Barrier To Entry For New HS Referee

When I was a young(er) referee in college, I made $6,000 a season easily doing high school games. It sounds like the only barrier to you is yourself right now. Sorry if that sounds harsh.

 

To be honest I feel like high school varies so much by locality. The area I work in now only requires you to be a USSF licensed referee (8 or above). Pay a $50 fee and attend like 3 mandatory meetings. They do have some other requirements like 18 year of age or above, pass a written test, have reliable transportation, create an arbiter account, have required uniform, etc. but that's it.
The other area I was in before only required $125 dues, pass a written test, and attend 2 meetings. They often used unlicensed referees and former players (to some degree of success).

How do they justify well... it depends how much power your association has in your area. In my current area they are the only HS association in a 150 mile radius. The other area there were at least 3 different other associations.

I agree with the other poster. If you are trying to make money and "have" the availability. I always made lots of $$ doing high school (the only reason I do it nowadays tbh). If you are only getting 10 games a season might not be worth it for you. If you are guaranteed a set amount of games you'll recoup your costs and then some.

Ps. High school was a good starting point for me breaking out of my area and working with different guys. I got an opportunity to meet different USSF assignors and it set me up to move up. Although, I moved up mostly thru USSF games. If that makes sense.

 

Talk about varying by location. Where I am you need to register with the state association to work varsity games, and for first year officials that's $15 (goes up to $50 by the 3rd year). You have to go to a free classroom session every 3 years. Of course you have to know an assignor, or more accurately they have to know you, to get varsity games.

For anything below varsity you just need a pulse, local assignors can't fill them all. I always go ahead and register with the state association each year for the insurance coverage. I'll probably work 10 or fewer games this season all sub-varsity and all solo, for $58 to $65 a game.

 

It cost me $60 to get my license renewed each year and $45 association dues. The dues allows me to attend all association meeting for "free", if you are not a member it cost $10 per meeting, and you are required to attend 4 if you want to be tournament eligible. Membership also allows us to vote for High School tournament referee rankings. We all had to buy new jerseys this year since the new ones are required, but membership allows you to join the membership group order which gets everyone a discount.

If you are becoming a new HS ref, you need to take a class which runs from $100 to $130 depending on if you are a USSF ref or not.

I just consider it part of doing business as a High School ref.

I do know I don't need to be a member of the association to get assigned High School games. You just need to let the assigner(s) know you are available.

Mark.

 

The biggest barrier to entry right now in IL in my experience is finding who the assignors are. The IHSA certification is $50 / year, there are free clinics you can find (others have a nominal cost), and at least in the Chicagoland area there's no association you need to join. Next year though they have a new required uniform that is fugly. I occasionally get random emails looking for officials for games but in places that are an hour or more away (and starting around 4:15). No thanks.

I got hooked up with the Chicago Public Schools assignor last year but by the time they had their preseason meeting all the games that were close to me were already taken, and the refs at the meeting mostly complained to each other about how long schools take to pay, games starting 30-45 minutes late, etc. And it's dual. There are plenty of lower level Saturday games available, but I keep those days free for AYSO and club matches. So I didn't wind up doing any games.

Instead, I do Junior high games in the suburbs where I live. Low key, $55 a game for center (varsity and JV), no ARs, all within a 10 minute drive. I also do Catholic league upper elementary (6/7/8) games, co-ed, $45-$60 cash at the field, fun games.

Unless something changes radically in the next couple of years I don't see myself actively pursuing HS assignments, certainly not paying ponying up for more uniforms. The games I do, nobody cares what color you wear (I break out the pink for girls games in the spring).

So my point here is, there are probably options available if you don't want to go through all the hoops for the HS games.

 

I work both Missouri and Illinois HS Soccer.
In Missouri we have to pay a $65 to the state.
In my location, you don't have to but it's highly encouraged to join a local association which costs $65. This get's you access to on field training and extra insurance.
All HS referees in the first 3 years must attend a Mechanics Meeting and a Rules Meeting. Take a Part 1 and Part 2 test and pass with an 80% or above. You get 3 tries but its and open book/friend and no time limit test .
This year we are going to a new jersey, mentioned in other posts. It's by far the ugliest shirt in the industry. The IL ones are night and day better looking. However our association provided the shirts to us. The shirts cost $45 short sleeve and $47 for long sleeve.
Game fees are as follows: $69 for a 3 man all 3 officials, $70 for a 2 man. I haven't worked a JV game in a while so I couldn't tell you what those game fees are, I assume that it's in the $50 range.



In Illinois we have to pay a $50 to the state.
In my location you are also encouraged to join a local association which costs $40. Again Illinois is getting new shirts HS only. 2 colors Yellow and Black. I believe that they are $45 for short sleeve and $50 for long sleeve each.
Game fees are $65 for varsity.
If you want to do championship games you must be a registered referee for at least 3 years, pass Exam 1 and 2 with a 90% or above, attend Rules and Clinic Meetings and be promoted to the grade of R.
There are 4 grades X, O, R, and C. X is first year, O is probation , R is Recognized referee and C is Certified.
Once you work a championship you get C.

 

In Oregon, every school is assigned to a "commissioner" and association. (The commissioner is the assignor.) That association gets to and has to do all of the school's games. If you want to do high school games, you have to belong to the local association. However, it's about $65 to get registered with the state high school association (book, badge including Velcro, insurance, background check.) The association collects the fees from the schools and divvies the money up as the association sees fit, usually something like $65 for DSC varsity center, $60 for varsity dual, $45 for varsity AR and sub varsity whistles. Our most available people will do more than 60 games during the season. The commissioner gets about 6% of the game fees and there are no association dues. Mileage is paid on a per mile from the center of town basis (so, if you live next door to the high school, you will still get mileage), split between the officials on the crew, $5 minimum. USSF uniforms are mandated, so you are not buying additional shirts. Virtually all sub-varsity games are afternoon games, typically 4 p.m. kickoff. Varsity is mostly evening games, but still with a lot of afternoon games. For the most part, around here, afternoon varsity = dual, evening varsity = DSC. Some JV games are duals, JV2/freshman and all middle school games are solo.

To do playoffs, you need three years of experience (of which the current year counts as one), you have some additional training required (no cost) but any USSF or NISOA training will count towards the requirement, and you must have been a USSF grade 8 at some time in your life. 75% on the written test to do high school games, 90% on the test to do playoffs, three trys, if necessary, open book/open friend. State championship game officials are nominated by their association, with the number from each association proportionate to the number of schools they serve.

 

I know this may sound harsh, but how many games a day are you doing? There are barely 7 weeks to our HS season and a Varsity game a day or a few DH’s a week doesn’t come close to 6 large.

 

A lot of states do double and triple headers. Work 6 days a week makes my approx $100 it wouldnt be that far off.

 

Those top shirts would likely qualify one to work at a highway construction site directing traffic. At night.

 

Unfortunately, start up costs are just always a pain in the butt, right? Doing USSF is probably the worst. In my area, including referee uniforms, you're talking about $150 to start. That's being pretty generous, of course. You might make that money back in 4 or 5 games, but given that they don't want grade 8 working higher level matches, it's tough. You'll break even after 2 or 3 weeks and after about 2 months you'll start "gaining" money on average over minimum wage. It's one of the reasons that I promise anyone I recruit: I will pay all of your startup fees so you don't have to worry about anything, just pay me back within the year. I've had multiple people take me up on it, and it brings in more referees. It's an understandable hurdle.

High School, however, is a little bit easier. Even if you have different uniforms, like NISOA / these random "state-sponsored" uniforms / etc, high school is going to pay more. There's not a lot of places outside of DA that pay $50 for what amounts to a U15/U16 match (JV). In my area, it's 45/55 for JV, 55/75 for Varsity. $100-130 a night is pretty good, but you're right, with dues and other registration, it's probably $200 in start up. It'll take a couple games. But once you DO catch up, you'll be making money far quicker than the USSF rate. It's understandable that you would be irritated, and trust me, when you start college you'll be really irritated if you join NISOA (think $400-$500 in uniforms and fees). But of course, when you have some game fees ranging up to $1,000+, that's a little easier pill to swallow.

 

That's where you really rake in the big klink, what with DOT overtime/night-pay differential and hazard pay. And you can use your AR flags!

 

I looked up what a new official would have to do to join our HS board:

1. $40 dues (this is reduced- for all returning officials annual dues are equal to one varsity game check, which I think is $80, I don't know exactly because we also get mileage).
2. One six hour training.
3. One on field training (usually shadowing an experienced official at a play day).

Obviously they'd have to buy at least one NISOA jersey (so, $50ish I am seeing) but can usually get away with just yellow because as a new official they will be mostly doing middle school and low level JV duals and most of those guys and girls only wear yellow. Shorts, socks, whistle (although they may give you one, but I may be remembering my USSF grade 8 class back in antiquity).

I think you are in the door for $100 or so, and two days of your time, all told. You'll make that back doing two JV games or middle school doubleheaders. And you can work any day you want.

I think they cut down the prices substantially recently, I seem to remember paying the full boat on dues my first year, and also having to pay a fee for the training class.

EDITING TO ADD: Oh yeah, $25 to get a background check and fingerprinting is new. So call it three games to make back your investment.

 

There's not a lot of places outside of DA that pay $50 for what amounts to a U15/U16 match (JV). In my area, it's 45/55 for JV, 55/75 for Varsity. $100-130 a night is pretty good, but you're right, with dues and other registration, it's probably $200 in start up. It'll take a couple games. But once you DO catch up, you'll be making money far quicker than the USSF rate. It's understandable that you would be irritated, and trust me, when you start college you'll be really irritated if you join NISOA (think $400-$500 in uniforms and fees). But of course, when you have some game fees ranging up to $1,000+, that's a little easier pill to swallow.[/QUOTE]

In my area, U15 Recreational games pay $50 for the center. JV games are all duals, and pay $47 per ref. Varsity games pay $73 for the center and about $50 for the ARs. We have the second lowest high school rates in the state.

 

Just took it in my area.

so far:
$60 Dues/class
$99 One-time for state finger printing
$92 for two old-style short sleeve shirts (because they are sticking with it. So I am expecting I will have to buy other shirts in the future)
$40 deposit to the assignor (refs pay assignor based on games worked)

I will wear my USSF shorts with a piece of black duct tape over the logo.

 

Reviewing the responses, it seems that all the veteran HS refs get used to whatever the costs are in their area (high or low). Because they are used to it, they are blind to the impact of these costs on beginning, young refs.

Yes, $200 is a barrier to entry - especially if you are limited to JV games for 2 years. If the powers that be are not aware of it, they shoud be.

Personally, I have always thought that entry costs should be close to zero for USSF teenaged refs, and same for 18+ HS refs.

"We really want you to join us in this difficult job. We need new blood, because all the refs around here have gray hair and sore knees."
"Great!"
"By the way, it'll cost you 200 bucks.
"great"

 

Where I live, we have no state finger printing or funky shirts. We just use the new USSF yellow and green shirts with the 2-stripe socks. Our associationn also mandates that we must have reffed USSF for at least two years, be 18 years old or older and out of high school, and be in good standing with the association. To get center assignments, we have to attend a rules clinic. The total cost for me to start refereeing HS was $34.

 

I'm trying to remember what the cost to start was here in Texas. I seem to recall that the re-certification cost was triple the intro cost ($25 vs $75). Chapters have assigning fees. Houston is $2.50 per game and you can earn $10 per hour of pre-season to cover those fees. Wichita Falls was a flat $20, which for low volume me, was $1.50-2 per game.

I really liked the low intro cost. Get people in the door, see if they like it/decided that the money is pretty good, then have them pony up the next year although I just looked and it appears that everyone is now $75.

 

I'm just amazed that any association has so many referees with so little turnover that they can actually limit new referees to JV games for two years. I still remember my first high school game, which was AR2 for varsity boys in the largest classification of schools. My first dual, the next week, I was R1 for varsity boys and both teams were ranked in the top 10 in the state. Many of our games are something like JV dual at 4 and DSC varsity at 7. Anybody on the JV game is going to also be on the varsity game, maybe as AR, maybe as R, with someone who can't get away from work in the afternoon, or maybe someone who did an afternoon varsity game at a different school (usually one without a JV team) coming in as the third. It simply doesn't work in our world to only put someone on JV games, especially on days when there are more games to cover than there are referees in the association, never mind how many of those are available on a given day.

 

Exactly. My second public high school game ever, I will be an AR on a Varsity boys game. We simply don’t have the numbers for a “probationary period.”