Referee Programs of PA West and SVSC
To Become A Certified Referee. You must take one of the two types of entry level classes offered. Each one has recommended age requirements. These classes are offered in the months of January, February and March of each year. They are hosted by the local clubs within PA West Soccer. They are advertised on the PA West Soccer web site (www.pawest-soccer.org) under "Referees." Click "Calendar" and select the class closest to you. Upon completing and passing the entry level classes, you become a certified referee for that year with the United States Soccer Federation. Upon taking and passing the course, please contact SVSC's Referee Coordinator, Patrick Doering (412-462-6217; spdoering@gmail.com), to advise him of your certification. In order to keep your certification active you must recertify every year.
Entry Level Classes: Grade 9. The first entry level class available is the Grade 9 class. You must be at least 14 years old. Upon taking and passing the class, you will be given a blue badge which states, "Recreational Referee." You will be able to officiate all youth games under the age of 14 as a referee (center) or assistant referee (line) (although the referee must be two years older than the game he or she is officiating). The referee will not be able to officiate Classic League games, adult games or youth games in Division 1 or Division A.
Entry Level Classes: Grade 8. The second entry level classis the Grade 8 class. You must be at least 16 years old. Upon taking and passing the class, you will be given a black badge which states, "USSF Referee." If you are under the age of 18, you must provide a work permit. Upon passing the Grade 8 class, you will be able to officiate (as a referee or assistant referee) any youth game, including Classic League games, or adult games, provided however that in the Youth Division, a referee must be two years older than the game he or she is refereeing.
Bridge Class. A bridge course is offered to advance a Grade 9 referee to a Grade 8 referee. To be eligible, the candidate must be 16 years old or have two full years in as a Grade 9 referee. Upon completion, the referee will be able to do all games a Grade 8 referee could provided he or she meets the requirements set by PA West.
Recertification. Grade 8 and Grade 9 referees must attend a recertification course yearly in order to be able to referee the following year. Thes recertification courses are typically offered in the last few months of the calendar year.
Upgrades. Upgrading is the process of moving up from a Grade 8 referee to a higher grade. For example, a Grade 8 referee can become a Grade 7 referee, a Grade 7 referee can become a Grade 6 referee, and so forth. To become a Grade 7 referee, for example, a referee must at least 17 years old, have worked a minimum of 100 soccer games, 75 as a referee and 25 as an assistant referee, pass a written exam, pass an assessment on a U17 game or higher as a referee, pay an assessment fee, do five hours of advanced clinic time, and pass a fitness test.
Becoming An In-House Referee. Opportunities are available to become a referee for in-house games, for which you will be paid. If you are interested in becoming a non-certified referee for inhouse games, you can volunteer at registration for the Spring and Fall seasons, or call the SVSC Referee Coordinator, Patrick Doering (412-462-6217) or the Inhouse Referee Coordinator, Kelly Caruso (412-461-1663; kellycaruso923@hotmail.com). You will then be contacted about the time for the preseason clinic(s). You must attend the preseason clinic(s) in order to be scheduled.
Procedures for Inhouse Referees. After the preseason clinics, a schedule will be posted on this page and a hardcopy will be distributed to each referee. If you are assigned to a game, you are expected to work that game. If you are unable to make the game, it is your responsibility to call Inhouse Coordinator Kelly Caruso (412-462-3088; kellycaruso923@hotmail.com) well before the scheduled game so that she can arrange for a substitute referee. Failure to show up for a scheduled game and failure to advise Kelly Caruso in advance of your absence will result in your removal from the referee schedule. You may switch with a fellow referee, but if the referee you switched with does not show up, you will be removed from the schedule. Once you work a game, you should e-mail or call the In-House Scheduler, Kelly Caruso (412-461-1663; kellycaruso923@hotmail.com), to advise her that you worked the game. If you do not contact Kelly Caruso, you will not be paid. You will be paid within a month of working a game provided you follow these procedures.
Referee Schedule. To be posted HERE.