REFEREES

Are you interested in refereeing?

Who Can Referee?

Anyone over 12 years old with a clean record and who can withstand the rigors of being on the field is invited to referee with us!

Please email Referee@BigBearSoccer.com if you have questions about refereeing or once you have completed the items on the New Referee Checklist below.


NEW REFEREE CHECKLIST

Rec soccer has the lowest referee qualifications, so anyone who has experienced the game and is willing to take the course can be accepted! COMPLETE the items on this list and provide us with the evidence, and we will schedule you for a couple of games with an experienced referee to get started!

  1. Concussion Training
  2. Go take a LiveScan clearance so we can get the results from the DOJ(18 years old & up)
  3. Register with Cal South. You'll need these instructions. This step requires payment ($40 for Grade 9 and $55 for Grade 8) but you can do this step last if you want to.
  4. At least USSF Grade 9 Certification (Note that Grade 9 is the only all-online option) (Note also that when it prompts you for your state agency, choose California - South) (Finally, note that it is important that you receive email confirmation of each video module, and you should contact us if you can't get it to work)

Oh, and you'll need black shorts. We don't provide those.

Okay, now the long answer.

Officially, we participate in Cal South's referee development program. Our league is tiny compared to some of the leagues in the cities near us. But you can go far as a referee in their network. Learn more about their program here: http://www.calsouth.com/en/referees/

USSF certification must be completed annually. As noted here, certification prior to July 1 will expire Dec 31, 2018. Certification after July 1 will expire Dec 31, 2019.

Grade 8 Certification is not required, but is highly recommended. While grade 9 can be completed all online, grade 8 will require 4 hours of field training and can help new referees become more comfortable on the field. Some tournaments and U18 games require grade 8 certification. Find a nearby Cal South Grade 8 course on their event lookup.

What is it like to be a referee? and other FAQ answers can be found here.

FIFA LAWS OF THE GAME (should that have been at the top? Anyway, might want to familiarize yourself with it)


EQUIPMENT YOU'LL NEED

All Referees require a referee uniform shirt. The league can lend you one of ours, since we want everyone to look nice. But you are encouraged to get your own gear, as you develop your reputation as a referee.

Additionally, the Head Referee at each game is required to provide:

  • A set of flags
  • Red / Yellow cards & game report card
  • Watch or other non-dangling timepiece (cell phones are not permitted)
  • Coin for coin toss

These items can also be obtained on loan from the league. You know the drill. Referee@BigBearSoccer.com