Upgrading

Register for a Clinic

Procedure for Upgrading - effective January 1, 2009

The following is meant to be a general guide to the process of upgrading for all referees.

Who can upgrade?

1. Any referee who has the correct number of games, meets the minimum age, and has been a referee at the current grade for the minimum time required can upgrade to the next level.

2. Refer to the current issue of the Referee Administrative Handbook for these details.

Classes of officials

• Referee (Grade 8 to 7)
• State Referee (Grade 7 to 6 and 6 to 5)
• National Referee (Grade 4).....NOTE: Upgrade to National Referee is a different process. Refer to the Referee Administrative Handbook.

How to upgrade

Step #1 - Complete an Upgrade Packet which is composed of the following items:

1. A formal "Request to Upgrade" letter to the State Referee Administrator.

2. Game Log: Complete a game log listing each game, team names, gender and age of teams, date and location, whether you were the CR or AR and the assignor’s name who assigned you this game. Sort this list so games as a CR are separated from games as an AR.

3. Completed Washington State Recertification Form – All four parts printed clearly or typed.
   1. Personal data section at top with email address printed clearly or typed.
   2. Completed Continuing Education table showing the appropriate hours at the required level.
   3. The Written Test Score for the appropriate written test (Entry or State) level. Must be current (within the last six months).
   4. The Physical Fitness Test Scores for the appropriate referee grade that you want to upgrade to. Must be current (within the last six months).

4. Correct Assessment Fee attached. Make your check payable to WRDA (see Assessment Fees for the exact amount due).

Step #2 - Send the complete Upgrade Packet (that includes items 1, 2, 3 and 4 above) to your local Area Referee Administrator

The ARA will verify the completeness and accuracy of the information. You must include a current, correct Email address so that the voucher(s) and notice of upgrade can be sent to you electronically. NOTE: allow at least two weeks for the verification process to be completed.

Step #3 - The SDA will contact the referee by Email with permission to proceed.

1. Do not proceed any further until you get permission to do so from the SDA. After you receive permission to proceed do the following:

2. Contact an assignor to get a match for an Upgrade Assessment. Let your assignor know that you use the match to upgrade to a particular referee grade and what your experience is at that level. Don’t bite off more than you can chew!!!! For Upgrade Assessments, you may not use any “loser Out” match in any tournament or league playoff.

3. The Referee must find a State Assessor or a Referee Assessor who is also a Grade 6 or higher referee. Both the referee and assessor must contact the SDA with the following match information:
   1. Date,
   2. Time,
   3. Field,
   4. League and Level of Play,
   5. Team Names,
   6. and Assessor’s Name.

4. All match information must be received by the SDA prior to the Thursday before the scheduled match. There will be NO LAST MINUTE VOUCHERS so plan ahead and give yourself plenty of time.

Step #4 - When you receive you voucher reconfirm with you assessor that you have a voucher for the approved match.

You must sign and give the voucher to the assessor before the match – if no voucher, there will be no assessment and you will owe the assessor their match fee.

Step #5 - Your assessor will tell you at the field whether you Passed, Failed, or the match was Not Ratable during the debriefing.

You should receive a “Feedback” form from your assessor within seven days, if you do not receive this form contact your assessor.

• If you Pass your assessment(s) you will receive an “Upgrade Letter” from the SDA after he receives the report(s) from your assessor(s).
• If a game is deemed “Not Ratable” by the assessor you will need to pay for the replacement assessment before another voucher will be issued.
• If you Fail an assessment, you will need to pass two additional assessments at that same level of competition. One of those two assessments will be with the same assessor who failed you.
• To pay for these additional/replacement assessments send a check (payable to WRDA) to the SDA.
• If you fail a second time you will need to wait until the next calendar year and start the Upgrade Process all over again.

What next?

REMEMBER, all upgrades are provisional for 1 year. After this if all goes well, you will officially be at the new grade.

If you wish to register with the Federation at your new grade before the next registration year, you will need to do the following:

1. For an upgrade within a class (8 to 7 or 6 to 5) fill out a new USSF Registration form, completing the upgrade section. Send this along with your “Upgrade Letter” and a check payable to WRDA for $5.00 for Grade 7 and $15.00 for Grade 5 to the SRA. You must include your “Upgrade Letter” which you will receive from the SDA upon successful completion of your assessment(s).

2. For upgrading to a new class (Referee Grade 7 to State Referee Grade 6) fill out a new USSF Registration form and complete the upgrade request section. Send it to the SRA, along with your “Upgrade Letter” and a check (payable to WRDA) for the full registration fee at the new grade. You must include your “Upgrade Letter” which you will receive from the SDA upon successful completion of your assessment(s).

3. If you choose to register at your new grade (USSF 6 or 5) in the middle of the year, you will need a Maintenance assessment when you register for the next year.

If you wait to register the new grade until the next registration year you will need to do the following:

1. Complete the registration form for the new year, check the request for upgrade section and include a copy of your “Upgrade Letter”.

2. Do not cross out your old grade and write in your new grade in the area where the form asks for your grade.

NOTE: Your date of grade is always the date you completed your last assessment for upgrade.