We thought it would be important to tell parents and coaches more about our referees and how they do their job.

#1 Volunteers 
All AYSO Staff including referees, board members and coaches are VOLUNTEERS.  Many of us give 30-40 hours a week so that your child can play soccer.

#2 Why does AYSO need volunteer referees?
AYSO is a 100 percent volunteer organization; we all do it for the kids. Each season we need as many referees as coaches if not more; refereeing is easier and less of a time commitment. AYSO is about playing Fun, Fair and Safe. Our referee training is what makes it possible. If there is no official to referee a game the kids don't get to play.

#3 What if the Referee is wrong?
Referees make the call from their vantage point using the laws of the game to the best of their ability. There are times that they may not see what you saw from a different vantage point. This can go both ways, they may have seen something you missed, they may have missed something that you saw. However once the call is made it is final. Arguing about it only slows the game and wastes time. You are welcome to have a reasonable discussion with the referee AFTER the game if you wish.

#4 What if I see the ball go out and I know the referee can’t see it from where he is standing, can I call it out?
NO, only the referee can make any calls. Coaches yelling out that the ball is out or or a foul only confuse the issue. Coaches and players should not be trying to enforce the rules or point out calls. Their responsibility is to play the game.

#5 Why is there only 1 Referee, shouldn't there be 3?
The referees are volunteers. People in today’s world are not willing to work for free and so it is very difficult to get enough volunteer referees for all of our games. If this concerns you then please volunteer, or encourage someone else to volunteer.  Not all referees are adults, we also have youth referees who assist with games.

#6 Why are the Referees late to my game?
Injuries, ball out of bounds, coaches or parents protesting calls, it all adds to the length of the game. We are on a tight schedule because we have a full day of 8 hours of games. Referees also take a well deserved break between games.  You can help by limiting interruptions to the game, having players and game cards ready to go at game time etc.

#7 Can I referee my own child's games?
There is no national rule prohibiting a referee from refereeing their own child's game.  It can be a challenge to recruit referees, and regions vary greatly in their ability to cover officiating needs without using referees who are affiliated with the teams.  In some situations when there is a shortage of referees, having a parent officiate their own child's game may be the only option.  Since no simple rule can cover all the scheduling complexities that regions across the country face, AYSO leaves referee scheduling policies to the regions and areas.

#8 How do I become an AYSO referee?
You must first complete an AYSO volunteer application form and be approved as an AYSO volunteer by your local AYSO Region. Once you are approved as a volunteer, the training to become an AYSO referee is provided to you for free. The uniforms are also provided for free.

#9 Referee training
Our referee class is free, parents and coaches are welcome and encouraged to attend even if they do not wish to referee and just want to learn the laws of the game and understand why the referees make the calls that they make. Referees receive 8 hours of classroom instruction. Then they work with a partner and are not allowed to "center" a game until they have been watched, reviewed and approved.

#10 Whoaa, wait a minute: can’t I just use AYSO as a babysitting service? Do I really need to volunteer my time?
Yes, AYSO is an all-volunteer organization.  You obviously care about your child. This is a youth development program run by volunteers. Who would be better than a concerned parent like you?  And nothing beats the smiles and “Thanks Ref” after a job well done!  If you think you still aren’t ready to become an official, think again!  Volunteer now!

Thank you