About
AYSO Region 25 offers youth soccer with volunteer coaching, refereeing, and junior referees, along with participation in tournaments. The program uses trained volunteer adults who have completed AYSO training programs to understand how to referee, coach, and teach fair-play life skills. Young adults are encouraged to take part as junior referees as part of the program’s activities.
• Ages: 4–18 years old
AYSO Region 25 is a volunteer youth soccer program that serves youth from Portola Valley, Ladera, Woodside, Skyline, La Honda, and Emerald Hills. Its mission is to develop and deliver quality youth soccer programs which promote a fun, family environment based on AYSO's Six Philosophies: Everyone Plays, Balanced Teams, Open Registration, Positive Coaching, Good Sportsmanship, and Player Development. Each child who registers is guaranteed to play at least half of every game, and all players are placed on new or balanced teams each year based on each player's skill level and the overall ability of the team. Getting ready for the season includes reaching out for volunteer coaches and referees, and young adults are encouraged to become junior referees.
AYSO Region 25 is part of the American Youth Soccer Organization, which was established in the Los Angeles area (Torrance) in 1964 with nine teams and is celebrating 57 years of existence and 50 years of youth soccer. In 1968, when Karl Bizjak helped found the local AYSO program in Portola Valley, it was the first expansion for AYSO outside its Southern California origins, and Portola Valley has the honor of being designated the founding location of AYSO soccer outside of Southern California. Karl Bizjak, a pioneer in building AYSO, was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneanda, New York. Over the years, AYSO has provided training programs for volunteer adults to understand how to referee, coach, and teach valuable fair-play life skills.
Community members can also participate in the region’s celebration by submitting photos or stories from their personal archives to the AYSO Region 25 Facebook page. Chris Miller, a former physical education specialist for over 25 years in the Portola Valley School District, said of Karl Bizjak, “Karl was very meticulous. He did a little bit of everything for the AYSO, and he loved kids.” Dick Wilson, executive director of AYSO, said, “When Karl was on the national board of directors, he brought a corporate perspective that helped marketing and fund-raising.” Karl Bizjak described his own experience by saying, “I learned with the kids. I was reading books to stay ahead of them,” and he also said about the “Everyone Plays” philosophy, “Parents find comfort in that. ‘Everyone Plays’ is simple, straightforward, and it has worked.”
Last updated March 22, 2026.
• Ages: 4–18 years old
AYSO Region 25 is a volunteer youth soccer program that serves youth from Portola Valley, Ladera, Woodside, Skyline, La Honda, and Emerald Hills. Its mission is to develop and deliver quality youth soccer programs which promote a fun, family environment based on AYSO's Six Philosophies: Everyone Plays, Balanced Teams, Open Registration, Positive Coaching, Good Sportsmanship, and Player Development. Each child who registers is guaranteed to play at least half of every game, and all players are placed on new or balanced teams each year based on each player's skill level and the overall ability of the team. Getting ready for the season includes reaching out for volunteer coaches and referees, and young adults are encouraged to become junior referees.
AYSO Region 25 is part of the American Youth Soccer Organization, which was established in the Los Angeles area (Torrance) in 1964 with nine teams and is celebrating 57 years of existence and 50 years of youth soccer. In 1968, when Karl Bizjak helped found the local AYSO program in Portola Valley, it was the first expansion for AYSO outside its Southern California origins, and Portola Valley has the honor of being designated the founding location of AYSO soccer outside of Southern California. Karl Bizjak, a pioneer in building AYSO, was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneanda, New York. Over the years, AYSO has provided training programs for volunteer adults to understand how to referee, coach, and teach valuable fair-play life skills.
Community members can also participate in the region’s celebration by submitting photos or stories from their personal archives to the AYSO Region 25 Facebook page. Chris Miller, a former physical education specialist for over 25 years in the Portola Valley School District, said of Karl Bizjak, “Karl was very meticulous. He did a little bit of everything for the AYSO, and he loved kids.” Dick Wilson, executive director of AYSO, said, “When Karl was on the national board of directors, he brought a corporate perspective that helped marketing and fund-raising.” Karl Bizjak described his own experience by saying, “I learned with the kids. I was reading books to stay ahead of them,” and he also said about the “Everyone Plays” philosophy, “Parents find comfort in that. ‘Everyone Plays’ is simple, straightforward, and it has worked.”
Last updated March 22, 2026.
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