. All teams will need to turn in their money, rosters, uniform sizing, and id cards by November 23 unless the team wishes to participate in a tournament before the 2010 AYSO Section 14 State Games in which all items will need to be turned in by November 2. Additional items such as sweatshirts, t-shirts, and bags are not covered in the registration fee, however, these items are available thru the league at an extra cost but need to be ordered and paid for (cash only) by November 30. Sponsors may be attained to cover some of these items and forms are available in the office.

Coaches will determine the nights of practices. Practices may be held on Fridays or Sundays from October 25 until the end of the AYSO Region 345 Fall Season. Priority will be for players to attend their recreational team practice before the 2010 AYSO Region 345 Section 14 State Games practices and/or 2010 AYSO Region 345 National Games practices. Practices during the week will start the week of November 23. No practices will be done between Christmas and New Year’s. All players are guaranteed to play 50% of every game in this tournament.

All teams need to recruit referees to cover 12 time slots per team (each team will be required to pay a $300 referee binder, which will be refunded if referee fulfillment is met). If you have any questions, please contact the AYSO Region 345 Tournament Committee at region345@aol.com or AYSO345.com.