Hudson Valley Soccer Referee Association
The following information has been extracted from the Referee Administrative Handbook and recent memoranda.
Referees who are registered with the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) must renew their registration
annually.
Re-certifying Referees
1. Forms must be taken to the re-certification clinic.
2. Re-certifying referees are registered when they certification criteria and are added to state assignment
lists at that time.
Grade-Maintenance Assessments
As referees advance to higher grades they are required to demonstrate their continued qualification for their grade through "maintenance" assessments and sustained high-level competition experience. Each referee at Grade 6 or higher is required request an assessment and pass it.
Downgrading of a Referee
A referee may be downgraded if the referee fails to meet any of the criteria for that grade. A referee can only be registered at the level where the criteria of a particular grade are met. If referees are downgraded, they do not have to spend a year in the lower grade. Referees may be upgraded when they have met the standard for that grade.
Referees Not Registered In the Previous Year
Any referee who was not registered with the U.S. Soccer Federation the previous year may be certified at
the grade previously held after taking and passing the written qualifying examination, fitness test, and a
assessments. The following policy applies to referees who were previously certified and registered with the
Federation:
1. Grade 8 referees who miss 1-2 consecutive years of registration can be re-registered as a grade 8
after completing a re-certification clinic.
2. Grade 8 referees who miss 3-4 consecutive years of registration can be re-registered after taking
the Referee Bridge (Grade 9 to Grade 8) Course or the entire Entry Level Referee Training Course.
3. Grade 8 referees who miss 5 or more consecutive years must re-take the entire Entry Level Referee
Training Course.
4. Grade 7 referees and higher can only be registered at the grade they qualify for. Referees who were
Grade 7 or higher should be downgraded a minimum of one (1) grade, as per current policy
(as long as they have met the criteria for that grade).
5. USSF instructors who wish to re-certify as a referee after a lapse in referee registration may be
registered as a grade 8 referee upon meeting current re-certification requirements, no matter how long
it has been since they last registered as a referee. The instructor must be currently registered as a
USSF instructor and have taught, at a minimum, one entry-level referee training course in the last two years.
Referees are registered annually, for the period January 1 to December 31. Referees who did not re-register during the prescribed current year registration period may register for the following year without penalty. (e.g. A referee last registered in 2002 may take a 2004 re-certification course in August 2003 without having to pay a 2003 registration fee.)
Referee Packets
Every referee registered is entitled to receive a registration card from the National office upon
completing registration requirements.
Every renewing referee will also receive a copy of the Laws of the Game and a badge from Eastern New York.
All newly certified referees will receive a copy of the Laws of the Game and a badge at their course.
Annual re-certification requirements vary according to your referee grade.
| Referees | ||
|---|---|---|
| Criteria |
Referee Class 2 (Grade 8) |
Referee Class 1 (Grade 7) |
| In-Service Training | Five hours during the preceding 12 months | Five hours during the preceding 12 months |
| Refresher Exam | Passing Score Required | Passing Score Required |
| Field Evaluation | Not required | 1 developmental assessment, at any level designated by the State. |
| Physical Fitness Test | Not required | Requirements |
| State Referees | ||
|---|---|---|
| Criteria |
State Referee Class 2 (Grade 6) |
State Referee Class 1 (Grade 5) |
| In-Service Training | Five hours during the preceding 12 months | Five hours during the preceding 12 months |
| Refresher Exam | Passing grade of 75% required | Passing grade of 85% required |
| Field Evaluation | One assessment as a referee at Division 2 adult match or higher | One assessment as a referee at Division 1 adult match or higher |
| Physical Fitness Test | Requirements | Requirements |
