How to Become a Referee
"The task of the Referee is to assure the maximum enjoyment of everyone present at the game."
Ken Aston (1915 – 2001)
Referees, like coaches, administrators and everyone else who makes AYSO "go" are volunteers. Most are parents of players who begin when their children are playing in the youngest age groups and move "up" with them. Some (especially those with significant playing or prior referee experience) start directly with the older kids. Youths ages 12 and up may also become referees. All are welcome.
In order to become a certified AYSO referee you must complete(online) or attend (in person) (and pass) an AYSO approved course, as well as complete a number of online volunteer training courses, and a few other steps.
If you are interested in refereeing at the 8U level, then you will need to take the U8 Official Course.
For 10U or higher levels, you will need to start with the Regional Referee Course.
You must be certified by AYSO even if you have prior referee experience. If you have a current USSF badge (grade 8 or higher), you may cross certify.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the referee staff. We also have a frequently asked questions page here
All new referees must go through the following four steps in order to referee matches in our region. (If you are a returning AYSO referee from our region or other region, or if you are a USSF trained referee please see our returning referees page).
Step 1: Register online as a volunteer
The process to login and register, or create a new login/account and register is detailed here
Step 2: Register for the referee training class(es) you plan to attend.
To be an 8U division referee: You need to have the 8U Official training to referee 8U games. This is an in-person course. See the referee calendar for when the in person classes are available
To be a 10U or older division referee: You need to have Regional Referee certification. This requires taking a course which is part online and part in-person. The online part will take a few hours and has a test. This should be done before the in-person class.
The in-person class involves about 2 hours of review of the online material followed by about 2 hours on a soccer field learning and practicing flag use, hand signals, restarts and so on. We sometimes offer this in-person course in one session of 4-4.5 hours, or split it across two days.
Review the referee training calendar to select your course(s), then signup on AYSOU. Note: you may take a training class in another AYSO region in our area as long as you obtain the correct certification for your age group.
See here for more information on how to use the AYSOU training site to complete online training, or enroll in in-person training.
PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THE ONLINE "ASSISTANT REFEREE" COURSE. In Redwood City, we certify all of our referees with Regional Referee training and badge level. The trainee may opt to only take assistant referee assignments initially or even for a long time, but we don't train at the Assistant Referee badge level specifically.
Step 3: Complete the online Safe Haven class (20-30 minutes), CDC Heads Up Concussion Training class (40 mins), and Sudden Cardiac Arrest class (40 minutes) and SafeSport (1 Hour)
Those of you who were already trained as 8U Officials may have completed some or all of these already. Your Account/Volunteer page will tell you which are done or which still need to be completed.
More information on getting started with training is available here
Step 4: Complete your online regional referee class
For new referees, or 8U officials that are moving up into 10U, go into AYSOU and take the "NEW - Regional Referee - Online + In-Person Companion Course". More information here
Step 5: Attend the in-person companion class
Attend the class you enrolled in. A record of your attendance will be entered into the AYSO National database and you will be issued a referee badge upon completing the class (and passing the test). You will also be issued a uniform if you are in region 1 and do not already have one.
Who Should Attend?
This course is designed for parents or anyone else (10 years of age minimum) who wants to referee at the 8U level. We will give you the tools you need to referee a Safe, Fair, and Fun game.
The 8U division is a learning division, and this applies not only to the players, but also to parents, coaches, and referees. This is a great opportunity to learn in a low-key environment, enjoying the best seat in the house while exercising!
Each 8U team must provide their own referees (preferably 2 per team) and you will only be asked to officiate your child's games. Only certified and trained referees may officiate and therefore: no ref, no game. You may attend any one of the classes. Thank you for volunteering!
Course Description
You will learn how to prepare for your game, start the game, stop it if needed, and how to restart play. You will be refereeing 6 & 7 year olds and the tools that you will learn are appropriate for this age group and for short-sided games. This course will only certify you to referee at the 8U level.
Instructors
This class will be taught by the Michael Gormish, Regional Director of Referee Instruction, with assistance from other instructors in our region. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
Schedule
See the referee calendar for the schedule of upcoming classes.
Signing Up
It is not necessary to sign up ahead of time. However, if you could let us know if you will be attending that helps us with planning. If you have gone to www.aysou.org and signed up as a volunteer, you can register online for the class. Just enter the course roster number (from the schedule), click the search button, and then click the radio button next to the course name. Finally, click the course signup button.
Before the Class
Please fill out the volunteer form (if you have not already done so) required of all AYSO volunteers. You will be able to do that at class time, but if you could do it ahead of time online at www.aysou.org that would help us greatly. If you pre-register online, please print out two copies, sign them, and bring them with you to class. Please be sure and bring your driver’s license. If you fill out the form at class time, you will need the names and contact information of two references.
Course Agenda
- Understand what is expected of 8U players
- Successfully manage pre-game duties
- Know the parts of the field
- Know the number of players in each age group
- Recognize ball in and out of play and the method of scoring
- Understand how to start, when to stop, and how to restart play
- Have a cursory understanding of fouls, misconduct, and free kicks
- Manage post-game situations
- Comprehend the referee's facilitative role
Course Materials
The course material covered is presented in the following handouts that you will receive:
- 2020/2021 FIFA Laws of the Game
- 8U Referee Course handout from Region 1
Goodies
Upon completion of the course you will receive:
- a stylish 8U referee T-Shirt. This will be your uniform and must be worn whenever you are refereeing.
- a lanyard and a whistle.
Who Should Attend?
This course is designed for parents or anyone else (12 years of age minimum) who wants to start refereeing. No prior experience is necessary even if you have no knowledge of the game of soccer. We will give you the tools you need to referee a Safe, Fair, and Fun game.
The 10U division that you will start refereeing in is a learning division, and this applies not only to the players, but also to parents, coaches, and referees. This is a great opportunity to learn in a low-key environment, enjoying the best seat in the house while exercising!
Referees, like everyone else that makes AYSO work, are volunteers. You may officiate you child's games but we encourage you to referee other games as well. Only certified and trained referees may officiate and therefore: no ref, no game. You may attend any one of the classes. Thank you for volunteering!
Description
The Regional Referee Course is a 7 hour (plus exam time) in-depth AYSO sanctioned class covering the full laws of soccer. It is designed to provide you with the information and tools so that you can start refereeing with confidence. This does not include time for the Safe Haven certification which can be done online, or maybe offered at the end of one of the classes. The course does cover the full FIFA Laws Of The Game. The emphasis of the course is on grounding you in the basics with the expectations that as you gain experience and start refereeing at higher levels you will also pursue more advanced classes. In order to successfully complete this course you must attend all of the class sessions and pass a final exam.
In addition to the in-class time, we will also provide mentors at all 10U games for at least the first 4 weeks of the season. This will give you additional practical real-time on-the-field training and support.
Instructors
This class will be led by Michael Gormish, Regional Director of Referee Instruction, with help from other instructors in the region. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
Schedule
See the referee calender for the schedule of upcoming classes.
Enrollment in the Online Course
The course to take is called "New - Regional Referee - Online + In-Person Companion Course (2 Part Bundle)". It is available in AYSOU through the Referee pane
Additional Notes
Take the exam as part of your online coursework. The course will indicate that the exam will be given in the in-person class, but please take the exam online.
The last step of the course is to enroll in the in-person companion class. Redwood City offers several options for this course. See the referee calendar for when these in-person courses are available in Redwood City
Course Agenda
- Introduction and overview
- The game of soccer
- Understanding younger players
- Pre-game and post-game duties
- Starting the game
- Stopping the game
- Fouls and misconduct - Basic
- Restarting the game
- Offside - Basic
- Referee and assistant referee mechanics
- Fundamental coaching concepts
- Review and final exam
Course Materials
The course material covered is presented in the following handouts that you will receive:
- FIFA Laws Of The Game
- Regional Referee Course handout - Region 1
Goodies (Region 1 referees only)
Upon completion of the course you will receive:
- a referee uniform consisting of a jersey, shorts, and socks (you must wear an approved uniform whenever you are refereeing
- a lanyard and a whistle
- an AYSO Regional Referee Badge
Flexible Scheduling
- We ask that you officiate at least 6 games in a season (more are gladly accepted!)
- We do not schedule you above your abilities or wishes
- You do not have to work a game every weekend.