New Referee Training

Your young son and daughter decided last year to follow your advice and play soccer. The year started very well, but as it wore on you determined that the referees should be doing a better job, albeit that most of them were--with your son and daughter--having this experience for the first time. Perhaps the thought even crossed your mind that you could do a better job. And did you wonder how you might go about this for the coming season? For persons wishing to referee for the first time, we have some choices:

• become a Referee Recreational U-14 and below (Grade 9), or
• become a Referee 2 (Grade 8).

In order to become a Referee or an Assistant Referee, it is necessary to attend a clinic given by a specially trained and registered instructor, and, until 1997, we have always started our referees at Grade 8.

Our standard Entry Level Referee Clinic (for Grade 8) is a sixteen-hour clinic with five classroom sessions and a field practicum. The fifth classroom session is a one-hundred question test, and should be completed after the practicum. Candidates are apprised of their test results before they depart the classroom, and can become registered with the United States Soccer Federation by completing the necessary application form and paying the appropriate fee. The typical cost for such a clinic is about $50 per person, $25 being for the USSF registration, with the balance as the cost for the clinic. This cost may vary by Association/Club. The registration is good for a year or part thereof, and should be renewed annually by December 31st of each year]. Many local soccer organizations will pay the cost of the clinic for the referee candidate, if they agree to referee some games for them.

Beginning in 1997, we have a new program available to us. The Grade 9 program for Referees only doing Recreational U-14 and below games. This course takes takes 8 hours, including a practicum session. Upon successful completion of such a clinic, the new official can become registered with the United States Soccer Federation by completing the necessary application form and paying the appropriate fee. The cost for such a clinic is about $35 per person, with $15 being for the USSF registration, with the balance as the cost for the clinic. This cost may vary by Association/Club. The registration is good for a year or part thereof, and should be renewed annually by December 31st of each year. Again, many local soccer organizations will pay the cost of the clinic for the referee candidate, if they agree to referee some games for them.