Information
Logon

FAQ

Introduction to Ref-in-Pool

There is a shortage of referees in East King County (and actually all of Puget Sound). This shortage is felt during the fall season. Soccer is a growing sport in our area but the referee ranks are not growing. Almost all referees are soccer players or parents of youth soccer player. Every Premier, Select and U13+ Recreational team needs to provide a Ref-in-Pool. We use referees from EKCSRA for these games and this is how we support EKCSRA.

Requirements to Become a Referee for the Ref-in-Pool Program

Grade 8 Certification

Online study (about 3 hours)
8 hours of instruction by USSF
Pass 50 question multiple choice test
Pay USSF $70 for certification

Purchase uniform and equipment (about $35 to $50)
Referee 10+ games as Assistant Referee (or Center Referee) for EKCSRA during the fall season (Sept - Dec)

Most first year referees for EKCSRA only officiate as Assistant Referees
Ref-in-Pool referee get paid $25 to $70 per game

Referee Certification Clinics will be held this summer throughout EYSA. Click here

for clinic dates.
For more about becoming a referee see Becoming a Referee.

Why Adult Ref-in-Pool

Maturing referees takes time

In their first year, referees only officiate games at or below U14, usually as assistant referees
During the second year, most will add a year or two to the age group they officiate. They may start being a center ref for younger ages.
The center refs for U18 games have many years of experience as a referee.

Youth referees last only ref for 1 year on average. Adult referees will support their child's soccer and referee for an average of 5 years. Youth referees don't referee long enough to mature into referees for older age games.

Benefits of Being a Ref-in-Pool

Why should you become your team's Ref-in-Pool? Referees for home games ("Priority") - The number of games officiated by the RIP for a team equals it's "Priority". The teams with higher PRIORITY receive their referees FIRST. That means, if your team has done its part to help the Ref situation, your team should be rewarded with a full crew (Center and 2 Assistant Refs). Contribute to your child's team - Premier and Select teams are supported by volunteers (usually the parents). The RIP program is a way for you to support your child's team. A bonus in doing so is you support the whole soccer community. Monetary incentive - If your team is an EFC team, it has paid $400 toward the Ref-in-Pool for the year and the team will be refunded the $400 if it meets the RIP requirement. Learn about and support the sport we all love Make some extra money - $25 to $70 per game

How Ref-in-Pool Works

EKCSRA (East King County Soccer Referee Association) provides referees to all Select, Premier, and U14+ Rec EYSA home games. Therefore, all Select, Premier and U13+ Rec teams are required to provide at least one referee (called a "Referee-In-Pool") to EKCSRA. The Referee-In-Pool for a team is required to referee (either as an Assistant Referee or as a Center Referee) 10+ games from the EKCSRA pool of games. These games can be anywhere EKCSRA provides referees (but can't be your child's, sister's, brother's ... game). The more games the Referee-In-Pool(s) referees for EKCSRA, the higher the priority their team gets for referees at their home games. This will translate into better CRs and getting 2 ARs at games. Theory

a Ref-in-Pool is on track to officiate 10 games for the fall season, EKCSRA will make sure that team gets a center referee.;If a Ref-in-Pool is on track to officiate 20 games for the fall season, EKCSRA will make sure that team gets a center referee and one assistant referee.;If a Ref-in-Pool is on track to officiate 30 games for the fall season, EKCSRA will make sure that team gets a center referee and two assistant referees.] Practice
Referee
sign up for games that work for them. The typical determining factors are for choosing a particular game are: availability, convenience, family schedule, level of play, position (Center vs. Assistant), distance, money, ability to get multiple games at a single venue, etc. The order of these varies by individual. However, referees take into account the Priority of the available games when signing up. This is a gentleman's agreement between the referees and EKCSRA. This agreement works in most cases.;A day or two before the match, EKCSRA will review the Priority of the matches without a full referee crew and will ask referees to move from being an Assistant referee on match with low Priority to be a Center or Assistant referee on a match with high Priority.;A day or two before a match, the Referee Coordinator, will ask (email or phone) referees to fill open positions at their clubs home games.]

Last Updated June 26, 2018