FAQ

Minimum Referee Requirements

You must be at least 13 years old when refereeing your first game for EYSA (through www.eysareferees.org). Referees may only be center referees for games of players at least two years younger than themselves. Example: If you are 13 years old, the oldest age group you may referee is the U11s (i.e. 10 and 11 year olds). Referees can be any age to be an assistant referee for a game, but need enough experience to be an assistant referee for older aged youth games.

You must become a certified referee. There are technically two entry levels for certified referees - Grade 9 and Grade 8. We strongly recommend the Grade 8. Grade 8 referees are only limited by experience as to what level games they may referee. Grade 9 referees may only referee rec level games up to U14 as a center referee and they may referee select and premier games up to U14 as an assistant referee. EKCSRA (East King County Soccer Referee Association) will not allow Grade 9 referees to sign up for games. EYSA (Eastside Youth Soccer Association) sponsors training clinics that you take to certify. EYSA clinics are free for EYSA referees but the state charges $65 for the testing, registration and the referee badge.

EYSA recommends everyone start by becoming a Grade 8 referee. The difference between getting a Grade 8 badge and a Grade 9 badge is only in the test you take. The Grade 8 test is 100 questions long and the Grade 9 is 50 questions long. Neither test is easier or harder than the other.

EYSA sponsored clinics will be spread across EYSA during July and August. (There are other clinics held in Redmond, Woodinville, Seattle and at Starfire in Tukwila, but they will cost an additional $30-$50 since EYSA sponsored clinic's room rental is covered by EYSA and these other referee chapters must pay themselves.)

Once you have your certificate, at the very least, you will understand the game and how referees work. More importantly, you can begin to referee games. You get game assignments by assigning yourself through the EYSA website - www.eysareferees.org, or the EKCSRA website - www.ekcsra.org. We start new referees on easier games with younger-age kids.

Last Updated May 12, 2013