All travel refs must be MYSA/USSF certified. First year refs can choose to go grade 9 or grade 8. Both are considered entry level. For new refs, the grade 9 course is 1 day and the grade 8 is 2 days. The major difference is that a grade 9 ref can only center ref U9/U10 and side ref U11/U12, whereas a new grade 8 can center up through U14.
A ref would only be a grade 9 for 1 year. In their second year they would take a one day grade 8 "bridge" course and become an 8.
Most refs simply renew their grade 8 year after year (a recertification is required every year). Grade 7 or higher certifications have a bunch of additional requirements including fitness testing and in-game evaluation).
These courses start in Jan and typically run until April. Valley United usually hosts a ref cert course (there will be one at Scott Highlands Middle School on March 5, 2011). Info is available on the state ref assn website, www.minnesotasrc.com
Once they have passed the certification, they register with a club and will be contacted via email by the ref assigner. Travel league game assignments are done online (they sign up for the games they wants to ref). They can also apply to ref at tournaments like the Dakota Rev or Valley Invitational. They can ref many games in a day and make some great money. One typically needs to mail in an application for tournaments.
Travel refs get paid in cash before the beginning of a league game, and by check at the end of a tournament assignment. The pay is based on the age-group and job (currently $25 U9/U10, $20 to asst ref U11/U12, $25 to center U11/U12, etc.)
To ref community, the only requirement is to attend 2 training sessions. One is run by the community ref assigner and goes over things like: logistics, filling out cards, working with coaches, etc. The other is run by me and we go over rules, how to run the field, etc. We also run one other clinic for new refs in which they work in shifts with mentors to ref a pre-season scrimmages. Anyone who wants to ref community, even if already MYSA/USSF certified, must attend these clinics in order to ref community games.
The community season starts around the end of May. The assignments are made by the community ref assigner. The regular season schedule comes out before the 1st game. The playoff/July schedule comes out a week or two before playoffs begin.
Community refs are paid in a single check mailed from the VAA after the end of the season. Pay is based on level of the game. Center refs get $3 extra per game. Certified refs get $3 extra per game. Last minute (same day) subs get $3 extra per game. An uncertified asst ref at a 3rd/4th grade game gets $13 and it goes up from there.
You can register your son or daughter as a community ref online at the www.valleyathletic.org website.
<bc@bjb.org >