General Information
Referees in AYSO, like the coaches, administrators and
everyone
else who makes AYSO "go" are volunteers. Most are parents of players
who
begin when their children are playing in the youngest age groups and
move
"up" with them. Some (especially those with significant playing or
prior
referee experience) start directly with the older kids. All are welcome.
Why?
The best reason for being an AYSO referee is for the
kids.
Referees play a vital role in keeping the games Safe, Fair and Fun
- which is what AYSO is all about, and which is why kids enjoy AYSO so
much.
But why should you do it? While everyone is
welcome,
refereeing is especially likely to appeal to you if you
-
like being involved (you tend to get fidgetty on
the side
lines)
-
enjoy sports, even strange ones (you wish you
were
playing, instead of just your kids)
-
enjoy (or need!) physical activity (reff'ing is a
great,
light, regular workout)
-
don't have quite enough time, patience or soccer
skills to
be a coach.
If any of these describe you, you should give it a try.
When you do, you'll find out that it's fun!
Especially
at the younger age levels, AYSO refereeing is not particularly
stressful.
Your role is to help the kids structure their game as soccer and,
occasionally,
to intervene to keep it fair. Best of all, you get to be out on the
field
with the kids enjoying the game from "up-close", while everyone else
has
to watch from the touch-lines.
What?
AYSO has a very clear philosophy - its games are to be
played
so that they are a safe, positive, enjoyable, growth experience for the
children. However, this is not achieved by adopting idiosyncratic or
peculiar
rules. AYSO games follow standard international soccer
(FIFA)
Laws of the Game very closely, with only a very few changes to
adapt
to AYSO's philosophy (e.g. controlled substitution to ensure that
"everyone
plays") and, at the youngest age levels, to adapt the game to the
physical
and mental maturity of the players.
Under 10 and above games are run using the
"diagonal" system
(center referee plus two assistant referees on the lines). Under 11 and
below teams are "small sided" teams on scaled down
fields: U11 games are 9 v 9; U10 games are 7 v 7; U9 games are 5 v 5;
and U8 and U7 games are 4 v 4. For games in U7/U8/U9, we do simplify
the Laws a little and use only one referee. Under 6 (or "K League")
games are not formally
officiated at all; instead they are facilitated by their team coaches.
Region 26 publishes a Referee Handbook which gives
complete
details of all refereeing procedure in Palo Alto AYSO, and which is a
mine
of useful information on refereeing youth soccer in general. All Palo
Alto
AYSO referees should receive a copy at clinics or from their Divisional
Referee Coordinator; extra copies are available from the Regional
Referee Administrator.
How?
The process of becoming an AYSO referee in Palo Alto is
fully
described in
Becoming a Referee.
If you have a young child in Palo Alto AYSO and are volunteering
to referee that child's games, find out what Division he or she will be
playing in and plan to attend the corresponding training clinic. Other
new referees should start by taking the Regional clinic and then
discuss
their game schedule for the Fall with the Regional
Referee Administrator.
When?
The AYSO season in Palo Alto starts just after Labor
Day
and continues throughout the Fall until some time in November or early
December, depending on the age group. The clinics that prepare (or
refresh)
referees for that season are held during the late summer or the first
couple
of weeks of the Fall (see clinic
schedule). We hope we see you at one of them!