|   The
following questions should help you in your quest to become
a certified referee for the United States Soccer Federation.
At the bottom of this page you can submit a form that will
get your name on a list of individuals to be contacted when
there is a training clinic coming to your area.
What
is the United States Soccer Federation (USSF)?
The USSF is the certifying organization
for sanctioned club matches in the United States. If you
want to work tournaments, local leagues (such as IPSL),
or club matches, you will need to be USSF certified.
What
if I want to referee high school or college games?
For information regarding high school
and college certification, please visit the High School,
or College links at the top of the pages of this website.
They will direct you through the process of becoming sanctioned
to work those games. It is recommended that officials become
certified USSF referees to gain experience before certifying
to referee high school or college soccer, and in some cases
such experience is required.
How
can I become a soccer referee?
By attending an entry-level referee
course.
What are the requirements to take the course?
You should be physically fit, emotionally
mature, at least 12 years of age, and have the time available
to referee games.
Where do I sign up for the course?
Course dates, times, and instructions
are posted on the "Clinics" link on the top of
every page of this website. Additional information is available
from Director of Instruction, All courses require pre-registration
before attending.
What type of courses are offered?
Two
types of USSF entry-level courses are offered locally by
the Clubs and associations. They are the "Referee Grade
8" and "Recreational Referee Grade 9" courses.
Both courses are explained below.
What is the "Referee Grade 8" course?
An 16-hour course, over two day.
You must attend all the classes, and pass a 100-question
multiple choice exam (75% correct is needed to pass). The
cost of the course is $40.
What is the "Recreational Referee Grade
9" course?
An 8-hour course. You must attend
the classes, and pass a 50-question multiple choice exam
(75% correct is needed to pass). The cost of the course
is $35.
What games can I referee once I've completed
a course?
For Grade 8: Referee
or Assistant Referee for all youth games, including recreational
and travel (or select) games. Referee or Assistant Referee
on competitive Youth games, depending on the age and experience
of the referee. Most will start out working the younger
age groups and as you gain experience you will do older
age groups.
For Grade 9: Referee
or Assistant Referee on recreational youth games for players
14 years old and younger only.
How do I sign up for an entry level class?
Visit the Clinics link at the top
of the site for a listing of classes coming up.
After I pass the course, how do I get games to
referee?
A "referee assignor" will
schedule your games. You'll be given a list of the local
assignors during the referee course. It is your responsibility
to contact the assignor, let them know you completed the
course, and are ready to referee games. The most important
thing the assignor needs to know is your availability to
do games and reliable way to contact you. Click
here for more details.
How do I continue to referee games after the
first year?
All referees must re-certify and
register each year by attending a single 4-hour re-certification
class. The referee certification is valid for each calendar
year, however, re-certifications start as early as July
for the following year. If the re-certification is completed
during July through December, your certification is valid
for the remainder of that year and for the entire next calendar
year. If you re-certify in January through March, then your
certification is valid through December of that year. There
are various re-certification classes conducted throughout
the state, and can be checked on the Clinics link at the
top of the page.
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