REFEREE'S CALL   WHY I CAN'T BE A REFEREE To save you the trouble of being redundantly creative, we have condensed here most of the common excuses for non-participation in this most critical function in the AYSO program. For your convenience, just put an X alongside the excuse or excuses, which best apply to you, sign your name and hand it in with your child's application OR....sign an application to be a referee and learn how much fun soccer can be, not just for your child, but for you as well. I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING (ENOUGH) ABOUT THE GAME! Most of us knew little, or less than you, about soccer when we became referees... not to worry.... for the investment of a day (8 hours) we will train you with more knowledge of the laws of the game than most Americans ever possess. I DON'T HAVE TIME! Being a referee is the perfect slot for those AYSO parents who have crowded schedules. Your commitment consists of eight hours of class and, when the season begins, games scheduled around your child's games (when you would be down at the fields anyway). I'M NOT THE RIGHT KIND OF PERSON Yes you are. You obviously care about your child. This is a youth program run by volunteers. Would you want you child involved in anything less than a person as right as a concerned parent? I'M IN TOO HIGH A TAX BRACKET TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE EXTRA INCOME!! Not to worry. When we last heard satisfaction and enjoyment were not yet taxable. Since that will be your only compensation (AYSO is a volunteer organization) we suggest you collect as much compensation as you can. I'D LOOK SILLY IN THAT UNIFORM Good heavens....you obviously haven't seen the Referee Administrator! I'M A WOMAN - I NEVER SEE THEM REFEREE! Wrong! We now have several ladies qualified as referees - AND THEY ARE GREAT. We could use more - and it's great exercise too! I DON'T CARE!!! Well here it is - if in fact you are signing up your child to play AYSO soccer and you honestly don't care about the quality, safety, or enjoyment involved in this program...then you have come you with the correct excuse and we no longer have to ask why, because, you CAN'T BE A REFEREE, and that is that, however, if this last excuse does not apply to you (and we hope it doesn't), then we need you badly. In return, we promise you:  ENJOYMENT, EXERCISE, COMMITTMENT! AND....you'll never be able to watch any major sport quite the same way again. On top of that....the kids will be darn glad that you were there. ONE FINAL NOTE...If you still don't think you are the right kind of person for this job...you took the time to read this whole flyer...that means you care...that means you are exactly the right kind of person. AYSO Region 166 (Sparks) Referee Requirement Information U10-U15 Teams Given the limited number of referees, the prohibition of payment of referees by National AYSO and the hundreds of matches played during the season, Sparks AYSO requires each and every team in divisions U10-U15 to: Designate at prior to the start of the season a team referee or referees. Each referee must be AYSO-certified. No referee can be designated for more than one team. Head Coach of each team will sign a “Referee Requirement Acknowledgement” and will submit to the Division Coordinator the designated referee(s) for his/her team. Each team earns one credit for each match its team referee officiates. If a team has multiple referees designated to it, the team receives one credit for each match each of its referees officiates. Credit is earned for either Center Referee or Assistant Referee duty. Each team must earn total credit at a minimum the number of matches the team plays in the regular season. For example, if a team plays 12 regular season matches, it must have 12 credits to be eligible for the year-end division tournament. Referee may officiate matches in any division as long as appropriate level of certification is earned. This includes (especially for beginning referees) U8 matches. U19 Teams This division does not have a year-end tournament in this region. But, the referee pool is still from a volunteer pool. Each team is strongly encouraged to have at least one AYSO-certified referee available to help officiate matches. More senior-level, higher certified referees will be used as Center Referees. U8 Teams This division does not have a year-end tournament in this region. But, the referee pool is still from a volunteer pool. Each team is strongly encouraged to have at least one AYSO-certified referee available to help officiate matches. U6 Teams This division does not use referees. Coaches from both teams help facilitate the matches. Coaches Acknowledgement: As a coach/assistant coach for a Under-10 and older team, I hereby acknowledge receipt of the foregoing notice that my team – whether by a new referee, a returning referee, multiple referees, or any combination thereof – must provide AYSO-certified referee coverage for at least the same number of games my team plays in the regular season to qualify for tournament participation.     _____________________    _____________________    __________________     PRINTED NAME                      SIGNATURE                             DATE About Refereeing Basic (or Regional) Referee Certified referees are scheduled week to week, as their schedule permits. There are no requirements or a certain # of games per week, or for which days you referee. Generally, you don’t work the games that your children are playing. You are not required to referee a certain age group. New referees will be started on U10 games, and work up to the older divisions at a rate that is comfortable for the referee. On field training will be offered. Club Linesmen Club linesmen fill in as assistant referees (the people on the side of the field, holding the flags) when not enough referees are scheduled for their team’s games. Club linesmen are not used for other team’s games. Schedule for club linesmen training will be announced shortly. Coaches should get names of club linesmen to their division coordinators. Certified Referee Training Saturday, July 25, 2009 - Intermediate Referee Clinic:         Alf Sorensen, 8:00am - 5:00pm Saturday, August 1, 2009 – Basic Referee Clinic:         Alf Sorensen, 8:00am - 5:00pm Saturday, August 8, 2009 – Basic Referee Clinic:         Alf Sorensen, 8:00am - 5:00pm Jim Keller Regional Referee Administrator Kip Colcord Assistant Referee Administrator Jack McPartland Regional Director of Referee Instructions Nancy Searcy Referee Coordinator