QUICK REFERENCE FOR RUNNING A 6-U & 8-U GAME

AYSO Section 10, Area A, Region 181

This is for your 6-U, 8-U person who will be Refereeing

How Long are the games?

·         Game lengths are up to 10 min. halves for 6-U and up to 20 min. halves for 8-U, depending on the weather.

When Do I Referee?

·         Each week when your team is the home team one of your parents will be the center referee.  If you have a certified Referee, please have him Referee the game. Always have a whistle with you.

Be there

·         Arrive at your field early. Try to get to field 10 to 15 min. before game time.

Field Check

·         As soon as any previous game is over walk around on the field to recheck and have fixed any new holes and pick up any sharp item that maybe in the field and check the goal nets for gaps or holes.

Game Cards

·         Next get the captains from each team + the game ball from the home team (the home team sits on the north or east side of the field) and go to the center circle.  Have the captains introduce them selves and let them look at the ball and see if it’s alright with them, now have the coin toss to see who will kick off.  If you don’t have a coin, put a piece of grass in one hand. The visiting team will call the coin toss.  The winner can choose to kick off or what side they will defend. The losing team will do the opposite. Now have both teams come up to the center circle on the halfway line.

Pre-game

·         Now conduct an equipment check, shin guards on under their socks, make sure no one has baseball shoes or shoes with a toe cleat.  Be excited and tell them to have fun.  Tell the teams who will kick off and what direction.  Have the players turn and face the other team and walk thru giving a hi-five and take their positions on the field.

Marking Subs

·         Make sure Coaches mark an X on the card in the 1st qtr. column for the players that are out to start the game. At the next quarter sub break, at approximately halfway thru the first half (4 to 6 min. mark) when the ball is out of play, blow your whistle and have the coaches make their next substitutions and mark those players who are out in 2ndQtr. column. (Should only take 2 to 3 min.) To restart play, blow your whistle to restart where the ball went out with that restart.  Do the same as above to start the second half.  (NO PLAYER CAN SIT OUT TWICE BEFORE ALL OTHERS HAVE SAT OUT ONCE!)

Position for Kick-Off

·         Count players on field, 4 v 4. Set yourself up 8 to 10 yards to the left of the kicker and a yard or 2 back from center line.  Announce to the teams that we are going to start and blow your whistle to start play.  As soon as the ball is kicked & moved start your watch (one with a stopwatch feature is best or count down timer). If the kicker kicks it twice or if an opponent moves in before the ball moves stop play and talk to player and re-take the kickoff.

Safe, Fair & Fun

·         Your job now is to keep the game safe, fair & fun.  Talk to the players if you see them pushing holding or kicking other players etc. and be encouraging, tell them nice job, good throw-in etc.  If you see something that is not safe or fair, you may blow you whistle and stop play and give the other team a Direct Free Kick.  If someone is injured stop play right away and check with the player to see if they want to keep playing, if not call the coach out.  If the ball was in play when you blew your whistle restart with a drop ball at the point where the ball was when you blew your whistle.  If the ball was out of play restart with that restart.

Whistle Error

·         If you blow you whistle and you did not mean to do so, you must stop play and restart with a drop ball at the point where the ball was to 1 player of the team who had the ball when you blew your whistle. All other players of both teams must be 4.5 YDS away

Throw-ins

·         One team kicks the ball completely over the touch line, give the other team a throw in. Say blue throw in etc.  Signal the direction the throw will be taken by pointing your arm & hand with palm sideways at a 45-degree angle up.  When a player makes a bad throw in make that player retake it with instructions from you.

Goal Kick

·         The attacking team kicks the ball over the goal line not into the goal; give the other team a goal kick.  Say goal kick and point at the goal with palm up.  They can place the ball inside the marked area, the defensive players must stand outside the area for the kick (The kicking team players may be inside the area during the kick.  Ball is in play when it is kicked and clearly moved. Have all the other team at least 5 YDS away.

After A Goal

·         If a goal is scored point towards the center circle to indicate a kick off is next.  Collect the ball and put it on the center line for a kickoff by the other team.  There is no standing at this age.

Corner Kick

·         If the ball is kicked out by a defensive player and goes over the goal line and not into the goal, give a corner kick to the attaching team.  Point at a 45-degree angle up at the corner where the kick will be taken with palm sideways and say corner kick.

When to Sub

·         Somewhere between 4.5 to 5.5 min. for 6-U & 9.5 to 10.5 minutes for 8-U into the game when the ball goes out of play stop for subs.  Coaches mark the subs that are out this time in the second qtr. column.  At the place you stopped play restart with that restart. (Throw in, goal kick etc.).  Blow you whistle to start play.  Continue running the clock to 10 minutes for 6-U and 20 minutes for 8-U and stop play for a 5-minute half time.

Half Time

·         4 minutes into half time go back out and blow your whistle to get ready to start the second half and Coaches mark down the subs in the third qtr. column.  Team will now switch sides and go the other way.

Restart Second Half

·        Start the second half as you did the first half but this time the ot her team will kick off so don’t forget to mark or remember who kicked off to begin the game and what direction.

When to Sub

·         Again, as in the first half stop for sub about halfway in and continue for the 10 to 20 minutes depending on age 6U or 8U and then blow your whistle to end the game, make your whistle unique to end the game.

Post Game

·         The players will line up on the center line again.  Tell them you enjoyed refereeing their game and you hope they had fun.  Now have them turn and go thru and give a hi-five.  Turn cards to the referee station and put them into the file box for 6-U or 8-U.

Each team 10-U and above must provide 1-2 CERTIFIED REFEREES.

And one or two Club Linesman who have completed their VOLUNTEER FORM AND SAFE HAVEN on Blue Sombrero, of which one club linesman will be available at each game to assist on the line if needed, calling ball in and out of play only.  CLUB LINESMEN DO NOT RECEIVE POINTS!

Or supply two or more Certified Referee’s.   

ALL CERTIFIED REFEREES MUST:

1.         Complete AYSO volunteer form on line and be approved by National EACH YEAR.  (Takes two weeks minimum for National to do back ground checks)  You can’t do games during this time!
2.         Complete safe haven class online.

3.         Complete CDC Concussion class online

4.         Each team is required to have a minimum of 12 certified referee points (one point per game for a certified referee) to move on to the regional invitational                          tournament.  Teams with multiple Certified Referee’s, the minimum are 7 games each.  CLUB LINESMEN DO NOT RECEIVE POINTS!

5.        If you have a youth referee representing your team, would like to see an adult also representing your team.

6.         Referee may only represent  one team. (Reason: if both teams go to playoffs each team referee would have to referee 1 games each, every other time slot,                    therefore one referee could not referee 2 games at the same time!

7.         10-U and above certified referee’s will be doing games other than there division. If your are 10-U boys, You may not do10-U boys, etc.

8.         Referees are expected to do games throughout the season and AT THE REGIONAL INVITATIONAL TOURNEMENT IF YOUR TEAM ADVANCES.

9.         16U and 19U teams will be expected to provide referees when playing at the Kern County Soccer Park.

6U and 8U Teams do not have to have a Certified Referee, but having one would help the  program. 

 We will be happy to answer any question these changes may entail.

Referee Administrator

Referee Instructors:

Bill Vaughn                           [email protected]

Rob Henry                             [email protected]