Updated 4/11/11
(Edited by Elyce Wair)
Volunteering to Help Disadvantaged Youth – by Rand Potter
Twenty-Two years ago Rand Potter discovered soccer when his son who was five at the time decided to play. He found that he enjoyed volunteering as a linesman because it helped him learn more about the game. As his interest grew he made a commitment to a deeper understanding of the game and he became a referee. After reaching the highest referee level badge – the National Level, he moved into the administrative side of the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO).
In the beginning, it was a 2-3 hour commitment on Saturday. As time passed, his son moved into other sports but Rand stayed on. Rand was impressed with the AYSO organization philosophy, the great set of values of the parents and administration, and the positive attitude of all.
The philosophies of AYSO are demonstrated in the administration of the league. The philosophy includes:
Everyone plays…3/4 of the game
Good sportsmanship
Open registrations…no tryouts,
Balanced teams…and they really mean it
Positive coaching… coaches without the right attitude are uninvited from continuing
AYSO provides a low cost opportunity for children to learn valuable lessons about teamwork, sportsmanship and working together. The program is available to children 5-19. Nearly 15% of the players in the San Mateo Region receive a scholarship which provides them the opportunity to play.
After attending an AYSO Section meeting, Rand was impressed with the number (800) of volunteers and their values. He got “hooked” and became an instructor. “I’d always been fascinated with how much could be accomplished with an all volunteer organization so I got involved on the administrative side to train and help the organization to run smoothly.
I truly felt that I had something to offer. I hope it’s not too maudlin to say that the work ethic I learned at Intel (if you recognize that something needs to be done then just do it and don’t to wait for someone else to do it) fit well with an organization who never has enough hands to go around when something needed to be done. So I discovered that people appreciated what I did for the organization. And that my skills were both needed and welcomed.
I was asked to join the Area Board (a collection of Regions) as Treasurer and Inter-region referee coordinator. Then I joined the Section Board, a collections of Areas covering Northern California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and most of Nevada, as Treasurer.
I had been interfacing frequently with the National office so I helped them debug their web-based online registration and management software system and because no good deed goes unpunished, I was asked to join a National Advisory Board to improve the software’s user interface, work on enhancements to the package, and to travel around the US teaching people how to use the software. I have written Webinars, consulted on product improvement, teach Webinars and conduct face-to-face classes on a monthly basis. “
As part of the Management Commission Rand was one of 4 people recognized as Volunteer of the Year for 2010 …the Spirit Award for the Management group.
A favorite moment for Rand was when he presented his volunteer check from Intel to the AYSO Playership Fund which provides scholarships for children across the country who otherwise would not be able to afford to play soccer. “It was presented at the AYSO National Annual General Meeting (NAGM) over Memorial Day weekend in Denver in front of a group of over 600 voting members of the AYSO organization. I credited Intel for its forward thinking and generosity in dispersing Intel Foundation contributions. It was a highlight of the evening and Intel got incredible visibility and recognition. Many people approached me after the ceremony and said what great company Intel is for donating based on volunteerism. I’d say we got our $8K worth of goodwill just at that meeting alone.”
But soccer is not the only area of volunteerism for Rand. In addition to the 800-1200 hours of volunteering for soccer, He spends ½ day per week volunteering at the Second Harvest Food Bank, and ½ day per week at the San Mateo City Library. In his “spare time” he is a seasonal volunteer for Rebuild America and Special Olympics of Northern California. Rand volunteers a total of 1,500 hours per year.
If you want to learn more about AYSO go to their website: www.ayso.org. or if you would like more information about Rand’s specific activities please email him at randpotter@sbcglobal.net.