View Full Version : referee in university?
Jumbler
01 Apr 2006, 01:34 AM
I'm a 17-year-old high school boy in Vietnam, and it's likely that I'll go to study in America next year on a scholarship, although I still don't know where. At school I like to play soccer with my friends, but I'm starting to get interested in refereeing when I go to U.S. university. Would that be a good idea?
Wreave
01 Apr 2006, 06:36 AM
A lot of college students do refereeing. It's fun, it's outdoors, and the pay is better than many other jobs available to students.
Do you know where you'll be going to school?
MidwestRef
01 Apr 2006, 04:52 PM
Seriously, if you're interested in doing this, you'd be very smart to do so.
You can pretty much set your own hours. If you have late classes one day, don't accept matches on that day. If you have three exams in a week, don't accept matches on that week. You can also do intramurals as well as the normal club and high school matches.
The pay is also good, and you get some exercise while you work. My brother is going to college in the fall, and I've recommended he become a referee (not in soccer since he has never played, but other sports) as a way to earn some good spending money.
If you are going to school near any major US city, you should have plenty of chances to referee.
Jumbler
02 Apr 2006, 09:47 PM
OK, thanks for your replies!
Is it hard, and does it take long, to train and become a referee?
Chubbywubby
02 Apr 2006, 10:02 PM
It takes 17 hours to take the course, pass the written test, and get your badge. It takes the next 30 years or so to become proficient at it.
USRef
04 Apr 2006, 05:11 PM
Oftentimes, you don't have to take the couse. I am certified through USSF and that gets me a raise as I ref in my university's Intramural program. I get paid a bit above minimum wage (minimum wage is $5.15 an hour), but there are really good side benefits that come from it.
... but there are really good side benefits that come from it.
As you card a player and ask for her number, it's her phone number? :)
easternlatincup
04 Apr 2006, 11:02 PM
Oftentimes, you don't have to take the couse.
What do you mean?
HeadHunter
05 Apr 2006, 12:04 AM
What do you mean?
Intermural programs don't fall under any higher organizing bodies, are fairly lax in their rules, and thus will happily take any warm body as a ref. If you want to ref anything else obviously you take the test.
USSF REF
05 Apr 2006, 12:46 AM
If you do take the test, they'll probably let you re-write their rules.... That's what I did. Then they gave me a free year's membership at the University fitness center, after I graduated, for it.
Summerburn
06 Apr 2006, 05:59 AM
What? Don't you have to be a US citizen to referee in the US?
USRef
06 Apr 2006, 05:36 PM
If you do take the test, they'll probably let you re-write their rules.... That's what I did. Then they gave me a free year's membership at the University fitness center, after I graduated, for it.
We just got a 20 cent raise :(
Wingdings
09 Apr 2006, 11:25 PM
What? Don't you have to be a US citizen to referee in the US?
No, I don't think so. :)
refmike
10 Apr 2006, 11:51 AM
US citizenship is definately NOT a requirement for getting a USSF referee badge. While it may be possible for senior referees from other countries to be cross-licensed to USSF, most just take the course as it is easier than getting and verifying certifications. Also the USSF license is not required for non-affiliated games, such as high school or college.
I think the biggest problem for Jumbler is that he is not presently a referee in Vietnam. Going from player to ref is a big step and he does not speak of any experience in refereeing so he really needs to take the full referee course.
Best of luck.
Jumbler
26 Apr 2006, 12:32 PM
Do you know where you'll be going to school?
It's now most likely some school in Massachusetts ;)
I think the biggest problem for Jumbler is that he is not presently a referee in Vietnam. Going from player to ref is a big step and he does not speak of any experience in refereeing so he really needs to take the full referee course.
Yes, I will need to :)