I want to be a Referee. What do I do?
The player wants to wear earrings under tape. Can I let her?
- NO, not safe. See NO EARRINGS during practice or games
I signed up for a game but now I can't ref it (or signed up the wrong game by accident). What do I do?
Can I referee my own child's game?
- We'd prefer you referee another game (maybe before or after) and watch your child's game. If they are short-handed, then it's better to have you as a trained ref than no game or than club linesmen.
- Definitely don't sign up to center your child's game in advance. If no one there, then offer to take center.
- You may sign up to AR in advance, but please only the night before (give others a crack at it). Be sure to tell the Center you have a child on one of the teams.
They were short of referees on some fields, and I did more games than I had planned. How do I get recorded for doing the games?
- Usually in Arbiter that evening you can go in and sign up even after the fact (if after 9pm, considered "yesterday" since their server is on the east coast, so you'd need to check "Show all games").
- If it won't let you sign up (or if, say, you and the center swapped), then just email at [email protected] or [email protected]. Again, be sure to include DATE, FIELD, TIME so we edit the right one.
Where do I enter the scores?
- See ArbiterSports_Instructions
- Use COMMENTS field only for safety/sportsmanship issues (will be read by board members) such as field condition, coach/spectator behavior problems, etc.
- Use NOTES field for all other notes, and if possible, the Jersey numbers scoring for each team.
Do I need to keep the Lineup Cards?
- For 7U & 8U, just a souvenir
- For 10U+, in Fall there are post-season tournaments, so just toss them in a drawer at home, in case we need to check later if, for example, a score was entered backwards. It's always a good idea to write COLOR on lineup card and mention it in the NOTES (e.g., "Red defeated Blue 2-1. Red goals #3, #11, Blue goals #7.")
What's all this about no more heading for younger players?
- A Legal Settlement involving all US Soccer (including AYSO) involves banning of heading for age 10 and below, and limiting heading in practice for ages 11 to 13. Effective immediately (15 February 2016)
- Consistent with the U.S. Soccer mandates on heading the ball, heading is BANNED for all division players U-11 (U-12 and below for programs with single-age divisions) and below in BOTH Practice and games.
- Heading for players in U-14 is limited to a maximum of thirty (30) minutes per week with no more than 15-20 headers per player. There is no restriction on heading in [14U and above] matches.
- An Indirect Free Kick (IFK) is to be taken from the place where the player touched the ball with his/her head.
- An IFK awarded to the attacking team INSIDE the [defending] team's goal area, must be taken on the goal area line parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the player touched the ball with his/her head.
- Neither Cautions nor Send-Offs shall be issued for Persistent Infringement or Denying an Obvious Goal-Scoring Opportunity related to the heading infraction.
What are the new changes for small sided games effective Fall 2018?
Refer the PDI specific page under referees for details
One team had too few players. How do I record?
- If 8U just divide up whoever your have with pennies and have fun scrimmage. No post-season tournament, no problems. Just record in NOTES in arbiter, please, who was short-handed.
- If 10U or higher, then there are two categories, Forced Forfeit and Chosen Forfeit/Play Down:
- If by 10min past the start time one team still has TOO FEW PLAYERS <5 for 10U (7v7 game), <6 for 12U (9v9 games) or <7 for 14U and up, then it's a FORFEIT (record as such in Arbiter). With coaches, divide up players left with pennies and have a fun scrimmage.
- If by 10min past start time, one team has the minimum (5 for 10U, 6 for 12U, 7 for 14U+) then the short-handed coach has two choices:
- Coach choice 1: Play Down with team on hand. If so play the regular game. The other side can field their full allotment (no sense penalizing them; they were on time!). Record in Arbiter as a regular game (can add notes)
- Coach choice 2: Voluntary Forfeit and scrimmage. If the short-handed coach would rather play a scrimmage, then Record as FORFEIT in Arbiter. Then you can mix and match teams and play a fun scrimmage. NOTE: Any members from prior team (staying around) who play with a team also makes it a Forfeit and scrimmage for Arbiter. It can still be fun, but it's a forfeit for the purposes of determining tournament points for post-season play. Note also any "other" player must be a valid AYSO player in that league (no mixed gender play, no big/little sibling from another division).
Where can I go to learn more about being a better referee?
- See the Area WebPage at http://www.ayso2j.org/referee for links to lots of great tips, videos, class opportunities, etc.
- After you login to arbitersports, there are some pointers to useful information.
- Read Whistle Stop, the weekly AYSO Referee national newsletter (always includes great "what if" scenarios). It includes three separate kinds of info:
- To Whistle or Not to Whistle: scenarios (puzzles) on what should the referee do in a given situation
- What's The Correct AYSO Answer?: ways beyond LOTG to interact with players, coaches, parents
- Beyond the Pitch: ways to get involved in Referee Administration
- Attend a Referee Meeting. See Region Calendar for dates and information for Regional and Area meetings. We'll try to have at least one per season.
- The San Jose Soccer Referee Association SJSRA has monthly meetings with a mix of refs from AYSO, CYSA, High School, College, MLS (even occasional FIFA Ref guest speaker). If you really are getting the referee bug and want to meet more refs, it is good. I will try to send out their meeting notices to the Yahoo groups.
- Take the INTERMEDIATE Class if you have a Regional badge (or ADVANCED class if you have an Intermediate badge already). Check the calendar or aysoU.org for opportunities. Email rra@ayso35, rara@ayso35 or one of the other area ref instructors and we'll help you find one coming up.
- Look at the schedule and go watch an upper division game centered by an experience referee. You can gain a lot from folks who have been there a while already.
I want to help, but am physically unable to referee, or just don't want to be a Referee in Uniform. What can I do?
- We need Referee ADMINISTRATION help. This could be helping maintain the mailing lists/call lists, or helping administrate the Ref equipment and uniforms, or helping plan and setting up meetings with referees and coaches (including Youth Referee events), and lots of other things we could do.
- Email at [email protected] and we'll figure something out.
I want to add another question/answer to this FAQ. What do I do?
- Email at [email protected] or [email protected] for any referee question, or even a "how should I have handled that?"
- Likewise, if you see ANY issue on people's behavior to referees (and especially to Youth Referees) EMAIL RRA, RARA or another Board member.