Referee and Coaching Courses

HOW TO BECOME A NEW REFEREE
 

HOW TO REGISTER TO BECOME A NEW REFEREE

The Grassroots First-Time Referee course is for candidates who haven't previously been registered as a referee, or for previously registered referees who have had a lapse in certification (prior to 2019). The minimum age for referees is 13.

The total cost of the course is $70; a background check, if 18 or older is an additional $30 (for a 2-yr period).  Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association is offering reimbursement of course fees (including registration fee and background check fee), PLUS a 10-piece referee uniform starter kit to candidates that successfully complete all requirements by April 2022.

​

GRASSROOTS FIRST-YEAR REFEREE COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1. Complete all U.S. Soccer required assignments in the U.S. Soccer Learning Center

2. Create a GameOfficials account

3. Successfully complete all pre-course work

4. Successfully complete in-person virtual course
    

This is a 16-hour course:

• 8 hours in the U.S. Soccer Learning Center

• 4 hours individual pre-course work

• 4 hours virtual online Zoom course with instructors
   

STEPS TO REGISTER AS A 2022 USSF REFEREE

1. Create a Referee profile in the U.S. Soccer Learning Center.  Instructions (pdf)

   • Please note that this profile is for the referee, not the parent/guardian. If you previously have been a referee or a coach, you will already have an identity; please do not create a duplicate profile.

   • If you are 18 or older, you will be prompted to pay for and complete a two-year background check and complete the SafeSport module ($30). If you turn 18 during a registration period, you will be required to complete the background check and SafeSport in order to continue refereeing.

2. Register for a 2022 Grassroots First-Year Referee Course.

3. Complete all required U.S. Soccer coursework.

4. Create a GameOfficials account for assignments.  Instructions (pdf)

   • Referees will be creating an account in the GameOfficials1234 system. Note that this is for the referee, not a parent if the referee is a minor. Once the referee has successfully completed all requirements for their 2022 registration, their assignment account will be activated.

5. After completing steps 1-4, send an email to sue@wisref.org, and she will send you instructions for the WisRef virtual pre-course work.

6. Once the WisRef virtual pre-course work is completed, send another email to sue@wisref.org to select a date/time to attend a WisRef virtual online Zoom course.

7. Attend the WisRef virtual online course

8. 2022 badges will be mailed out upon successful completion of all the above steps.

 

VIRTUAL COURSES

Dates TBD - first sessions Jan. 8, 2022

If you have registration or certification questions, please email Sue Walter at sue@wisref.org.

​

​

RECERTIFICATION COURSES

​

2022 RECERTIFICATION COURSES ARE NOW OPEN

2022 Grassroots Referee Recertification courses are now available in the US Soccer Learning center. Here is the link https://learning.ussoccer.com/referee/courses/available/7/course-info. If more than one course is open, please select the first one – they are all the same.

 

You may register for this course if you were registered in 2019, 2020 or 2021. Once you register, you will have 30 days to complete the assignments in the Learning Center.

 

All of the course content is in the Learning Center for this registration period. There is no content in GameOfficials, and there is no in-person or virtual component required for 2022.

 

All Referees ≥18, or when you turn 18 are required to maintain a current status in the Learning Center for your background check & SafeSport. All Referees will need to keep a current status in their Safe & Healthy Playing Environments (Courses/Available Courses/ Supplemental Courses/Intro to Safety).

 

Instead of an in-person or virtual component for 2022, we would like to remind you of the WisRef Points of Emphasis for each of the last two years:

 

2020 - What You Allow, You Encourage, along with Pay It Forward. In effect, deal with the problem - or it gets worse, and take appropriate action, so that problem does not make a less experienced referee quit.

 

2021 - Incident Reports - Completing Them Properly. WSL, WYSA and WisRef have noticed a higher quality of information in Incident Reports, which allows the WSL and WYSA to more quickly, and more importantly, appropriately sanctions for offenses. Two examples of good Incident Reports:

 

In the 58th minute #7, John Smith from Eagles challenged a Hawks attacker who was running towards the penalty area. While challenging for the ball, Smith carelessly charged through the side of the attacker just outside of the penalty area and near the goal line, stopping a promising attack. Play was stopped and Smith was shown a yellow card for unsporting behavior. Play was restarted with a direct free kick for Hawks.

 

In the 60th minute John Smith, the head coach for the Eagles team loudly, publicly and provocatively disputed a call by the referee by shouting “You guys are !!!!ING IDIOTS!” The coach was issued a send off for Offensive, Insulting or Abusive language. He quietly collected his belongings and left the field, both sight and sound away, without any further incidents. (Your Incident Report will contain the EXACT words.)

 

In addition, the 2022 Points of Emphasis as presented at the Advanced Recertification courses deals with the behavior of coaches, and referee interaction with coaches. Every time a coach stands and voices an opinion may not rise to a warning, caution or send off. It depends on how they do it, how often they do it, and the exact wording they use.

 

Within two to three weeks after you have completed the requirements in the Learning Center (including making sure your background check, SafeSport and Safe & Healthy Playing Environments are all up to date), your 2022 badge will be mailed and you will be enabled in GameOfficials for 2022 assignments. The sooner you complete the Learning Center assignments, the sooner you will receive your badge