Arlington Soccer Club is always looking for individuals in 7th grade and up (including adults!) interested in becoming soccer referees. Games are typically Saturdays (mornings and afternoons) and Sundays (afternoons) in the fall and spring seasons. There are two types of referees in Arlington:
- In-town referees are younger referees (ages 12-13) who officiate exclusively in-town games in Arlington.
- Certified Grassroots referees must be at least 14 years of age and primarily referee BAYS games; they can also do club games outside of ASC.
IN-TOWN REFEREES (AGES 12-13)
ASC typically offers an In-Town referee workshop during the summer (prior to the Fall season) and during March (prior to the Spring season). Sometimes the course is jointly run with Lexington United Soccer Club and thus can be held in either Arlington or Lexington.
To become an in-town referee, a candidate must be in 7th or 8th grade and at least age 12 by the beginning of the season (Sept. 1 or April 1). The cost for this In-Town workshop is $10, which includes the in-town referee jersey. Referees who take this workshop will officiate Grades 2, 3, and 4 in-town games at a rate of $25 per game. Information about this workshop, including registration details, will be posted on the ASC website; an email will also be sent to all 7th and 8th grade players registered with ASC. Registration occurs on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please note that the number of aspiring In-Town referees often exceeds the capacity, and thus not all candidates can be accepted. To protect the privacy of participants, this workshop is not recorded. In addition to the referee workshop, in-town referees are expected to attend a pre-season referee meeting immediately before the start of each season. Information about these meetings will be posted on the website.
ALL referees must review the Game Assignment and Reporting section for extremely important information regarding how to accept/reject games and report scores. Game reports must be completed at the appropriate sites in order for the referee to be paid.
GRASSROOTS REFEREES (AGES 14 AND UP)
Referees aged 14 and older (including adults) must obtain a Grassroots Referee certification from the Massachusetts State Referee Committee (MSRC). Note: if you will turn 14 during the season, please see the separate document “Additional Information for Grassroots Referees” on the ASC website. The Grassroots certification is the set of courses needed to referee youth level games – referees with this certification are eligible to referee BAYS games for ASC as both Center Referee and Assistant Referee. Certified referees can also officiate club league games, although it’s recommended to get some experience in-town before doing these more competitive club games. See the details below on how to become a Grassroots Referee.
- Detailed steps about how to become a Grassroots Referee can be found at this link: https://www.massref.net/becoming-a-referee/steps-to-become-referee/ Please read this very important information so that you do not miss any steps!
In brief, create an MSRC account and take 2 courses: “New Referee Orientation”, and “New Referee Field Session.” Both online and in-person options are available. Take the US Soccer Learning Center’s online course “Introduction to Safe and Healthy Playing Environments.” Pass the online exam and pay the annual dues at the MSRC website.
Certification is typically for the calendar year; however, courses offered in the summer provide certification for fall of the current year and all of the following year. The current cost is $115.00, which will be reimbursed by ASC after a referee officiates 15 games across two seasons (see “Referee Reimbursement” on the ASC website).
- Grassroots referees who are age 18+ must complete 2 additional requirements: (1) a SafeSport course each year, and (2) a National Background Check (valid for 2 years), both available through the U.S. Soccer Learning Center.
- After successfully becoming certified as a Grassroots Referee, go to the BAYS website bays.org and follow the process for Creating a Referee Account, which includes contacting the Arlington Soccer Club Assignor (see below) and completing the Online Referee Application. Grassroots Referees also must complete and submit the direct deposit payment forms which can be found at this link: https://bays.org/content/referee-required-pay-forms.
- Email Paul Athanasiadis, ASC’s referee assignor, to let him know that you passed the Grassroots Referee course, registered with BAYS, and would like to referee for ASC.
- At the beginning of each season, all referees are expected to attend a pre-season referee meeting. Information about these meetings will be posted on the ASC website.
Recertification: Certified referees must complete the recertification course annually to maintain their credentials. The recertification requirements are listed here: https://www.massref.net/referees/recertification/. Grassroots Referee Recertification courses can be found at https://central.massref.net/courseofferings.cfm. The current cost of recertification is $50.00. ASC will reimburse the certification course fee provided the referee has worked at least 15 games total in two consecutive seasons (see “Referee Reimbursement” on the ASC website).
ALL referees must review the Game Assignment and Reporting section for extremely important information regarding how to accept/reject games and report scores. Game reports must be completed at the appropriate sites in order for the referee to be paid.
If you have any questions, please Contact Us.
(revised 22 Jan. 2025)