30 Great
Volunteer
Recruiting Ideas
Self-paced version
(Whenever possible, answers and
explanations are interjected in yellow)
Use mouse click to advance the slides
Why Did You Decide to
Volunteer for AYSO?
2010
30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas
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Reasons for Volunteering
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Love Soccer
Want to help children have a positive experience
Wife/husband volunteered me
Love dealing with problems
Friends are involved
Real job is boring
If I didn’t do it the team would be dissolved
Knew I could do a better job
Believe in AYSO’s Philosophies
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Reasons for Volunteering
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Pay is exceptional
Former Registrar, etc. quit
AYSO is the best program for my kids
Wanted to be a role model for my children
Wanted a trophy
Looked like fun
Just wanted to help
Needed more stress in my life
Did it for my personal growth
Wanted to contribute to the community
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Idea #1
Determine how many volunteers
are needed
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• Start with the Regional Coach Administrator. “Last
year there were 8 teams in the U-6 Boys Division.
Being optimistic, this year you are anticipating 10
teams. This means that in the U-6 Boys Division
your Region will need 10 coaches and 10
assistant coaches.”
• This process needs to be done for each division.
You will then have a master list of not just a total
number but a number for each division.
• Start Volunteer Position Charts to track needs
(see next slide)
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U-6 Boys
Asst. Coaches
Coaches
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1. John Ouellette
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• The Regional Referee Administrator
uses these team lists to determine
how many referees will be needed in
each division.
• All other board members should use
a similar process.
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Idea #2
Appoint a Volunteer
Coordinator.
What are some
things that this
volunteer might do?
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Volunteer Coordinator
• Works with each Regional board member to identify
volunteer needs
• Works with the Registrar to help set up a process at
registration to recruit the necessary volunteers
• After registration, determines how many volunteers are
still needed
• Distributes this list to each Regional board member
• Involves/coordinates all Regional board members in the
recruiting process
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Idea #3
Decide when and where to recruit.
What is the best opportunity of all?
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Registration
A Region should be able to
recruit 90% of the volunteers
that it needs at registration.
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What are other
Recruiting opportunities?
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Game Days
Practices
Late Registrations
Events (opening day ceremonies,
community activities, meetings, etc.)
• Advertisements (posters at fields,
newsletters, Web sites, etc,)
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Idea #4
Just Ask…
Who?
When?
Why?
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Ask Everyone
• Ask as parents as they come in the door
at Registration
• Say: “We need every parent to volunteer
in some way. Please help us”
• Don’t assume that parents will know that
you need volunteers. They need to be
asked.
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Idea #5
Post the six AYSO Philosophies
at Registration.
How many Regions do that now?
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AYSO Philosophies
• Laminate them as big as possible
• Put them in a prominent Position
• Be Proud of who we are
Everyone Plays
Balanced Teams
Open Registration
Positive Coaching
Good Sportsmanship
Player Development
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Idea #6
Have lists posted to show how
many volunteers you actually need
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100
60
50
Coaches
Referees
Team Parents
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• Use lists created by Regional
Board to determine number of
volunteers needed
• Tape the lists to the front of
each position table (coach,
referee, team parents, field
coordinators, division
coordinators, etc.)
• Put poster size versions of
each list behind each table
and around the room
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U-6 Boys
Asst. Coaches
Coaches
1. J. Ouellette
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Idea #7
Categorize lists at Registration
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•
Idea #7
Categorize lists at Registration
Which Jobs require some soccer
knowledge or experience?
• Coach
• Referee
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Let’s ask that question again.
Which volunteer jobs require
no soccer knowledge or
experience?
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All Other Positions!
AYSO
Positions that
do not require
Soccer
knowledge or
experience
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Team Parent
Can you think of
Division Coordinator
others?
Registrar
Safety Director
Treasurer
Picture Day Volunteer
Registration Day Volunteer
Regional Commissioner
Newsletter Editor
Regional Website Administrator
Concessions
Fund Raising Coordinator
Uniform Coordinator
Publicity Coordinator
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Is soccer knowledge or
experience required to
volunteer?
Absolutely not!
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Soccer knowledge & experience
are not required to volunteer for
any position - including coach and
referee because AYSO provides all
the training required!
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Idea #8
All board members should be at
Registration to recruit for their own
discipline. WHY?
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All Board members
should be at Registration
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Coach Administrator recruits coaches
Referee Administrator recruits referees
You get the idea
Treasurer collects money and/or appoints
trained volunteer to do it
• Safety Director can help recruit field
inspectors, field coordinators, helpers
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Idea #9
You need a very spacious room
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• To spread out and allow parents
and workers to interact
• Why is this important?
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• Allows people to socialize, get to
know each other, and feel welcome
• People are more inclined to volunteer
when they feel part of a “community”
• Gives people more opportunities to
talk about needs and questions
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Registration Floor Plan
Playing
AYSO Video
Information/Forms
Tables
Volunteer
Recruitment
Regional
Information
Form
Checkers
Tables
With Pens, A
Parent’s Guide to
AYSO and other
information
Tables
Sample Uniforms
For Sizing
Playing
AYSO Video
SNACKS!!
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Idea #10
Serve refreshments for workers,
parents and players
What could you serve?
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Refreshments
• Make some of the refreshments “child
friendly”
• Mention the refreshments to all
parents as they come in the room – it
gets parents to relax and stay longer
• Your workers deserve a break
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Idea #11
Have a speed line for returning
volunteers
It makes them feel special and
new parents will notice
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Idea #12
Make sure that every geographic area,
community and school is represented
by the workers at registration.
Why is this important?
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Diversity
• If you only have men working at
registration, it might be intimidating to
women who might want to volunteer.
• As you walk into registration and you see
someone from your neighborhood or
school, how will that make you feel?
• Change and add some new workers every
year so that it doesn’t feel like a “good old
boy” clique
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Idea #13
Have workers wear a large name
badge that says in their language: I
speak Spanish, Portuguese, Italian,
Japanese, Hebrew, Bosnian, etc….
Why would we do this?
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Idea #14
Have a Children’s Corner
Any ideas?
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Children’s Corner
• Serve child friendly food – only with parents’
permission
• Play a video children would like
• Have a drawing contest – ask each child to draw
a soccer picture and put pictures up on the wall.
Give each child who draws a picture a coupon
for a free prize. Award a significant prize for the
winner
• Play games with the children. Utilize some of
the teenage AYSO players to do this
• Have a player raffle ($0.25 a ticket)
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Idea #15
Target New Parents
They want to be involved in their children’s
lives.
If they don’t volunteer for AYSO, they will
volunteer elsewhere.
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Idea #16
Use a flyer or form to help parents
decide how they want to volunteer
Look at the next few flyers and
decide what the benefit might be
for each one
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Without volunteers, we would not be able to provide the
positive, fun and exciting AYSO soccer program to your kids.
Everybody needs to pitch in and help!!!!
Please write the letter of your choices to help your child’s team:
A. Coach: Spend quality time with your child and bring smiles to a whole team. We provide training and
equipment. You provide the fun. Moms and dads welcome!!
B. Assistant Coach: Help your child’s coach. Again, we provide training.
C. Referee: We provides training and equipment; you get to learn the laws
of the game and to blow a
whistle as loud as you can. Each team in U6, U8 and U10 will be assigned a referee to
handle the games.
D. Team Parent:
Someone needs to organize the parents to provide refreshments and support for
the kids. You get to set the schedule.
E. Soccer Camp Volunteer: Help organize our annual summer soccer camp.
F. Registration: Without registration, we have no program. Help to register players and volunteers.
We
only do this twice a year, but need lots of help. Bi-lingual help is needed.
G. Field Lining: Learn to operate a field lining machine!!
H. Goal Set up and Take down: just like it sounds—before and after games.
I. Extra Program Volunteer: Help with scheduling and organizing the Extra (travel & tournament)
program.
J. VIP Volunteer: Work to expand a great program for children with special needs.
K. Publicity: Work on “Soccer Goals”, our newsletter, our website, and help distribute information about
our program to participants in the program and the community.
L.
M.
N.
O.
Fundraising: Raise money to support our program.
Purchasing: We buy lots of things—you can help pick them out.
Cleat Exchange
Fields & Grounds: Help to make sure that our fields are in playable condition and are left in good
shape.
P. Special Events: Picture Day, Coaches’ Dinner, Soccer Game Trips. They are special--so are you.
Q. Concession Worker: Help to raise money for the program by selling food at baseball and soccer
games
WE THANK YOU AND YOUR KIDS THANK YOU
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------st
nd
Father/MaleGuardian: _________________________________________________1 Choice:_____2 Choice__
st
nd
Mother/FemaleGuardian: _______________________________________________1 Choice:_____2 Choice__
Child’s
Name(s):___________________________________________________________________________________
2010
30 Volunteer Recruitment Ideas
Telephone: __________________________________________Email:__________________________________
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AYSO Region 82 Volunteer Form
Child(s) Name(s):____________________________________ Age(s) ____________
Parent(s) Name(s):___________________________________Phone #_______________
In order to have a smoothly run and well-organized soccer region, EVERYONE
needs to help. Volunteers run our entire organization, and we need you to please
mark one area in which you would be willing to help Region 82. Please fill out
this form and return it with your registration form(s). Your child will not be
registered without a signed volunteer form.
We provide free training clinics and offer additional help for the following positions:
_____ I would like to coach a team – responsible for running the team practices and
making line-up cards for games. No experience needed.
_____ I would like to assist a coach – cover when the coach is not available. No
experience needed.
_____ I would like to referee – knowledge of the game is helpful but not necessary.
Adults and youths may be referees.
_____ I would like to assist the referee – lining the games, calling out of bounds and
offside.
The following jobs need no experience or training. Anyone can do it, even you!
_____ I would like to be a team parent – schedule half-time refreshments, distribute uniforms,
telephone duties.
_____ I would like to help maintain the fields – help get fields ready for the season,
line fields before games, set up and maintain goals, clean up at the end of day.
______Saturday, June 27, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. @ Teague Park
______Saturday and/or Sunday in mid to late August @ Isbell School
_____ I would like to coordinate the snack bar – buy and sell candy through the snack
bar trailer, schedule the shifts for each game day.
_____ I would like to coordinate the field staff - schedule the field coordinators to
patrol the fields during the games.
_____ I would like to check in teams – make sure each team is properly attired, without
jewelry, and ready to play their game 15 minutes before it starts.
_____ I would like to be a board member - see Ron Merson about available positions.
2010
Help us reach our goal of a successful 2004 – 2005 soccer season.
Please return this form with your registration form(s). Thank you.
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Volunteer Form
Child’s Name___________________________________ Age_____________
Parent’s Signature_______________________________ Phone___________
In order to have a smoothly run and well organized soccer region, EVERYONE must
help. Our entire organization is run by volunteers and we need you to please check
below one of the areas in which you would be willing to help our region. Please sign
this form and hand it in so we know that you have given this your consideration.
Please help us.
______I would like to coach a team
______ I would like to be an assistant coach
______I would like to learn to be a referee
_____ I would like to referee at soccer games
We provide free training clinics and offer any additional help for the above
positions.
___ I will be a team parent for my child’s team.
___Distribution of team uniforms ___Schedule half-time refreshments
___Help with cancellation calls
___Yearbook
___Typing
___Artwork
___Soccerfest
___Cook hot dogs
___Layout
___Fill drinks
___Sponsors
___Sell Shirts
___Registration
___Assist filling out registration forms
___Assist with uniforms
___Cashier
___Distributing posters and fliers
___Player / Parent/ Coaches Meeting
___Sell shin guards
___Help distribute equipment
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___Field Maintenance
Volunteer
Ideas
___Mark lines on 30
fields
___Set upRecruitment
goals and maintain
___Pick up litter
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Be a Volunteer!
WELCOME TO AYSO SOCCER!
Child(s) Name_____________________ AGE____
Parent(s) Name__________________________
Phone # ____________
Please check one or more of the activities listed below as your contribution to the season’s success.
Head Coach
Assistant
Coach
Referee
Linesperson
Responsible for assisting the Head Coach. No experience needed! A clinic and
pamphlets available to help you. Cover the head coach when and if he/she is not
available.
Knowledge of the game is helpful! Both Referee’s clinic and pamphlets are
available. Start in U 6 and do just a few games this season. You are more than
welcome to referee your child’s game.
Assist the referee in game control, by calling out of bounds and off-side.
Field Equipment
Team
Deliver and pick up from assigned field, the field boxes and corner flags. The
more on this team - the easier for all.
Field Lining
Team
Setting up the size in the beginning of the season and lining of assigned fields
during the season. The more people there are on this team the easier it is for
everyone.
Registration
Committee
Work once or twice during the three days of registration.
Publicity
Committee
2010
Responsible for running the team practices and making line ups at games. No
experience needed! We have a coach’s clinic and training manuals to help you
along the way.
When needed contact newspapers or deliver fliers about our program to schools
and businesses.
Keyboarding
Work once during the three days of registration entering player information into
the computer.
Team
Parent
I will be a team parent for my child(s) team. My job will be to schedule half-time
refreshments, help with cancellation calls, and distribute team uniforms and
fliers. When possible we will have two on a team.
Board Member
with other volunteers
on the board toIdeas
help implement the AYSO soccer
30Work
Volunteer
Recruitment
program in our region.
Help us reach our goal of a successful 2004 – 2005 soccer season. Please return this form
with your registration form Thank you.
48
Idea #17
Identify Region workers at
registration.
Why would this help in
recruiting volunteers?
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Identifying Region Staff
• Identify Workers with the same shirt or hat
and use name badges with first name – as
large as possible - and volunteer position
• Customer service – helps parents
find assistance
• Demonstrates the need for many
volunteers
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Idea #18
Acknowledge recruitment successes
What does this mean?
Who should do it?
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Acknowledge Each Volunteer Recruited
• Walk the volunteer over to the RC who shakes
his/her hand, says “Thank You”
• Present a small gift (pen, refrigerator magnet,
pin) to each volunteer
• Set up a thermometer on the wall which marks
significant milestones in achieving the goal of
recruiting 100% of the volunteers needed
• The Registrar and RC’s job at registration
should be to acknowledge and thank each new
volunteer and welcome every family to AYSO
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Idea #19
Use “Floaters” to recruit
“Floaters” – What are they?
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Floaters are registration workers
whose job is to:
• Fill in when other workers are taking a break
• Sit down next to parents and ask if they have
any questions about volunteering for a job
• Escort new volunteers to meet the coach or
referee administrator or someone who can give
them additional information about their new job
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Idea #20
Have a Welcome Committee
Region 100 in Kailua, HI does this
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Welcoming Committee
• Set up cafeteria tables with four or five of
your friendliest AYSO volunteers on one
side
• On the other side, invite new parents to sit
and fill out the Player Registration Form
and hopefully sign up to volunteer
• It is an opportunity to answer any of the
parents’ questions and to recruit them
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Regions often struggle to get enough
volunteers.
The goal is to create a feeling and an
attitude in your Region that volunteer
help is important, welcome and the
more the merrier.
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Idea #21
Consider Alternate Times and
Locations for Registration
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Things to Consider….
• What about a Tuesday or Sunday night?
• An “Early Bird” registration with coffee and
donuts for everyone might attract some
additional volunteers
• How would a registration at an additional
location help in recruiting volunteers?
• What are some alternate times and
locations that your Region uses?
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Idea #22
Beware of husbands and wives
who don’t want to volunteer.
What do they do instead?
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Sign up their Spouses!
• Next to the
spouse’s name,
put a tiny “sp” to
indicate that the
volunteer was not
at registration so
that someone can
follow up.
2010
U-6 Boys
Asst. Coaches
Coaches
1. John Ouellette
1.
2. Joe Volunteer (sp)
2.
3.
3.
4.
4.
5.
5.
6.
6.
7.
7.
8.
8.
9.
9.
10.
10.
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• Give the husband or wife printed information
to take home to the “new volunteer”
• Remind the husband or wife to tell their
spouse that they are officially an AYSO
volunteer
• Call the “new volunteer” within two weeks.
You are calling to welcome the new volunteer
to AYSO and tell them when the training will
be. You are NOT calling to see if they want to
be an AYSO volunteer
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Idea # 23
Turn a problem into a recruiting
opportunity
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• Problem:
Parents take the pens
used at registration
• Solution:
Buy 1000 pens from a catalog that say:
“AYSO – its for the kids” or that have
Region # and phone #
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• Problem:
Children are running
around during registration
• Solution:
Plan some activities for the children
so that parents can relax and
“volunteer”
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• Problem:
Returning volunteers
are taken for granted
• Solution:
Give them a gift. It could be a refrigerator
magnet, a candy bar with an AYSO
wrapper, a raffle ticket for a great prize,
etc.
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• Problem:
Recruiting volunteers
is not fun
• Solution:
Ring a bell or find some other fun way
to recognize every time a new
volunteer is recruited
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Idea #24
Form collaborations with other
youth programs and advertise
AYSO.
Any thoughts?
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Check out:
•
•
•
•
•
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•
Girl and Boy Scouts
Marching Bands
Dance Studios
Nursery Schools/Pre-Schools
Gymnastics
Youth Basketball
Swimming Clubs
Church Youth Groups
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Idea #25
Make recruiting volunteers a card
game. What?
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• If you know that you will need 40 coaches,
have 40 laminated blue coach cards.
Each card has the position and a brief
description
• Color code all of the other volunteer
positions in a similar way
• Invite parents to “Play a card game with
AYSO”
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Idea #26
The recruiting process should be
organized
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“Follow the Yellow Brick
Road”
• Number each station to make sure that
parents stop at each recruiting table
• Provide a description of each AYSO position
that is needed
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Idea # 27
Run a slide show at registration
of volunteers doing their job and
having fun
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Idea #28
Recruit at eye level
What does that mean?
Why is it important?
If parents are sitting at a table, sit down next to
them and try to recruit. It is intimidating to ask for
help when you are looking down at someone
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Do you need to fill Regional
board positions?
Here are the three best
ideas of them all!
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29. Hand pick some great AYSO volunteers
and invite them to the Section
Conference
30. Make sure that they interact with the
current board members during meals
and at social gatherings
31. Suggest some workshops that you know
they will benefit from
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Now that you have your
volunteers, find out how you
can keep them!
Don’t forget to attend the
“30 Fantastic Volunteer
Retention Ideas” Workshop
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