Referees of Region 20, I want to welcome you to “Region 20 Referee Corner.” Here you will find helpful tips on all aspects of managing the game, the players, the coaches, and the spectators. From time to time the Referee Department will upload “essays” on everything from the basics of preparing for a match to handling more complex (and stressful) scenarios encountered on the pitch. If there are any specific aspects of the fine art of refereeing you would like covered feel free to reach out and let us know. Region 20 wants to help everyone involved in the volunteer referee program to feel supported and informed on the most up to date information (and commentary) covering the IFAB “Laws Of The Game,” as well as Region 20-specific rules and guidelines. Within our Region, we have a highly qualified pool of certified referees with thousands of games worth of experience. We also have dedicated certified referee instructors and assessors working to build the Santa Monica referee cadre. We are very fortunate and proud of our seasoned referees, and equally proud of all of you who have stepped up to the plate for the first time in recent seasons.
One of the things we would like to accomplish with the “Referee Corner” is to review and explain the more germane/pertinent aspects of each of the 17 Laws that make up the LOTG and how each Law applies specifically to youth soccer, to the Region 20 AYSO program. I will review the LOTG one by one (for my own benefit, too) and will post a “summary” of each Law (as I complete them) in terms of it’s content and also mention how that Law should be used/administered/applied by those of you out there every weekend doing your best for the players, coaches, and parents of Region20! For the official website with the IFAB 2024/25 Laws Of The Game, go to this link.
2024/25 CHANGES: There will be some changes to the Laws Of The Game that will be applied for next year (as of July 1, 2024) so stay tuned! For now, you can find the Changes to the LOTG at www.theifab.com
Please reach out to me with any questions or concerns you may have about refereeing (or situations encountered on the field). If there is a specific topic you want to be covered, do not hesitate to contact me directly at: rra@ayso20.org
Please go back to the “Referee Info & Resources” item in the main “REFEREES” dropdown menu for many valuable links.
Look below for “essays” on the LOTG and other helpful topics and links for the New Referee.
See you on the pitch.
Gray
Laws of The Game: AYSO/Region 20 Modifications
LOTG: Law 4–The Players’ Equipment
LOTG: Law 6– The Other Match Officials
LOTG: Law 7– The Duration of Play
LOTG: Law 8– The Start and Restart of Play
LOTG: Law 9–The Ball In and Out of Play
LOTG: Law 10–Determining the Outcome of a Match
LOTG: Law 12–Fouls and Misconduct
LOTG: Law 15–The Throw-In
LOTG: Law 16–The Goal Kick
LOTG: Law 17–The Corner Kick
For the 2019 version of the Build-Out Line video (which is the most recent version and used for 2023) put together by Area 1-P, go to the following BOL link.
For the “newer” Referee, check out what you need in terms of “equipment” for your game at: For the New Referee–Prepping Your Gear for the Match
Pre-Match Conference: Important things to review between Referee and Assistant Referees: Pre-Match Conference with Assistant Referees
New Assistant Referees: new to the game and new to refereeing? Here’s how to succeed with your first few Assistant Referee gigs: Being a Great Assistant Referee
Filling out your Game Cards before, during and after the match: Game Cards–How to Fill Them Out
Great article about the challenges of being a FIFA referee from Marc Geiger’s perspective. Marc Geiger is one of the United States most accomplished soccer referees, and invited to the World Cup in Russia this summer. Enjoy?
AYSO Section One website for great Referee reference material found at: https://ayso1ref.com/resources/