BEFORE THE GAME

• Organization: Many find it helpful to bookmark the schedule and rules to have handy.
• Fields: Know assigned park and field.  Field # are marked in the corner of each field.
• Age: Know age group(s) (ie ball size, length of game)

• Equipment: Metal whistle (FOX40). Watch or timer. Water. 
• Dress: Wear a yellow referee shirt, any black bottoms and socks, and cleats. No sunglasses/prescription is OK. Dress for the weather (i.e. hat, poncho in rain, warm coat in cold).
• Personal belongings: If you bring a bag, leave it in a safe spot (i.e. safe place, with a coach)

GAME-PREP

• Arrive at least 15 minutes prior to game time to find your field, get settled, check the teams in and start on time.
  • Check in the teams 5 minutes before the game starts. If another game is going on, check in on the side of the field.
    • Check shin guards, cleats and no jewelry (*Medical issues are rare, but if removal of jewelry is an issue ask if tape is available. Parents take full liability allowing players to play.)
    • Tell teams what fouls you will be calling
    • Introduce yourselves to coaches. Confirm with them how many players are on the field and how long each half will be. Substitutions are on the fly (no whistle for subs). If the weather is hot, see if the coaches would like a 1-minute water break in the middle of each half. This may be especially welcome if a team doesn’t have any subs. 
• If you are the only ref to show but 2 were assigned, alert the CMS Referee Coordinator – preferably the same day. You may want to ask both coaches to assign a parent on each sideline to watch for out of bounds. 
• Ask the home team coach for a game ball.  Check for correct size and pressure. Allow the home team to kick-off first.
• Start and end the game ON TIME! If players are not on the field at game time or one team is short players, alert coaches that game time has started and start your clock. Games must end on time. Shorten the time if needed. End the game at least 5 minutes before the next game starts. Referee time is the official time.
• Here is a great 5-minute view on what it means to be a referee – Video 

DURING THE GAME

• Know the rules.
• Make it fun.
• Call fouls loudly.
• Be confident.
• Dangerous Play: CMS does NOT do yellow or red cards, but refs may remove a player for dangerous play or behavior deemed worthy of removal for a time to be talked to by the coach. Being positive is key.
• Goalie protection: If any player touches the goalie after he has contact with the ball, stop the game, warn the player to keep his distance. 2nd offense, ask the coach to address and/or remove the player for a set time. 
• Coaches: Should an issue arise, alert coaches to communicate to their parents to sit on the same side and/or quiet the sideline.
• **Please use skills learned in training – greet teams, talk to the sideline at halftime, and congratulate the players – for consistency. The goal for this training program is for CMS games to be consistent and positive.

AFTER THE GAME

• Decide which ref will add the game score to the Schedule by the time stated per the referee coordinator. CMS monitors this to help with coaching, and the coordinator with recording pay credits.
• Also, note any positive or negative interactions in the comments on the spreadsheet. 

GENERAL RULES

• Field players: 3rd & 4th grades = 7 v 7 | 5th & 6th = 9 v 9 | MS = 11 v 11
• Ball size: 3rd through 6th = 4 | MS = 5
• Game length: 3rd through 6th are 25-minute halves with a 5-minute halftime. MS is 30-minute halves with a 5-minute halftime. 
• No Cherry Picking (offside) –  If someone is in a blatant offside position, explain to them the offside rule and ask them to move up towards the last defender. If they do it again, alert the coach to advise the player. If they continue to do it, blow the whistle for an offside infraction. 
• No Headers (3rd-6th grades) – Result in an indirect kick to the opposing team.
• No slide-tackles.
• Drop-kicks – make sure the opposing player is 2 yards back
• Bad Throw-ins – Whistle, explain the foul, and give a 2nd chance. If 2nd offense, give the throw-in to the other team.
• Parent issues – Alert the coach to address them. Don’t get into it with parents.
• Coach issues – Ask, tell, leave. “Coach, if the issue is not solved now, I will excuse myself and my partner from the game.”  Smile when communicating.
• Additional Players:
  • If a team is ahead by 4 goals, the other team can add one additional field player. The additional player will be taken off the field if his/her team scores. Every 2 points ahead, the other team adds a player. If the losing team does not have additional players, then the winning team should consider taking a player off the field.
  • CMS does not do the Mercy Rule. Coaches have been trained to implement other skills-based play if a score becomes lopsided. If coaches take issue with a referee, suggest they email their Age-Group Coordinator or the Director of Coaching. Your role is to call fouls during a game.

​​

GENERAL INFORMATION

• Coaches may be invited to rate refs. This is a learning tool. 
• This is REC soccer. These kids are playing for FUN. Please make it fun for them and follow CMS training protocols for uniformity. Smile! Compliment good plays. Explain calls to players. Encourage and teach them.
• Contact the Referee Coordinator with any issues. We want to keep everyone safe & game playing positive. We do follow-up and attend future games, etc. If refs are no-shows to 2 games you may be asked to sit out the season but are welcome to come back the next. 

For questions about becoming a recreation soccer referee, please get in touch with Gene Ushinsky at [email protected].