Fillmore’s AYSO 242 is celebrating 45 years of service to the community with close to 700 athletes playing soccer last year. It is one of the oldest non-profits in North America. This year they will begin the fall 2024 season, August 17; register by June 30th at www.AYSO242.org. Read the article for full details. Above action photos from past AYSO seasons. Photo credit AYSO archives.

This fall Fillmore AYSO Region 242 will host its 45th year of service to the community here in Fillmore. Photo credit AYSO archives.

Article by Nancy Rodriguez Hernandez

AYSO Region 242 is in preparation to celebrate a huge milestone this year, their 45th season of serving the youth in Fillmore, which kicks off on Saturday, August 17th.

Fillmore AYSO 242 is the largest youth sports organization in Fillmore, with close to 700 athletes playing soccer last year, and has served thousands of youths in over four decades; it is part of North America’s oldest non-profit soccer organization, AYSO, American Youth Soccer Organization. Fillmore AYSO 242 thrives on the power of volunteers; every coach, referee, and board member involved is a volunteer, dedicating countless hours of year-round hard work to the success of this 10-week soccer program.

Arnold Munoz, who had all four of his children participate in the program, has been bringing the community together for the last nine years as Regional Commissioner. Arnold’s goal as RC is to “create a fun, family-friendly environment for the athletes to develop their social and leadership skills, while their families enjoy watching them on the field!’
Fillmore AYSO 242 continues to grow and introduce new programs, including its most recent addition, EPIC, Everyone Plays in Our Community, a soccer program designed to adapt and support each athlete’s needs with the help of buddies on the field. The program is set to start its third season this year and is something truly special in our town, “it brings happiness to our children to be a part of a team and participate in learning new skills. It’s what inclusion is all about,” said coach Tania Melgoza, who has a child that participates in the EPIC program.

Fillmore AYSO 242’s 45th season is dedicated to all those who have committed their time to our youth, if it wasn’t for the thousands of volunteers we’ve had throughout the years, Fillmore AYSO 242 wouldn’t be as strong and far-reaching as it is today, and for that Fillmore AYSO 242 is forever GRATEFUL!

If you’re interested in registering your child for the fall 2024 season, please do so by June 30th at www.AYSO242.org. Anyone registering after the cut-off date will be placed on a waitlist.