Referees

Referees

Despite being one of the shortest of the 17 Laws of football, the offside rule 11 is probably the most misunderstood rule in football, as well as being the one that raises much controversy owing to the subjective element of the referee's call. And yet, FIFA reassures us that it is actually one of the easiest rules to understand.

Whether you're always getting called for being offside, or you're a spectator without a clue as to what offside violations are all about, this article explains how to understand the rule.

Note that it is referred to as 'offsides' in American football but 'offside' in soccer parlance.

Last Updated ( Monday, 11 April 2011 10:39 )

Q. How old do I have to be to referee?

A. The minimum age to referee in the Edmonton Southeast Soccer Association is 10 years as of May 1.

Q. What course do I take?

A. There are a number of different courses depending on your age.

Mini Soccer
Edmonton Southeast Soccer Association (ESESA) offers a unique, two-hour mini course to explain the rules for U6 and U8 soccer within ESESA. This course is intended for brand new referees who are 10 years as of May 1.

Class 4
The Alberta Soccer Association (ASA) offers the Class 4 course for youth between the ages of 12 and 16 as of May 1. This is a two-day course over a full weekend.

Class 3
The ASA offers the Class 3 course for youth 17 years and older as of May 1. This is a two-day course over a full weekend.

Look Sharp Be Sharp
The ASA offers the Look Sharp Be Sharp course to provide practical, on-the-field training to referees who have their ASA certification. This is a half-day course that goes over the mechanics for refereeing and assistant refereeing (linesmen). More information is available here.

For more information on any of the Alberta Soccer Association (ASA) courses, classifications or costs, please visit the ASA website and click on Referee Centre on the lefthand menu.

Q. What classification do I receive from the Class 3 and 4 courses?

A. The classification you receive from the Class 3 and 4 courses depends on your age and your pass mark.

Class 4

Must be 12, 13, 14, 15 or 16 years as of May 1 of your course year

Must pass your Class 3 written exam with a mark of no less than 65 percent

Class 3

Must be at least 17 years as of May 1 of your course year

Must pass your class 3 written exam by a mark of no less than 80 percent

Q. Whom do I contact for refereeing?

A. The first contact is your community referee coordinator. The community referee coordinators need to know who their new referees are going to be for the upcoming season so they can schedule them. They also need to track current referees for courses taken, classifications and scheduling.

If your community does not have a referee coordinator, please check with your community director

Q. When can I start being an assistant referee (linesman)?

A. You must have your Class 4 certification before you can be a linesman. The Class 4 course covers the full Fédération Internationale de Football Association rules that are needed for making calls as a linesman. The Look Sharp Be Sharp course should also be taken to gain practical, on-the-field training.

Last Updated ( Tuesday, 21 February 2012 12:55 )