
Levels of Play
To referee a Girls U7 game takes the skills (and the patience) of a mom with a play group: directing traffic, encouraging the kids to play nicely, making sure everyone shares the toys, and stopping things if there is a boo-boo. Very easy and straightforward.
Refereeing a Boys U19 match requires the speed of a sprinter, the skills of a lion tamer with his whip and chair, the eyes of an eagle, nerves of steel, the thick skin of an armadillo, and frequently zip ties and duct tape to subdue the rowdies (players AND parents). Not for the timid.
Needless to say, it would be foolhardy to expect a brand new soccer dad who just took an 8-hour Basic Referee class to be able to manage a Girls U16 game. Some of those girls will have been playing soccer for 8 years or more, and they would run rings around that rookie referee and eat him alive.
Learn the Basics - Work with Young Kids - Get Some Experience
Learn More Details - Work with Faster Kids - Get More Experience
Learn the Nuances - Chase the Big Kids - Have a Real Experience
This is what the Referee Training and Certification process is all about. We REALLY want you to volunteer as a referee (we need the help) but we don't want to put you into situations where you are uncomfortable or where you cannot provide the level of game management that the players deserve.
Certification Levels
| U8 Official (click for details) |
This class certifies you to be the Official who runs U7 and U8 games (they take only one Official) |
| Basic (Regional) Referee (click for details) |
A Basic Referee can referee or assistant referee U9 and U10 games (and be the Official for U7 and U8). This is the class that most new referees start with. |
| Intermediate Referee (click for details) |
An Intermediate Referee can officiate up through U12 play. At this level, you can start working Area (inter-regional) games. |
| Advanced Referee (click for details) |
An Advanced Referee can referee up through U16 games and assistant referee U19 games. At this level, you do lots of Area games and can get involved in Section level play. |
| National Referee |
A National Referee certification qualifies you officiate all divisions of play through Regional, Area, Section and National levels. |
Signing Up for a Class
Check the CALENDAR for upcoming training sessions. The TRAINING SIGN-UP page describes the step to register for a specific class.
