Welcome to the Region 7 Referee Department webpage! Here you will find basic information about the role of a soccer referee, what is expected of volunteer referees in our region, and how to sign up and become an AYSO Regional Referee. You will also find links to useful information about AYSO, our region, and soccer in general.
What does a soccer Referee do?
The Referee’s job is to be the official in charge of the match. He/she is the independent arbiter and manager of the match. A referee’s authority extends to everyone at the field, including players, substitutes, team officials, spectators, and assistant referees.
The first priority for the Referee 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 & Fun. Unlike other sports, where the match official is required to penalize any violations of the game rules, a soccer referee is expected to interfere with the game as little as possible, avoiding making calls for doubtful and trifling offenses.
Who can be a referee?
Almost anyone! AYSO refereeing is available for both youth and adult volunteers. Kids as young as 12 years old are permitted to officiate matches in the U10 division. As the kids enter high school, they have opportunities to manage more challenging matches and even earn High School Community Service credits as AYSO referees. Refereeing in AYSO is a terrific way to help kids learn responsibility, build self-confidence, and possibly even begin to build a career. Just as there are professional soccer players who started out as kids in AYSO, there are also professional soccer referees who started out as kids in AYSO.
Refereeing in AYSO is a challenging and rewarding volunteer experience. Here is an opportunity for you to join the kids on the pitch as they learn to love the “Beautiful Game”. You’ll have a great time and get some exercise too!
Do I need to have soccer experience to become a referee?
Not at all! We will train you on the Laws of The Game, and provide mentorship and support all throughout the season. Being a referee will give you a better understanding of the game, allow you to enjoy it more, and also deepen the sense of a shared experience with your child as they grow and move through the program.
Region 7 has a great group of referees at all levels of experience, that would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have, and even officiate games with you and provide tips and feedback to make your refereeing experience even more rewarding and enjoyable. The Referee department offers mentoring for all referees, with additional advocacy for youth and female referees.
What is expected from a referee in Region 7?
To provide the best possible experience for the kids participating in our program, it is always our goal to ensure that a full referee crew (referee and two assistant referees) is available for every single match. This can only be done if enough volunteers signup to become new referees or come back as returning referees.
To incentivize referee participation, each team in U8 and older divisions is required to provide at least one referee and accrue 15 referee points to be able to participate in post-season activities (Soccerfest for U8, and Regional Playoffs for U10 and above). Referee points are earned every time the team referee officiates a match, either as a referee or an assistant referee. Each team referee must officiate a minimum of 6 matches (3 as a referee and 3 as an assistant referee). Points can also be earned by attending the referee kickoff meeting, tutorial matches, and the referee pizza party! The more referees a team provides, the easier it gets for the team to reach the required number of referee points.
Hmmm, I’m still not sure I can do it…
We know being a referee seems daunting, but you’ll be helping to provide the kids with an amazing and fulfilling experience. They’re not just learning soccer skills, they’re learning social skills, they’re learning about working together as a team, about supporting each other, all while sharing a healthy activity with their friends (and making new friends too!). And you will also get some exercise while meeting a great group of other volunteers from the neighborhood! If you still have some questions about becoming a referee, feel free to contact the Referee Administrator.
Ok, I’m in! How do I volunteer and become a referee?
Welcome aboard! In the New Referees page we provide you links that would guide you through the process, but the basic elements are: 1) you need to sign up as a volunteer and submit to a background check (a legal requirement for anyone working with children) and fingerprinting; 2) complete a set of core online courses required for all AYSO volunteers; and 3) get certified as a Regional Referee by completing an online training module and attending an in-person class. That’s it! Then you will be provided with a full uniform and all the referee gear necessary to officiate AYSO matches.
I’m a returning referee, what do I have to do?
Well, welcome back! You will need to signup for the upcoming season and make sure all your certifications are up to date. Follow the instructions here. And if you want to keep learning and become an even better referee, maybe you would like to consider upgrading your referee badge? Check the Training page for more information.
Questions about refereeing, or about the Laws of The Game? Our referee staff will be happy to answer them! You can reach us using the contacts below, or you can just drop by the Referee Tent at the center of Nielsen Field on any weekend kids are playing.
Ken Aston discusses the origin of “offside”
What is offside? What isn’t it plural? Here is a fantastic video of Ken Aston discussing the origin of the law…
Source:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3oIwcCm1so
Ken Aston was responsible for many important developments in soccer refereeing. He is probably most famous for introducing yellow and red cards in the 1966 World Cup.
Useful Links
- New Referees: step by step instructions on how to become a referee.
- Returning Referees: how to register for the upcoming season.
- Training: how to continue learning and become a better referee.
- RefSchedule: Region 7 Referee Scheduling page.
- RefAdmin: everything for the Region 7 Referee (team declarations, referee points, forms, useful documents, stats, etc.)
- LOTG 2023/24: The Laws of The Game
- Proper Game Card Guide: a step-by-step guide to filling out to perfect game card.