Become a Referee

Ross Valley Soccer encourages and is in need of adults and adolescents to become referees.

Ross Valley Soccer will offer and pay for referee certification and refresher classes in exchange for a commitment in writing to referee 4 games.

Ross Valley Soccer will also pay for referee a jersey, card and whistle from Sunset Soccer in San Rafael in exchange for a commitment in writing to referee 4 additional games.

Referees are paid on a sliding scale according to age group and whether you are a CR (center) or AR (assistant). Currently Center Referees are paid $35 per game and Assistant Referees are paid $20 per game.

In order to become a US Soccer referee you must take an 18 hour course and pass a 100 multiple choice question closed book exam. The dates of local Referee classes are posted on the following website:

Referee Training

Referee Training

Training can be accomplished in two ways:

• Attending an Adult only class (18 years and older):
  
  18 hours is required. Instructor can arrange over 3 days. It can be done with 3 hrs Friday, 9 hours Sat and 6 hours Sunday. Others have done 9,6,3 with 3 hours on a Monday.


• Attending an open class:
  
  18 hours required. It is arranged over 5 class days. Tuesday and Thursday for 3 hours, Saturday for 6 hours and the following Tuesday Thursday for 3 hours.

Laws of the Game / Referees / RVYSC

Based on the CYSA rules I would instruct the coaches as follows:

• U-10 (8x8)
  
  FIFA Rules apply but Officials should be instructional when appropriate:
  
  
• Offside: Referee to provide explanation of how offside occurred.
  
  
• Free Kicks: direct and indirect according to type of foul committed. On free kicks in the proximity of the Goalie Box (18 yard line) Referee to ensure that:
  
  
  
  • LAll players are ready
    
  • 10 yards only after requested by player taking kick
    
  • Wall is set
    
  • Goalie is ready and
    
  • Everyone waits until 2nd whistle
    
  
  
  
• Penalty Kicks: penalty kicks are allowed. Referee to ensure that taken properly:
  
  
  
  • All players outside of Goalie area
    
  • Lineperson to ensure that goalie does not move until ball is kicked
    
  • Player does not kick until whistle is blown
    
  
  
  
• Throw-in: Conform to FIFA rules; however, one re-throw is allowed after an explanation
  
  
• Slide Tackles: CYSA is silent on the issue. I would also discourage them at this level. That being said the Referee will ensure that player making tackle touches the ball first and if not a foul will be called.
  
  
• Substitutions: Only on the following instances after first receiving permission from the Center Referee:
  
  
  
  • Your throw in
    
  • Any goal kick
    
  • After a goal has been scored.
    
  
  Player must leave the field before the substitute steps on the field. This is not hockey.
  

For the Good of the Game - RVYSC Anti Slam Pollicy

• No team should win a game by 3 goals or more. This is after all House (Class 4) soccer. If the parents or children wanted a different experience then “Select” model is the way to go.
  The Coaches want to "honor" the game. If they find themselves in the enviable position of being ahead by 3 goals then try some of the following:
  
  
  
  • Substitute. Give your better players a "rest"
    
  • Move attackers to back field (defensive positions)
    
  • Limit player’s movement:
    
    1) Do not cross center line
    
    2) Can not dribble or shoot inside of penalty area (18 meters)
    
    
  • Play 3 touch: player only touches 3 times before passing to a team mate.
    
  • Shoot left footed
    
  
  
• Never let your team know that they are backing off as your opponents will not "feel good about themselves or the game" if they find out.
  
• Involve the ref. There are higher standards to hold the players to when it comes to deciding whether or not to call "advantage
  SUB Policy;
  

Substitution Policy

Below is the policy on substitutions. If a referee isn’t abiding by those rules, you could tell him to go to www.asktheref.com and reference question 13737. Whether the referee agrees with these local rules (FIFA Laws of the Game allow substitutions at ANY stoppage) or not, he must abide by them. Since it is unlikely said ref will have a laptop, you could print out the page from the website. Or, you could just go on with the game realizing that your players probably don’t really care about their opponent’s substitution policy. Then you could tell the ref after the game to get his act in order or face sanctions from the super secret rules oversight committee that none of you know about.



Not to become a lawyer or arbitrator Regarding Subs: According to CYSA Section 2.



3:08:06 Players may be substituted at the following times:



A. Prior to a throw-in, in your favor.

B. Prior to a goal kick, by either team.

C. After a goal, by either team.

D. After an injury, when the referee stops play, by either team.

E. At half time.

F. When the referee stops play to caution a player, only the cautioned player may be substituted, prior to the restart of the game.


Question 13737 Substitutions

Referees information

Referees please go to www.asktheref.com and read question 13661. (We don’t have the indirect kick rule that was in effect for the question.) Ross Valley has decided to follow the advice of this website regarding showing cards to younger players.



Also of interest is the article on Hand ball


Question 13661