
Need referee help?
Contact one of our volunteer Referee Staff. They can help with training, uniforms, on-the-field mentoring, and anything else on the referee side of AYSO.
How to become a referee
- Apply to volunteer through the registration system.
- Take the online safety classes: CDC Concussion Awareness, and Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness
- Adult volunteers also take the SafeSport and Safe Haven online classes and get fingerprinted by LiveScan.
- Attend an in-person training class, depending on your division.
- 8U Official – to referee 6U-8U divisions
- Regional Referee – to referee 10U and 12U divisions
- 14U and above receive additional training after 1-2 years as a regional referee
Lots of classes are offered at the start of the season. Check back here in July for the schedule.
Referee training
AYSO offers the most thorough soccer referee training program in America, providing classes, equipment, and mentoring at no charge. When your child is in the 6U-8U divisions, the officials’ primary job is to teach the players about the flow of the game. As your child grows, and the game gets more complex, you’ll learn the skills needed to keep the game safe, fair, and fun.
Age | What’s new | Class to take |
---|---|---|
6U – 8U | Basic game flow | 8U Official class |
10U | Goalkeepers, offside, keep score | Regional Referee class |
12U year 1 | Fouls, offside traps | Intermediate class & exam |
12U year 2 | Really know the Laws | Intermediate field observation |
14U | Bigger, faster, stronger kids | Advanced class |
Youth referees
We strongly support our youth referee program, called our PRO (Player Referee Organization) referees. Youth who play and also referee have a deeper understanding of the game, and they are able to interact with younger players in a more unique fashion. They also receive volunteer hours! Anyone interested in becoming a youth referee should contact us at referee@ayso13.org.
Mentoring
Don’t let becoming a referee make you nervous! Even after your training, our more experienced referees are available on the field every weekend to mentor you. We do our best to locate a volunteer experienced referee to meet you at your assigned game and help you through it. When the fall schedule arrives, there will be a box to check to request a referee mentor – it’s easy!
Referee Staff
We have a great staff of volunteers who help recruit, train, promote, and generally support our valuable referees:
Regional Referee Administrator | Patrick Shopbell | referee@ayso13.org |
6U-8U Referee Administrator | Kai Ryssdal | ref8u@ayso13.org |
10U Referee Administrator | Rich Aguilar | ref10u@ayso13.org |
12U Referee Administrators | Brian Bonham and Matthew Goldman | ref12u@ayso13.org |
14U Referee Administrator | Mark Windsor | ref14u@ayso13.org |
Upper Division (UD) Referee Administrator | Cristi Tudusciuc | ref16u@ayso13.org |
Referee Instruction | Steve Hawkins, Chip Heller, and Steve Bickel | |
Uniforms | DeWayne McMullin and Toni Maddison | |
Referee Upgrades and Assessment | Bruce Hancock |
Helpful Links – Region 13
- Online Referee Game Misconduct Form
- Kicks From The Mark Procedures
- Referee Team Information Form
- Region 13’s Ask the Ref
- Referee Game Assignment Guidelines
- Sportsmanship Instructions and Ratings
- AYSO Guidance for Referees, Coaches, Other Volunteers and Parents (2011)
- Filling Out Game Cards for Region 13 Referees