Greg. Grade 7. New Mexico. Just finished my third year as a badged referee. Career highlights include: ECNL national championships, Presidents Cup Regional Tourney, a couple of State Cups, low level college and tons of high school, where I got a state final game this year! Goals for 2013: I am working on getting my 6, but getting games is tough when the nearest city is 200 miles away. Far West Regionals in Hawaii! Working towards D1 college and more challenging "ethnic" games. Spent 12 years reffing in our local league that does not use certified refs. I loved it but I realize now just how brutal it was. Parents drinking on the sidelines, more abuse than anyone should have to take and fan soccer IQ of right around zero, what I do now is a piece of cake. So...Who are you?
Interesting idea. Hi Greg, I'm Paul. I'm a grade 8 (hopefully for not too much longer! But it's hard getting games while I'm going to school, plus I just moved and am not connected with the local assignor yet.) I first passed a USSF course at age ten (the teacher was nice enough to let me sit in and take the test) but couldn't get officially certified until 2 years later. I'm 18 now. Career highlights are few and far between at this stage, but my number one would be being selected as a California Youth Soccer Association district referee of the year. Goals for 2013: Get connected with the assignor in my area, do some division 3 youth games to build my game count and confidence, and then hopefully build from there, hopefully starting with high school games next year or the year after.
I'm Chas. I haven't achieved anything until I hit at least Grade 6, so there will be no bragging in this post. Good night.
Yes, you have achieved something. Just getting your badge gives you a unique status reached by only 3% of the soccer community. 25 years as a referee, Gr. 7 for the last 13 (too much fun playing to go for the upgrade sooner). State Instructor, Assignor, Assessor, and Mentor. (And if I tell you what nsa stands for, I'd have to kill you. )
Charles, grade 7. 4 years in TXS where I also did college and high school. Left for 4 years and came back in 2012 in TXN. Applied for state clinic in January. Have also 7 years experience in the sports industry. Worked for FC Dallas and two universities in athletics (especially soccer and softball). No really major highlights thus far.
South Florida HS referee. Did my first season in 2010, took last year off due to schedule, back to it this year. Also certified 8 in USSF (HS association is separate), though I haven't done any games through that yet.
This thread is not really producing the results I assume the OP was looking for. I wonder if it's because some people like being keeping this information personal, they don't want to brag or ... As for me, I would like to know who we all are. I know it ranges from first game grade 9s to very senior level referees. Me... I am currently an AYSO Basic Referee and I have completed the class and passed the test for Intermediate. I have an observational game to go before I have completed the requirements for Intermediate and I hope to complete this next month during our Select season. I was a coach for a couple years and I have been a referee for about 6 years moving from a Team Referee for U6 games to the Basic referee for U8, U10, and U12 games. I am also the incoming Regional Referee Administrator for our league. In our league, this is mainly a one-person referee management/assignor position as most games are filled by our volunteer referees self assigning games and filling in when possible in games without enough referees. Most of the referees are dads that have kids in the league with a few moms and teen-aged players looking to stay involved and pay-back. All of the referees and team and league positions are volunteer jobs. I do wonder how my experiences are different from the CYSA USSF referees in the leagues around me.
Alright, here we go. I started coaching my daughter's U8 team when I retired from the Army in 2002. Good timing I guess. A friend I used to play with in the adult league back a few years earlier when I was stationed nearby, was the referee coordinator for the local rec league. He told me he was struggling to get new referees, and asked if I wanted to attend the certification that was in a couple of weeks. Back then, there was no R9, so I became an 8 straight away. I still had to do a bunch of lines and U8 games before I really started getting my feet wet and my skin started to toughen up. I coached and reffed for a couple of more years, but it seemed that everytime I had practice, a ref would be a no-show and I would get pulled away, so I eventually gave up the coaching. I wasn't that good at it anyway. I did strictly rec games for my friend for about three years, but got recruited by another association that did all the travel, MS, HS and the adult league in the area. I worked for both assignors for about two years, then my buddy had to give in up. The other association took over the assigning for the rec league and those refs got folded in with them. I'm now a 54 y/o R8 with about ten years under my belt. I never upgraded because I'm able to get the games that I want right now. I referee from U8 rec to Adult men's open league and everything in between including travel, HS and MS. I plan on continuing until I become ineffective. I've seen refs who have tried to go on too long, so I know what that looks like.
Hmmm.... I started back when I was 14, in 2003. Half of my team decided to go take the referee course and I tagged along. I think I did maybe 5 games that year but was seen by one of the assignors who took me under his wing. I worked for him for about three years and went from U10 solos to U14 games pretty quickly. He retired and that left me with another assignor who I worked with until just before college. I never had an enormous game load because I was playing through HS. I think I probably averaged maybe 30 games a season (60/yr). In college, I started coaching a rec team through the park district and officiated probably about 20 games a year while I was down there. This was my first "exposure" to U19 Centers. I went on hiatus my Senior year through Last March because of school, job search, a job in Kentucky and other reasons but maintained my certification. I started refereeing in earnest this past spring and had the most prolific year in my 9 years. I am on pace to work 230 games this year, including Several regional league, ECNL, and Club Cup centers as well as centers at both the ECNL Nationals and National XI Club Cup. I also upgrade to a Grade 7 this past Spring and have already knocked out my AR requirements for a Grade 6. I also work HS and am still playing in Rec leagues. So in summary, 23yo, G7
Not that it's much of a secret: Andy Moss 43 Grade 5 (2013NC-R). Selected for National. First certified 01/30/2005 Multiple Youth Regionals U19B middle 2011 (assessed by gosellit) Youth Nationals 2011 Multiple Amateur Regionals DA Playoffs 2012 Assessor, Assignor, Instructor - led our Advanced and Intermediate Clinics this year.
45, grade 8 since 2010. I don't get to do a ton of games, between work and my son's soccer. But, I bust my ass and try to a great job with every game, young or old. I've gotten to do some great games- some ecnl, a couple of D1 ladies' spring games, state cup. Not sure if I'll ever upgrade- since HS doesn't count toward my game count, it will be a few more years before I get the necessary centers... Perhaps when my son has gone off to college I'll do more.
This week I feel a hundred. But i coached with the basic F license and then after my girls got older, decided to certify. My first year was 2006 and I do matches when and where they need me. I work for about 6 assignors and travel all over the Garden State. I'm an 8 with absolutely no plans to upgrade. I'm pretty sure in 10 years i'll be working the Sat morning rec league up the street. I truly wish i had started 30 years ago! To the younger guys, don't give it up. Keep your toe in it even if time and life interfere. I still have a great time every weekend I'm out there. Oh, and my last red card was 3 years ago. A lot of games ago. Don't know why actually. Lots of talking, keeping cool, having fun. I really like it. Hope you do too.
41 years young, Grade 7 and IHSAA referee. Sometimes coach but I've played since I was 4, 2 years in college (who knew you had to class back then? I didn't) but a late bloomer as a ref. Started in 2006 (I think? can't recall, might've been '07). Started refereeing because the guy who was our regular in the adult league was a rec assignor and complained he was short. Told me, "you can't beat us, why not join us?" So I got certified, found a couple of mentors and stuck with 'em. And took every game I could get my hands on at tournaments, showcases, etc. Since I can run 50 yards without peeing myself I was assigned some more intense matches and eventually was encouraged to upgrade. I'll go for my state if I can, but if it doesn't work out I'm happy as a 7 or 8, would probably try to remain a 7 since the class is more my liking. I LOVE REFEREEING, and like rufus really wish I'd started years ago. I've made some really good friends and refs are a loyal bunch. I've refereed at levels up to and including ECNL, and like the more intense games - the rec games aren't as enjoyable as they used to be, but it's more the action outside the lines. My goals for 2013 are to work toward my 6 without killing myself or anyone else, to only channel my inner Phil Dowd when needed, and to travel to more out-of-state tourneys in order to meet more of you in person. Next...
Classic! Although, I've seen few really nasty tackles (and a couple of broken bones) where I think I peed myself a little. Phil Dowd is one of my favorites EPL refs too. Just the way he interacts with players is something to watch and learn. ++1 on the camaraderie. Some of my best friends are referees. I have used them for references on different occasions. Sometimes I think I spend more time with some of them than my wife.
I should've mentioned my ref friends do all my proofreading...phrase something incorrectly (or incompletely) in a ref meeting and watch the minutes fly by.
I'm Joe, 48 years old (you young whippersnappers really make me feel old!). Played back in high school in the early 80's - it was a very different game then. I've been primarily involved in AYSO, as there are no other club organizations anywhere near where I live. I've been the Ref Admin for our region, and I have a way too many AYSO certifications...Board Member, Ref Admin, Coach Admin, Advanced Ref Trainer, Advanced Coach Trainer, AYSO National Referee, and assessor. I cross-certified to USSF as a Grade 7, so that I could help out and referee in the few tournaments my son was in that was both AYSO and USSF (it's always fun to beat club teams with our local AYSO boys - those club coaches get SO emotional about it!). Oh, I'm also an NFHS referee for our local high schools. No really exciting stories to tell. Just the usual nonsense. A few scuffles, coaches who are too loud, parents who know too little about the game, players who get too emotional. My recent highlights include learning from Kari Seitz at the Ken Aston referee camp this past summer, and my National badge upgrade assessment was done by Tom Bobadilla himself - that was intimidating! Nice to meet you all, and hope you all have a great holiday season!
We have a referee who is 78 years old! He started the local AYSO region about 30-35 years ago, and has been a referee for that whole time. Great guy, still more fit than most volunteers! He's lost a few steps, and can't really be effective for U19 anymore, but I love watching him with the U-littles. I hope you can keep with it as long as you enjoy it!
I've been quiet for now because I pale in comparison to all of you. However, Biffnix inspired me because I recognize him from the forum for the little ski area just up the road from him (I'm Mammothfan). I am 50, live in LA County and am an AYSO Intermediate level referee. I have been a referee for 8 years and started when my daughter played AYSO. She no longer plays soccer, but I like to say that I get to play. I would upgrade to Advanced, but that would require a commitment that I am not in position to give, so I just stick to U10-U14 games with an occasional U16 game. I gave some thought to converting to USSF, but then the economy tanked and I knew some of the guys doing club were relying on the additional income (meager as it is) to help stay afloat. I didn't want to cut into their earnings. I've dismissed a few coaches, one of whom wound up being an AR for me on a U14 game about 2 months later. One of the coaches was giving him grief and he said the guy was a real jerk. I think he knew why a big grin appeared on my face. I won't tell you my profession because a few of you have made it clear what you think of referees who are lawyers (oops).