About SDI

Instruction and In-Service Training

The State Director of Referee Instruction is responsible for all instruction within the State with respect to the training of referees, instructors and assignors. Much of the organization and operation of the clinics may be delegated to local area instructor co-ordinators.

You should try to resolve any problem locally, but if this is not possible then contact Juris Jansons, the current State Director of Instruction.

The official initial referee grades and their intended area of responsibility are as follows:

Grade 11

Associate Referee to officiate at small sided games only. These would be 3 x 3 and 4 x 4. The clinic is a 4 hour clinic.

Grade 10

Linesman to officiate on youth games only. The clinic is a 4 hour clinic.

Grade 9

Recreational Referee to officiate at on recreational youth games under 14 and younger only. The clinic is an 8 hour clinic.

Grade 8

Referee Class 2 to officiate at all youth games and as an assistant referee in comparable games. The clinic is a 16 hour clinic.

It is not recommended that referees officiate at games outside the intended area of expertise.

At the present time all of these clinics stand independently of one another which means that to move from one category to another it is necessary to attend separate clinics.

Annual Renewal Requirements

It is required that referees in all categories complete a minimum of 5 hours In-Service Training during the preceding 12 months, and complete a refresher examination annually.

In-Service training is available through local referee associations who have regular meetings with instruction from qualified instructors. In addition the State Referee Committee arranges and/or sponsors several other instructional clinics at various locations around the state, and most of these clinics provide between 5 and 8 hours of instruction.

Referee Upgrades

Requirements include additional instruction and more comprehensive testing. (There are also assessment requirements - see the separate section - and game count or experience requirements.)

Moving from Grade 8 to Grade 7 needs 5 hours of USSF Intermediate Level Training and an 85% minimum on the Referee Exam.

Moving from Grade 7 to Grade 6 needs 19 hours of USSF Advanced Referee Training and a minimum of 75% on the State Referee Exam.

Moving from Grade 6 to Grade 5 needs 7 hours of USSF Advanced Referee Training and a minimum of 85% on the State Referee Exam.

The Instructor Program

To become an instructor we usually look for someone with at least 3 years experience as a referee who is a Grade 7 or better (or is aspiring to be a Grade 7 referee). We also seek recommendations from local associations or from other senior referees.

The initial course for instructors, currently held annually, is a 16 hour course entitled "Introduction to ITIP" in which students are taught the basic elements of instructional theory. And there is a referee instructor upgrade pathway that requires many more hours of additional training.

Assignor Training

The SDI is also responsible for the initial training of Assignors at a course that takes 8 hours to complete.