For more information, contact:
Laura Stotland
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AYSO WELCOMES ROBBIE EARLE TO UNITED, OFFICIAL CLUB PROGRAM
TORRANCE, Calif. – March 8, 2017 – Robbie Earle, a former international soccer player, has taken on the role as technical director for American Youth Soccer Organization’s (AYSO) official club program – AYSO United. In his new position, Earle is in charge of overseeing the club’s curriculum and making sure that it is in line with other professional soccer clubs across the globe.
“By taking on this role, I have an opportunity to influence kids’ experiences in the game,” Earle said. “It’s about enjoyment, fun, playing with your friends, laughing, being healthy, and teamwork; so many basic fundamentals that’s so important and often get lost in this “win” type of thinking – that’s not where I want this to be.”
Earle’s biggest goal at AYSO is to create a healthy environment for young kids to grow wherever they may be playing. Earle noted that AYSO United is unique compared to other soccer clubs because it ensures that everyone gets a chance to play.
“Everybody gets 50 percent of the time in the soccer match, and that’s really what you want to do,” Earle said. “Ideally, everyone wants to be part of the team. I’ve seen lots of kids standing on the side with one or two minutes to go and then they get thrown on the field and then the whistle blows. You then see their disappointed little faces and that’s not what it should be about.”
“We are delighted to bring someone of Robbie’s caliber into our club. His experience at both the professional level and the youth level will allow AYSO United to grow and develop into one of the top club programs in the country,” said AYSO Academy Director, David Thomas. “Robbie’s beliefs in player development and coaching education are in line with our organization and we look forward to seeing the impact that he will have on our AYSO family.”
Earle currently serves as studio analyst of NBC Sports Group’s Premier League, his coverage includes Premier League Live and NBC Sports Group’s pre- and post-match show. A former Jamaican national team player and Premier League star, Earle played in more than 600 league games and scored approximately 150 goals. He began his professional career with Port Vale (1982-1991) and signed with Wimbledon in 1991.
About AYSO United
AYSO United is AYSO’s official club program, where players are selected through a tryout. Once selected, players are guaranteed 50 percent of playing time. Players will also enjoy a more advanced play, participate in intense competition and receive cutting-edge training while still enjoying the benefits of AYSO and its Six Philosophies. AYSO United models its program under U.S. Soccer’s Zone 1 initiatives that falls directly under our “Development over Winning” approach. For more information, visit http://aysounited.org/.
About American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO)
Established in 1964, a national non-profit organization that develops and delivers quality youth soccer programs which promote a safe, fun, family environment based on AYSO's Six Philosophies: Everyone Plays®, Balanced Teams, Open Registration, Positive Coaching, Good Sportsmanship, and Player Development. Today, AYSO has 50,000 teams and over 500,000 players. It also employs 50 people at the AYSO National Office in Torrance, California. For more information, visit www.AYSO.org.
Photographs provided by request.