Real how to become a referee thread

Most local soccer clubs sponser USSF referee clinics. You can find out when and where these clinics will take place by contacting your state soccer referee associaton or your local soccer club. The entry level clinic is seventeen hours long and usually takes place over a weekend. At the end of the clinic you take a test. I think you need to pass with a 75% and, assuming that you do, your a ref!

 

Jim, alot depends on where you live. Each state has their own method, and it may vary even within the state. I would suggest checking with the SDI to find out who the DDI is so that you can learn when the classes are.

As DDI for Columbus, Ohio, we respond to requests from the various soccer programs around our area to put on an entry level referee class. Someone from the program takes the registrations for the class, and we provide the program, books, hand-outs etc. We charge $40 for the clinic, and this includes the class, books etc. plus the first year's registration. The national standards require 15-17 hrs of classroom and an 1-2 hr outdoor session. The test is 100 multiple guess test with a passing grade of 75. The outdoor is pass-fail. We structure our classes over five sessions since many of our candidates are youth players.

But when you finish the class, you have only begun to learn about controlling a match. You can spend the rest of your career on the pitch learning to do so, and I have not found anyone who can honestly say they have learned everything there is to learn about officiating.

Hope you follow through and attend an entry level class in your area. Best of luck with the class, and upon completion of the clinic, I hope you have fun on the pitch.

 

We have almost 20 entry level classes per year in and around central Ohio.

There is NO fitness test for the entry level class. You are correct in that the fitness test only effects grades 7 and above.

However, national does want an outdoor clinic where the new referees can get some on-field experience during a scrimmage or other activity before they are done with the clinic and seek fame and forture as a referee.

Just wanted to clarify. Sorry if I caused any confusion.

 

Whats the pay?
How hard is it to become a national and international ref?

thanks

 

"Minuscapita" asks what's the pay for a referee.

It varies according to the region where you may officiate. Youth matches in rec games may get about $10 or so a game while competitive youth matches can be paid $20 or more for a game.
Highschool matches pay $40-50 per game and college matches can pay around $100 per game.

How hard is it to become an international referee?

VERY. The best referees (national refs) who have the time and desire to do so, from all over the country, compete to be selected as one of the few international (FIFA) referees. Getting the experience in upper level matches before you get too old (over 45?) to be selected for the FIFA panel.

 

Actually, you have to be under 38 to be eligible for the FIFA panel. 45 is the current retirement age.

In Northern California, (suburb of San Francisco, no?) I would assume you would be paid $15-20 for rec, $30-60 for select youth and $50-70 for high school, semi-pro or amateur, $80-100 for College.

 

Thanks for the Info.

After our league adult league adminstrator here in Fairfax, VA sent out a message saying they are looking for more refs, I decided to take the leap and become a referee.

MassReff, your link was really helpful.

I they have a a clinic coming up Sepetmeber. Wish me luck.

Any other tips for a newbie?

 

If you think you have learned it all, think again. There will always be something new, odd, or completely out of left field that will jump up and bite you. Re-read the LOTG and the ATR along with other referee books, such as "For the Good of the Game."

After almost 20 years of reffing, I had a U-10 coach pull his goalkeeper and try to play without a goalkeeper. Then in a HS game, I had a player stop in his approach to take a PK, and then continue and kick the ball.

Other than that, I would suggest being fit to referee and not to referee to be fit.

And have fun on the pitch.

 

In North Carolina go to http://www.ncsra.org There is a link there for a form that you fill out to find out about available classes. There is also a link for new referee classes and how to contact whoever is running the class. It costs $45 for the course for level 8 (18 hours). There is also a level 9 course that is 9 hours and it is mostly for younger kids. I beleive it is also $45. In NC you must be 14 or older on the last day of class for level 8, and 12 or older for level 9.

Level 8 can do any recreational or challenge game as long as the referee is at least 2 years older than the players. Level 9 can do only recreational U14 or lower games, as long the referee is at least 2 years older than the players.

 

Yes. If you've just gotten certified and you get a frantic call from an assignor saying that a center is desperately needed for a travel league game, be wise enough to decline. I wasn't. It was one of the worst experiences in my life, and that includes Marine Corps boot camp and advanced infantry training. The good part was that everything was uphill from there--and that a volunteer linesman turned out to be an assignor from another state who was watching his granddaughter play. Which leads me to...

Hopefully you can get hooked up with an experienced center who knows how to create a team environment, knows how to be clear about expectations of the AR, knows how to coach new ARs. If you find someone like this, build a relationship where he/she'll work with you often.

If you're lucky you'll be a ref in an association that follows up the classroom training with organized field training and coaching (such as that given by the Loudoun Youth Soccer Association in Northern Virginia). And for your initial center work go after center assignments in low age group rec games to get your feet wet and your confidence up, and build from there.

As others have said, the learning will come from games, and from mistakes that you will inevitably make. I assume you've played sports, and learned to not dwell on a mistake you've made but instead to concentrate on the immediate. The same is important in reffing. Mentally note an error, tuck it away for after the game, and keep your concentration on what is going on now. Good atheletes and good refs have that ability.

Oh, and make sure you do a lot of pre and during season conditioning. You can look forward to a lot of running. The conditioning should not just be distance running, but must include sprints. Twice I've pulled hamstring muscles as an AR because I'd just been doing distance conditioning and not sprinting. Take a look at the types of running required of centers and ARs. They are different and will give you an idea of how to condition.

And have a ball. There will be some games where you will be in a zone, will be feeling the ebb and flow of the game, will feel a true part of this marvelous sport and have a view of the action that only a favored few ever get to have.

Welcome to the ranks.

 

real how to become a referee thread

One of the best ways to improve your game is to be able to see what you are doing. Have a friend video tape one of your games. Make sure that he/she concentrates on the referee as the subject and does not do close-ups (you need to be able to see what was going on around you). Then invite an experienced referee to come watch the game with you and to give you pointers. If you can get an assessor to do it, it would be even better.

 

note: this may only be NC requirements. i haven't been officiating long (it's almost a year), and haven't gotten over a U13 line select games, but i do know that USSF has no minimum age to be a grade 8 or below (United States Soccer Federation Referee's Administrative Handbook).

and the referee being x-years-older is the local club/league/assignor's decision. i've centered U13s in our rec leauge, and am asking for a U10 select @ the next tournament in Columbus. ohhh! just remembered something else i was going to say about the age thing. the USSF requirement to upgrade to grade 7 is you must be 17 and have centered a U19 (or higher) with a favorable assessment. that would make the referee at least two year younger than the players

 

That's not entirely true. What if the 17 year old passess an assessment in a competitive U-17 game? Would that not qualify the official for an upgrade? This is a U-19 match played with full 45 minute halves. There actually aren't that many pure U-19 games. Even in NJ, there are only a handful of teams a year. He or she would likely be at least a few months older than all of the players in this case.

 

real how to become a referee thread

For assesment purposes U17-U19 are considered as one age category, so a U17 game will satisfy the requirement.

The age limits to take the 08 and 09 entry courses are a NC rule, as is the age difference between the referees and players.

 

Games fees are not the same around the country and are quite a bit higher in some places. As well as, college fees. Big 10 is $225 plus travel plus $25 for meals. Same with some other colleges. Pro will get more on a rating scale.
To become a National or International Referee, you will need dedication, a clear understanding of the Laws and how to apply them, and a strong will.

 

real how to become a referee thread

 

They have to allow U17 games to be part of the assessment due to some referees looking to upgrade not being old enough to do U19 matches yet. The rules say you have to be only 17 to upgrade, but you have to be 21 to do U19 matches I believe.