Because we’re affiliated with the United State Soccer Federation (“USSF”), we’re required to use USSF certified referees to officiate our games. In addition, it’s a standard provision of our liability insurance coverage that we’ll use properly trained and certified referees.

 

In order to become a referee who is qualified to officiate adult soccer games, you have to complete an entry level referee course. Those courses are offered twice annually in Albuquerque by the New Mexico Soccer Referee Association.  One session is offered in late January or early February and the other in August. The reason for the timing is that we are required to use certified referee instructors (people certified to teach others how to referee) and virtually all of our instructors are also experienced referees. Hence, those referees will actually be officiating games during the season and unavailable to instruct. Also, during the fall season, with college and high school games being played Monday through Friday and youth and adult league games on Saturday and Sunday, there isn’t “down time” to allow us to schedule clinics during the season.

 

An entry-level course is sixteen hours of instruction and field work, followed by a 100 question exam on which you must score at least 75%.  There is no physical test for the entry level clinic. This is the time when you find out that your “learn by playing” method may not have made you quite as conversant in the Laws of the Game as you thought. You pay a $40 fee to register with USSF and get your handy little patch. Then you can go online or hit one of the local soccer stores to get your refereeing uniform. Yes, you should get a complete uniform. One way you garner respect in your officiating career is top show up looking sharp and professional, generally putting you ahead of the game.

 

Once you are certified, ASL and AWSL use a web-based self-scheduling system to enable you to schedule your game assignments around your own team’s schedule. There are certain limitations, since we don’t one you to get your feet wet by immediately scheduling yourself to officiate the top two teams in Premier Division.