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. Grassroots is currently the only Entry Level certification in Washington state. EYSA (Eastside Youth Soccer Association) sponsors training clinics that you take to certify. EYSA clinics are free for EYSA referees but the state charges $85 for the testing, registration and the referee badge.

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.)

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.