The referee’s job is to be the official in charge of the game. A referee’s authority extends to everyone at the field, including players, substitutes, team officials, spectators, and even assistant referees. AYSO Referees keep the game safe, fair and fun for everyone: the players, the coaches, the spectators, and themselves!
Keeping The Game Safe, Fair And Fun
Why should you become an AYSO Referee? We need you. We can't have games without referees. More importantly, it's rewarding and working with kids is great fun!
Referees are critical to soccer - the game can't be played without them. The referee's job is to be the official in charge of the game. They are the independent arbiter and manager of the game. Their authority extends to everyone at the field, including players, substitutes, team officials, spectators, and even assistant referees.
The referee's number one concern is to keep the game as safe as possible for the players. While there is risk in all sports, the referee is responsible for minimizing such risks from field conditions, equipment, spectators, and the players.
The referee is responsible for enforcing the Laws of the Game in such a way as to keep the game safe, fair and fun for everyone: the players, the coaches, the spectators and themselves. They interfere with the game as little as possible, avoiding making calls for doubtful and trifling offenses. Referees only make calls for offenses they are sure occurred.
We want our kids to continue to play, and they keep playing as long as it is fun. Referees learn that fun soccer varies from age group to age group of players.
Contact your Regional Commissioner if you are ready to become a referee.
Regional Referee Course
The fall soccer season is underway and your player is probably practicing with their team. By now, I am sure that you have heard we are in desperate need of referees, remember, no referees, no game. To help we are offering a referee course.
This Regional Referee course is in two parts, an online portion and an in-person portion. In order to take this class, you must be a registered volunteer with AYSO. After registering as a volunteer, you will receive an email, click on the link in the email to confirm your registration. Then log in to your Region’s website, click on the My Account button or the profile button in the upper right-hand corner and choose Account in the drop down. When your profile displays, click on Volunteer on the left side of the screen, then click the AYSOU button on the right side of the screen. Once in AYSOU, click Training Library. Find the Refereeing box and click View Courses.
Find the course entitled “Regional Referee - Online + In Person Companion Course (2 Part Bundle)” and click Enroll.
On the next page click Start on the first module. The online course takes approximately 3 hours to complete all of the modules and requires a passing grade on the exam. If you only do a portion and come back to the training later, after logging in to AYSOU, click on My Training on the left and continue from where the training left off.
When all of the modules are complete and a passing grade is achieved on the exam, the next step is to enroll in the in-person portion of the class. The last module is the In-Person Companion Course, click Start. Then click View Slides. Then click Start. Click the red button in the middle of the page.
On the calendar, at the top of the page, remove anything in the Regions box and type Region 89 and click on Region 89 when it pops up. Click on Sunday September 25th on the calendar and click enroll for the Regional Referee Companion Class. You are now enrolled in the in-person portion. You will receive a confirmation email with the details of the class.
The in-person portion of this class is outside on the field, please bring hat, water, sunscreen, etc. as needed.
If you have any questions please email [email protected]
Thank you for all that you do for AYSO.