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Q. Is there a minimum age limit to ref for the SYA Soccer Referee Program?
A. SYA currently requires its referees to be at least 14 years of age. Most competitive leagues require Center Referees to be at least 16 years old, with a couple of years of officiating experience, plus have the maturity to control the match and manage the players, coaches and spectators. Also, Center Referees are normally required to be at least 2 to 3 years older than the age group they are refereeing so they are not viewed as peers, but as authority figures, by the players, coaches, and sidelines.
Q. How do I become a referee?
A. Prospective referees must attend and pass an Initial Certification Course at the Grade 8 or Grade 9 (NOT A SCHOOL GRADE) badge level, sponsored by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) and taught by a USSF certified instructor. These are normally listed as New Grade 8 or New Grade 9 courses. All approved courses are listed on the Metro DC/Virginia State Referee Program web site (http://www.vadcsoccerref.com) under Clinic Listing.
Point of entry through the USSF Grade 9 New Referee course is an excellent place to start and get involved. This will give you basic exposure at age appropriate games , and let you decide if refereeing is really for you. As the game has grown, many referees are finding they can continue refereeing even when they go to college, as more and more colleges are offering men’s, women’s, and co-ed club and intramural leagues, and athletic departments desire USSF certified/trained referees to work the games and help control the safety, fairness, and fun for the players.
The USSF Certification Year is embroidered on the badge, and the badge is valid until December 31st of that year. This is an annual requirement for recertification for the next calendar year. For example: The 2009 badges expired on December 31st, 2009, and referees cannot work games in 2010 without recertifying and obtaining a 2010 badge.
Q. How much does the course cost?
A. For 2010, the current cost is $65 for either the USSF Grade 8 or Grade 9 New Referee Course. The current cost for the annual Recertification Course is $65.
Q. What’s the difference between a Grade 8, Grade 9, or Grade 12 badge?
A. Grade 8 referees are authorized to referee adult league matches, competitive travel league matches, as well as recreational (house league) games. Grade 8 referees are certified to be both a Center and Assistant Referee, based on own age and officiating experience for age-appropriate game assignments.
Grade 9 referees are authorized to referee only recreational games at the U14 and younger age groups. Grade 9 referees are certified to be both a Center and Assistant Referee based on own age and officiating experience for age-appropriate game assignments. Additionally, Grade 9 referees who are a minimum of 18 years old can work on travel games as an Assistant Referee, satisfying local NCSL and WAGS League STAR (Step-In Assistant Referee) club and team requirements. Some competitive tournaments will also assign Grade 9 referees as Assistant Referees at the U14 and younger age groups.
Grade 12 referees are authorized to serve only as an Assistant Referee; they cannot take the whistle and cannot work as the official USSF Center Referee for any game. However, they are unrestricted as Assistant Referees and can work adult league, travel, and recreational games based on own age and officiating experience for age-appropriate game assignments. The MINIMUM AGE to be a Grade 12 referee is 18 years old, and this is also a popular badge for many Moms and Dads whose children may be playing on a local NCSL or WAGS League Travel Team because it helps the club and the team meet those leagues’ STAR requirements.
Q. How long is the course?
A. The Grade 8 course is approximately 20 hours, while the Grade 9 course is about 10 hours. Every course will be structured differently, depending on instructor, facility, and field availability. A typical model for a Grade 8 course would be to meet on two consecutive Friday evenings and two full-day Saturday sessions. A Grade 9 course may meet for one long day; be split over two days on a Saturday/Sunday; or meet for three or four evening sessions during the week. Facility access is the primary factor is scheduling the courses. You find the course offering/location that best suits your schedule and transportation needs.
Q. Does everyone pass the course?
A. No. There is an exam requiring at least 75% to pass either the Grade 9 or Grade 8 Course. However, students who listen, pay attention, participate in class, study, and prepare by familiarizing themselves by reading the Laws of the Game and the USSF publication Advice to Referees, generally will do well.
Q. If I become a Grade 9, can I become a Grade 8 later?
A. Yes, you can “upgrade” any time. However, after 2 or 3 seasons working various game assignments and developing the basic skills, you will be in a much better position to decide whether or not you want to continue on with refereeing, and at which level. If you want to upgrade to a Grade 8 badge and start to experience more challenging matches demanding higher referee skills, then you must successfully complete either the Upgrade 8 course designed to advance Grade 9 referees to Grade 8, or take the New Grade 8 course.
Q. How do I register?
A. Go to the State Referee web site (http://www.vadcsoccerref.com), click on the link for Online Registration, and follow the directions. Once you pay the USSF fee (i.e. for 2010, it is $65) by credit card, your information will be entered in the USSF database in Chicago. It takes a minimum of 24 hours turnaround time, not counting weekends, from your initial USSF registration for Part I before you can complete Part II of the USSF Online Registration and actually enroll in a class. Select a class that you can make all instructional hours, attend the course and have fun!
Q. I registered and paid the $65 fee online, but now the clinic also has a fee. It’s $0. What does that mean?
A. Some Advanced Referee clinics have an associated fee for registration. The entry level referee clinics do not. The fee you pay is $65 to register as a referee and $0 to attend the clinic as the registration fee covers cost of course and materials.
Q. When I pass the test and become a referee how much more will it cost?
A. A referee needs the Official USSF uniform and basic equipment. An initial uniform package for SYA includes gold & black short sleeve jerseys, shorts, socks, whistle, lanyard, badge holder, data wallet cards and match score cards, black wrist watch with stopwatch features, flipping coin, and equipment bag, and will cost around $100. In addition, a referee is required to wear BLACK referee shoes or black soccer cleats, though the soccer cleats can become uncomfortable when working numerous games. Shoes and watch are not included in typical Starter Kits.
The there is also the cost of routine replacement of uniform & equipment as they wear, fade, break, tear, or otherwise become unprofessional looking.
If you are refereeing more competitive matches, then you’ll also need to have alternate color jerseys in red, blue, and green, in both short and long sleeves, to ensure the entire referee crew matches and looks professional.
The SYA Soccer Referee Starter Kit is listed on the Referee Uniform and Equipment Requirements on the Referee Page, where you’ll also see some additional information on vendors.
Q. How do I get games?
A. Once you have passed the course and received your badge, contact Ms Shirley Brice, the SYA Referee Assignor, to register to work for the SYA Soccer Referee Program. There are various administrative, payroll, and tax forms that need to completed before you can become eligible to be assigned and work games for SYA.
If you choose to work for another club or league, you need to contact that club or league directly. All assignors have administrative and assignment processes to follow, and they will work with you to give you appropriate skill level games based on your age, qualifications, and observed on-field performance.
Q. How much money will I make?
A. Rates vary widely between local clubs and leagues. Center Referees make more than Assistant Referees, but generally for both, the higher the age group being worked, the higher the pay because of the sheer demands of game management during dynamic play, and managing the players, coaches, and sidelines. In 2009, our pay ranged from $24 for U9’s to $56 for U19’s for Center Referees, and from $12 for U9’s to $28 for U19’s for Assistant Referees. SYA Soccer currently processes payroll and pays out twice each Spring and Fall season.
Q. Will I be certified to referee high school matches?
A. No. High school games are not played under the FIFA Laws of the Game, but rather under rules written by the National Federation of High Schools. Contact the Commonwealth Soccer Officials Association directly for information about high school officiating in the Northern Virginia area.
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