Self-Scheduling Rules and Guidelines for Fall Core Season

If you are already familiar with the self-scheduling Rules and Guidelines, and registered as a referee in InLeague…  use the Referee Schedule Sign-up 

REFEREE SELF-SCHEDULING RULES and GUIDELINES:

5U and 6U Referee Volunteers

In 5U and 6U, parents referee the games in which their children play. LUCKYYYYY !!!

Feel free to “sign up” on the self-scheduling on-line platform–then come prepared to jump in and have FUN!!!  Remember to wear your Yellow Referee T-Shirt (and bring your whistle) so we don’t confuse you with one of the kids having so much fun out there!

Training 5U and 6U parents to be “referees”–just involves a 45-minute ZOOM “Parent Volunteer Referee Orientation.” Let me know if you’re interested and I’ll send you a link (rra@ayso20.org)

During the first 3-4 weeks of play the “team” splits into two “mini-teams” which play against each other.  A parent volunteer referee will “officiate” this scrimmage.  Each team must provide a match official for the weekly scrimmage.

During the subsequent weeks of play, the “team” splits into two “mini-teams” which plays against another team’s “mini-team”.  Each team must provide a referee for one of the simultaneous games for their players.

7U and 8U Referee Volunteers

In 7U and 8U, parents may referee the same games in which their children/siblings play.  

7U and 8U Match Officials: Please use the “Referee Schedule Sign-up” tab to put yourself into a slot so teams know whether they have a referee or not.  Plus you will get used to the self-scheduling platform for when you’re doing the big-league games 😉 

HOME Team is responsible for providing match official(s).   The HOME team is the first team listed on the schedule for that time slot (unlike many other sports).

In a normal soccer game, there are three match officials managing a game (Center Referee and two Assistant Referees)…

  • In the 7U division, the field is so small and the play is so casual/fun that one official (Referee) is enough. Wear your yellow t-shirt and bring your whistle!
  • For 8U teams, we will hopefully recruit enough parents on each team to take the “Regional Referee” course so that we can reliably field a full crew of certified match officials for each game. The more we recruit, the better!  By taking the Regional Referee training course, you will learn how to be proper Assistant Referees and Center Referees (plus we will outfit you with a free referee uniform–socks, shorts, jersey, hat, flags, whistle, etc.).  For these games,  it’s great if you can have a full crew of match officials, but be ready to run the show on your own as a CR most of the time.  That said, if you are the CR for a game, and no “official” ARs show up, try to recruit a couple of PARENTS to be “Club Linespersons” to run the touchlines.  Give them each a flag (you’ll have your two with you) and tell them to help you when the ball goes out of play by simply raising the flag–it’s good practice for them and makes it feel like a real game for the KIDS!

Training 7U Referees take an 45′  ZOOM training session, and you’ll be good to go! (We will arrange to get you your yellow t-shirt, whistle, and hat!). If you are able to participate, reach me at rra@ayso20.org and I will get you the ZOOM link

Training 8U Referees must be certified as a “Regional Referee”  This means you must complete the Regional Referee Training curriculum that includes an on-line component of modules and a quiz, and an in-person classroom session. To sign up and get more info about this training please reach out to me at rra@ayso20.org

10U Referee Volunteers–New (2023) “PILOT PROGRAM”–parents refereeing their own kids!

10U parents MAY officiate (CR/AR) games that their own child is playing in ( !! ?? ) 

10U Referees and Assistant Referees:  Please use the Referee Schedule Sign-up to put yourself into a slot 

Training: 10U Referees must be certified as a “Regional Referee”  For instructions on how to do this refer to “Becoming a Referee” tab

Self-Scheduling Rules and Guidelines: Please read the instructions below carefully before taking a slot.   Incorrect self-scheduling will result in your being “bumped” removed from the schedule.

PILOT PROGRAM Self-Scheduling Rules:

HOME team has “dibs” for their child’s upcoming Saturday game until Monday 9am [to take slots for their child’s upcoming game (CR or AR slots) that Saturday]. 

AWAY team has “dibs” for their child’s upcoming Saturday game from Monday 9am to Tuesday 9am [to take slots for their child’s upcoming game (CR and AR slots) that next Saturday], not already taken by the Home team parents. You don’t have “dibs” for any other game/slot.

Any open slots after 9am Tuesday are wide-open and available to any certified referee in the Region. 

You may not sign up for a game/slot unless you have a child in that game before Tuesday at 9am. After Tuesday 9am the schedule is wide open.

SO YOU HAVE TO PLAN AHEAD AND GRAB YOUR DESERVED SLOT!  Center Referee certification requirements exist (must be a Regional Referee or higher).

People who schedule incorrectly will be bumped.

Scheduling RULE recap: HOME Team parents for a given weekend have “dibs” on signing up for their allotted time slot–that next Saturday–until 9 AM the Monday before.  If your child is on the “AWAY” team, you may NOT sign up for a time slot for the upcoming weekend until 9 AM Monday and you have until 9AM Tuesday to grab what’s left.  We want to have the slots available to the HOME team’s referee volunteers, initially, so they can have a chance to grab a desired slot (maybe they want to try the CR role?!) or work their way towards getting their required “15 points.”  This requires a little planning ahead for the HOME team parents–look at your busy calendar and plan ahead for that next weekend so you can get that slot!

Once Monday morning (9AM) rolls around, the AWAY team has “dibs” until 9am Tuesday.  Plan ahead, you AWAY parents, so you get a slot that we’re saving for you, until 9am Tuesday only!!! 

After that (Tuesday 9am), any qualified referee can sign up for any game slot that is open for the upcoming weekend, and as many as they would like!

12U Referee Volunteers–New (2023) “PILOT PROGRAM”–parents refereeing their own kids!

In 12U matches, parents MAY referee the games that their own child is playing in ( !! ?? ) 

12U Referees and Assistant Referees:  use the Referee Schedule Sign-up 

12U Center Referees need to be certified “Intermediate Candidates”  or higher (“Intermediate Candidates” have taken and passed the Intermediate Referee Course). For Intermediate Referee courses offered, check the eTrainU calendar. 

12U Assistant Referees only need the “Regional Referee” certification (don’t need to be ‘Intermediate Referee’ certified). For instructions on how to become a certified Referee or Assistant Referee refer to “Becoming a Referee” tab.  There is a lot of online work to do as well as an in-person class.

Self-scheduling Rules and Guidelines: Please read the instructions below carefully before taking a slot.  Incorrect self-scheduling will result in your being removed from the schedule.

PILOT PROGRAM Self-Scheduling Rules:

HOME team has “dibs” for their child’s upcoming Saturday game until Monday 9am [to take slots for their child’s upcoming game (CR or AR slots) that Saturday]. 

AWAY team has “dibs” for their child’s upcoming Saturday game from Monday 9am to Tuesday 9am [to take slots for their child’s upcoming game (CR and AR slots) that next Saturday], not already taken by the Home team parents. You don’t have “dibs” for any other game/slot.

Any open slots after 9am Tuesday are wide-open and available to any certified referee in the Region. 

You may not sign up for a game/slot before Tuesday at 9am, UNLESS you have a child in that game . After Tuesday 9am the schedule is wide open and you can take any slot(s) you want (and are certified to do).

SO YOU HAVE TO PLAN AHEAD AND GRAB YOUR DESERVED SLOT!  Center Referee certification requirements will apply.

People who schedule incorrectly will be bumped.

14U Referee Volunteers–no changes to these rules.

In 14U matches, parents may NOT referee the games in which their children play. The rules for self-assigning have not changed for this division.

14U Referees and Assistant Referees:  use the Referee Schedule Sign-up 

14U Referees must be certified as an “Advanced Candidate” (or higher) to be the ‘Center Referee’ (“candidates” have taken and passed the Advanced Referee Course). Regional Referees may be the ‘Assistant Referees’ if comfortable at this level of play.

How to Self-Schedule in Region 20

It’s easier than ever to schedule yourself as a referee in Santa Monica AYSO Region 20. Just follow these simple instructions.  Here’s what you do:

  1. Go to https://inleague.ayso20.org/
  2. Log in using the email address and password you originally used when you registered as a referee this season (i.e., the Fall 2023 Season).
  3. (If you haven’t already registered as a Referee for this season, follow our instructions here)
  4. After you’ve logged in, click on the “Referees” tab on the left side of the page, then click on “Referee Scheduler.”
  5. After clicking on “Referee Scheduler,” you’ll land on the “Referee Assignment Requests” page.  Click on the DATE button, then the DIVISION button, and then the “CHANGE DATE VIEW” button to refresh the page with your selections.
  6. You’ll see a grid with all the games on that day in that division.  (The HOME team will be listed first.)
  7. Next, click on the open assignments for Center referee or AR (Assistant Referee).  If you make a mistake, or later decide you can’t referee that game, then click on “Remove Request” on the right side of the page.
  8. Finally, click on “Submit Assignment Request.”  Repeat these steps often to sign up for more games.

That’s it!  You’re now scheduled to referee that match, and as you do so, you’ll be earning valuable referee points for your team.

“OOPS, I need to cancel the slot I signed up for !!!”  — no problem.

If you are need to cancel/miss a scheduled assignment, you must go back into the system and “remove” your assignment by clicking on the “remove request” button next to your assignment.   There’s nothing worse than everyone thinking all the ref assignments have been fulfilled, only to arrive at a game and find that referees are missing and are not honoring those assignments.

If the “remove request” radio button is locked out, please email the Regional Referee Administrator, rra@ayso20.org, and request to be removed from the schedule–it’s no biggy!!!   Don’t worry if it’s a last minute cancellation, we can usually get a replacement. (But please try not to be too last-minute.)

  • WHO is qualified to referee the different age groups/divisions???

  • “Regional (Basic) Referee” is qualified to CR (or AR) at 8U and 10U divisions. If you have taken the Intermediate Course and are working towards your upgrade, you can CR the 12U division games. If you are a certified Regional Referee, you can be an Assistant Referee at any age group you are comfortable/competent to officiate.
  • “Intermediate Referee” (and referees that have taken and passed the Intermediate Referee course) are qualified to center referee at 12U and below.
  • “Advanced Referee” (and referees that have taken and passed the Advanced Referee course) are qualified to center referee at 14U and below.

“HEY, I was at a game, a ref didn’t show, I had my referee uniform with me (and on), so I filled in for that slot !!!”

If you are fully dressed in referee uniform, and end up substituting for a no-show ref, make sure that you legibly print your name on the game card of the match.   (We do not have game cards in 5U, 6U, and 7U however–but thanks so much for helping out!).   You can get credit for the match by going to the Referee Credit for Past Games link on the “Points Program” page under the  “Referees” tab, and fill out the form to request credit for the match.

Play-Offs:

REFEREE SCHEDULING FOR PLAYOFFS, PRELIMINARY ROUNDS (FIRST WEEKEND OF PLAY)

Here is the Playoff Scheduling Policy for Referees for the first weekend of play only:

  • In 10U, the home team (first team listed on the schedule) supplies two referees and the away team supplies one referee for the game immediately preceding theirs on the same pitch, regardless of gender.  The teams playing the second-to-the-last game of the day supply two of the referees for the last game of the day.   The home team for the second-to-the-last game of the day and the away team for the second-to-the-last game of the day each supply one assistant referee for the last game of the day.  The final center referee slot in the last game of the day is open to any qualified volunteer.
  • In 12U, the home team supplies one referee and the away team supplies one referee for the game preceding theirs. The teams playing the second-to-the-last game of the day supply two of the referees for the last game of the day.   The home team for the second-to-the-last game of the day and the away team for the second-to-the-last game of the day each supply one referee (either the CR or one of the ARs) for the last game of the day.   In 12U, all center referees need to be, at minimum, Intermediate referees or pending Intermediates (that is, referees who have taken the Intermediate course and are awaiting the Intermediate observation).  Any exceptions to this policy must be cleared first by the 12U Division Referee Coordinators.
  • In 14U, where there are fewer games, each team in the playoffs must fulfill two referee assignments on both Saturday and Sunday of the opening weekend, for a total of four assignments.   These assignments are not necessarily “married” to the games immediately preceding or following your team’s game, but it is probably more convenient to schedule your assignments that way.   All requests to center referee matches need to be personally requested by contacting the Regional Referee Administrator (rra@ayso20.org) or Assistant Regional Referee Administrator (arra@ayso20.org).  You may not AR or CR your own child’s game. In 14U, all center referees need to be, at minimum, Advanced referees or pending Advanced referees (that is, referees who have taken the Advanced course and are awaiting the Advanced assessment).  Any exceptions to this policy must be cleared first by the 14U Division Referee Coordinators.

***Please, please, please sign up for these required assignments right away as we need to get a sense of what games are covered as soon as possible.***

Questions?  Contact us at: rra@ayso20.org