Thank you for your interest in becoming an AYSO referee! Refereeing is a great way to volunteer to help our kids get the most out of their soccer experience, and I think you’ll find you get a lot out of it as well, such as:

• A better understanding of the laws, guidelines, and flow of the game (which will help you ultimately appreciate it more and more, and become a better coach or spectator too!).

• Some fresh air and exercise.

• Confidence in yourself and your ability to make split-second decisions in the face of incomplete or conflicting information.

• A sense of camaraderie with other AYSO volunteers, and particularly the warm, welcoming Region 1567 referee team.

Referee Training:

AYSO offers referee training throughout the year, ranging from first-time training (yes, even for people who know absolutely nothing about the game!) to national-level training for the most demanding matches. AYSO’s training is very highly-regarded in the soccer world and will definitely set a solid foundation for competently officiating matches.

Here are the steps needed to volunteer as a referee:

1. Sign up as a volunteer on inLeague.

2. Click on AYSOU / eTrainU in the left-hand side menu and login to AYSOU.

   You do not need separate credentials to log into AYSOU. Your inLeague account will automatically log you in with the button below.

3. Take one of the following referee course options:

   1. Regional Referee – Full In-Person Course: This is an in-person course that covers everything you need to know to referee a 10U match.

   2. Regional Referee – Online + In-Person Companion Course: This is an online course about the Laws of the Game followed by an in-person session to cover the field mechanics of being a referee.

4. In addition, you will need to complete the following online safety-related items:

   1. AYSO’s Safe Haven.

   2. CDC Concussion Awareness.

   3. Sudden Cardiac Arrest

   4. SafeSport (not required for youth referees under age 18)

   5. LiveScan Fingerprinting (not required for youth referees under age 18)

Upon successful completion of all items, notify the Regional Referee Administrator (info@ayso1567.org) who will provide you with an ArbiterSports login, uniform, whistle, and other items needed to successfully referee a game. Congratulations! We’ll do our best to have a senior referee mentor at your first couple of matches to help in any way you need.

Go to inLeague and log in. 

• Click Referee Scheduler on the lefthand side Referee menu.

• On the “Schedule” tab there are three options (Calendar, Self Assign, and Master Schedule).

  • The “Calendar” tab shows you all the games you have already signed up for.

  • The “Self Assign” tab is where you actually sign up for matches.

    • Filter by Date, Site, and Level (10U, 12U, 14U, etc.) to get a list of available Games when you click Search.

    • The list includes Game Number, time, and slots available (filled slots will no longer appear).

    • To sign up for a Game, find the slot you want and click the “Go” icon on the far right column. You will then get a message saying that you have “successfully” assigned yourself for either a Center, AR1, or AR2 slot. If you want additional slots, just repeat the same process.

  • The “Master Schedule” tab shows you every Game.

    • All of the Games are listed by dates and times.

    • Click the “View Slots” button and you will see all of the Games with their assigned Referees.

• We all have busy lives and unavoidable conflicts that can arise, but please make every effort to uphold your commitment after signing up for a game. If you need to back out of a game for any reason, send an email to info@ayso1567.org that includes the Game Number, date, time, and location you wish to be unassigned from.

10U, 12U, and 14U teams are required to obtain Referee Points, as identified below.

• For the teams: Each team needs 13 ref points to qualify for postseason play.

  • Assistant Ref = 1 point

  • Center Ref = 2 points

  • Bonus: Take the Intermediate Ref Course (Sept 6–7) for +2 points.

• If you’d like extra support stepping into the Center Ref role, we’ll connect you with a mentor to help you feel confident on the field.

• Due to the higher amount of time and physical exertion required, two points are earned for each referee slot filled in 16U-19U games. Please note that only intermediate referees and above are eligible to be assistant referees at these levels, and only advanced and national referees are qualified to fill the referee slot.

• Members of the Region 17 Board of Directors (including Division Commissioners) are awarded five referee points.

• A minimum of 20 referee points will be required for teams to qualify for the fall playoffs. The Area may also use referee points as part of team standings, in addition to the win-loss record.

Each referee/board member must notify info@ayso1567.org by October 1st, 2024 which team(s) they are giving their points to. If you wish to split your points among multiple teams, please also specify your desired sharing ratio.

Ideally, please do not sign up to referee your child's game. If there are not enough other referees available just before game time, the Referee may ask you to help out capacity. If this situation occurs and you have your referee uniform with you, you may serve as an assistant referee and will earn a point, but be sure to send an email to info@ayso1567.org so this can be manually updated.

You may sign up to referee other games in your child's own division. Late in the season, please use good judgment in not signing up for games that may have a significant impact on your child's team's standings placement.

Coaches and Assistant Coaches may not referee games that count for the standings in their own division. If there are pools, this restriction applies to refereeing only in their own pool of the division.

Early in the season, it is my opinion that we can have some flexibility in the enforcement of the laws of the game in favor of teaching the kids. Key items are throw-ins and goalie behaviors.

During player check-in, explain the proper form for a throw in. During the game, I usually remind them before they throw, "Feet down, ball behind the head to throw."  If a player tosses the ball from in front of their body or jumps while throwing, I will usually blow the whistle and quickly have them retake the throw. Use your judgement to balance teaching the kids, the flow of the game, and enforcing the laws of the game fairly.

Also, during the pre-game check-in, it's a good practice to tell the goalies how to handle a goal kick and returning the ball after a save. During the game, I will often instruct the goalie when they should roll the ball into play.

As we progress in the season, we should move to enforcing the rules more strictly. As always, use your best judgement and keep the game safe, fair, and fun!