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How To Upgrade
The first thing you must have to upgrade is a desire to improve at refereeing. Upgrades are not for bragging rights, but a process to
teach our volunteer referees how to referee more competitive, older aged games and to recognize our referees for such. And ultimately the youth players get
the most benefit. The AYSO National Referee Program is designed for exactly this.
The Requirements
With that said, here are the requirements to upgrade:
To
Upgrade
to Grade: |
Take Class |
Pass Written Test |
Pass Fitness
Test |
Reach Game Count |
Complete Service Units |
Receive Assessment |
Min
Age |
| Intermediate |
Intermediate Class |
90% or better |
N/A |
25 as referee1 |
N/A |
N/A – instead 1 observation as referee,
1 as AR4 |
14 |
| Advanced |
Advanced Class |
90% or better |
AYSO Advanced Physical Fitness7 |
50 as referee2,
5 as AR |
5 |
1 as referee, 1 as AR5
|
16 |
| National |
National Class |
90% or better |
AYSO National Physical Fitness7 |
100 as referee3, 25 as AR |
5 |
2 as referee,
1 as AR6 |
18 |
Notes:
- Minimum 25 games as center referee with at least 5 in U12 matches or older.
- Minimum 50 games as center referee with at least 10 in U14 matches or older and minimum 5 games as
assistant
referee in U14 matches or older.
- Minimum 100 games as center referee with at least 30 in U16 and U19 matches of which at least 15 must be in
U19 matches, if available. Minimum 25 games as assistant referee with at least 10 in U19 matches, if available.
- Observations to be received in U12 matches or older.
- Assessments to be received in U14 matches or older.
- Assessments to be received in U19 matches, if available. One of the assessments as center referee may
be in a U16 match.
- The Referee Physical Fitness is as follows:
Certification
|
Test
|
Requirements
|
| 1. |
Advanced Referee |
Endurance Run |
Must run for 12 minutes and cover at least one mile |
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|
Speed Run (50 meters) |
Maximum 10.5 seconds |
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Speed Run (200 meters) |
Maximum 42 seconds |
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| 2. |
National Referee |
Endurance Run |
Must run for 12 minutes and cover:
age under 38, 2200 meters (5.5 laps)age 38-45, 2000 meters (5.0 laps)
age over 46, 1800 meters (4.5 laps) |
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|
Speed Run (50 meters) |
age under 46, 9.0 seconds
age 46+, 9.5 seconds
|
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|
Speed Run (200 meters) |
maximum 40 seconds |
The Progression
Please don’t let the above table and detailed notes discourage you. You can improve your reffing skills and enjoy it while you’re at
it. Meeting the requirements in the table above is just a measure of such. In general, referees upgrade by doing the following:
- Take the next level class, e.g. if you are an Intermediate referee, take the Advanced referee class. Winter Super Camp is the typical
time to take these.
- Pass the written test. If you do not pass, you can take the test again.
- Referee games and keep records of your games including game dates, teams’ ages, and positions you filled.
- Volunteer in other ways and earn service units.
- Take the physical fitness test whenever convenient.
- Meet the age requirement.
- When all the above have been completed, request observation or assessment(s).
Don’t stop reading yet. When it comes time to receive an observation or assessments, the following advice will make your observation/assessment
step go more smoothly.
The Observation/Assessment
To be observed or assessed, do the following:
- Send an email to the RRA saying you want to upgrade. The purpose of this email is to ensure the RRA will sign your paperwork upon completion
of the requirements. (This is one of the ways the "evil" RRA does QC on the referees☺) After you get confirmation that RRA supports your upgrade, continue
to step 2.
- Schedule an appropriate level game. (Intermediate must be U12C or older; Advanced must be U14C or older; National must be U16C & U19C).
Be prepared with options. To get the games you need for National, there is a good possibility you will have to referee game(s) in another region close by.
Also, it is a good idea to ask the assessors about their availability (assessments only). There are only 4 assessors currently who can do Advanced assessments
in the local area and only 3 who can do National assessments.
- Send email to the RDA (Regional Director of <referee> Assessment) requesting an observation. OR send email to the ADA (Area
Director of <referee> Assessment) requesting X level assessment (as CR/AR) on a couple of possible games.
- The RDA will arrange for an observation by an Intermediate or higher referee. OR the ADA will poll assessors for availability
for the dates/times you have requested. If you've done the polling of assessors, one should be available. It is important that you know that the ADA
(and his guidance from above) prefers having someone from a different region do the assessments.
- The RDA will send you an email saying you will be observed on game/date/time. OR the ADA will send you an email saying you will
be assessed on game/date/time.
- The assigned observer/assessor will probably be in touch to confirm and maybe pass along some guidance.
- Do the game and pass the assessment. Observations have no pass/fail results.
Man, doing the game well enough to pass the assessment is the EASY part!!!
So good luck in your quest to improve and advance. And thanks again for your interest.
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