How Do I Become A Referee?

Some important points:

• While some previous playing, coaching or officiating experience is always helpful, no experience is required to become a soccer referee.
• There are no age requirements for the entry level Grades. There are age restrictions for advanced grades.

To become a certified referee, there are a few easy steps everyone must go through:

• You must attend a mandatory classroom training session. These "Entry Level Clinics" are offered in many locations around the state each year, most often during the summer and fall months.
• There are two entry points to becoming a referee:
  1. Recreational Referee - Grade 9 – Recreational Referee
  2. Referee - Grade 8
• At the conclusion of the instructional classes a written examination will be given to all who have completed the course.
• A clinic fee is charged for taking the clinic. It is $30.00
• Once you successfully completed the course and examination, you may register through STSR with U.S. Soccer. The U.S. Soccer referee registration fee is $50 for Grade 9 or Grade 8.
• Once you are registered, contact your local assignors to get games. An Assignors and Soccer Associations directory
  can be found by signing into your STSR account and clicking on "Assignor Directory" in the Member Services box at the top of your home page.