(American Youth Soccer Organization)

The Harbor Gateway-based American Youth Soccer Organization has scored a 2014 Rose Parade float entry in conjunction with the city of Torrance by meeting a $100,000 fundraising goal.
The nationwide effort not only ensures the financially strapped city a float entry funded by an outside group for a second consecutive year, it hands the nonprofit organization - founded in Torrance a half-century ago next year - a publicity bonanza for its milestone anniversary.

"It kind of captured the imagination of people across the country," said Lynn Berling-Manual, AYSO's chief marketing officer. "It is amazing the power of the Rose Parade.

"It's historically authentic," she added. "You need to make it relevant and current to people. "

It doesn't get more relevant than an organization that has quickly become ingrained into the fabric of life every fall for parents and their children in the South Bay and beyond.

AYSO, city officials and the Torrance Rose Float Association see the partnership as beneficial to all parties.

AYSO has the fundraising capability, the city a coveted entry in what will be the 100th anniversary of its initial participation in the Pasadena parade, and the association the volunteer manpower to decorate the float. None of the entities could have accomplished entering a float in the parade alone, officials said.

"Today, financially, we're not in a position to bring back any of these kinds of things that had to be cut because of the economic downturn," Mayor Frank Scotto said. "So I'm very pleased we can continue traditions like this. "

Scotto said he hoped the city could reinstate greater financial support for the float in three to five years.

Float fundraising is not over, however. The rose float association must raise $40,000, significantly more than the new independent organization raised last year.

Fundraising did not start in earnest until August, but with $30,000 in a bank account from previous years the group had to raise only $10,000 to meet its target, said Misty Dawn Jones, rose float association president.

Harbor Gateway-based aerospace firm Ace Clearwater contributed $85,000 for this year's float entry, while the city kicked in another $19,000.

The float association plans to raffle off one of the spaces on the float. Tickets selling for $10 apiece are expected to be sold shortly on the group's website at torrancerosefloat.com.

AYSO, too, is encouraging its membership to continue to give on its website, ayso.org, to enhance activities around the annual New Year's Day tradition, so that it can "leverage this opportunity in every way we can," President Paula Berriz said.

The group is encouraging AYSO groups around the nation to get together for breakfast Jan. 1, 2014, to watch the parade.

A total of 43 million viewers watch the parade on national television, while the AYSO demographic is pretty much the same as those that watch the event - families with AYSO-age children.

The group is hoping the publicity will give its player registration a significant boost. That's what happened in 1994 when the United States hosted the World Cup, noted Scotto, a longtime AYSO volunteer and youth sports booster.

Planning for the parade entry has already begun, with Jones meeting Tuesday afternoon with AYSO representatives and float designers.

AYSO has five of the eight slots allocated for people on the float and is trying to figure out how to distribute them.

Boy and girl soccer players are obvious choices, but the group is also affiliated with plenty of soccer celebrities.

Alex Morgan, the photogenic, fast-rising star of the U.S. Women's National Team, is from Diamond Bar, while Redlands' Landon Donovan is recognized as the best American player ever. Other possibilities include Major League Soccer coach Sigi Schmid and national team player Shannon Boxx, both of whom are from Torrance.

"Inspiration is very important to us," Berling-Manual said. "It's one of the things AYSO does very well. "