We wanted to add a referee training page that will provide tips and other information to help all of us improve our refereeing skills and knowledge.

Some of the things we can do with this:

     Issues from the previous Saturday that we need to focus on.

     Clarification of laws

     Websites that are devoted to referee improvement

     A chance for any referee to submit a question or situation that occurred that would be helpful for others to be aware of.

     Some "Quick Quizes" (a question) that could you could see if you can answer correctly.  The answer would also be on the website.

Let me know if you have any requests, questions, or suggestions for this page. 

-- Wes

Every league (CYSL, Butte United, High School, College, Adult, etc.) has their own modifications to FIFA laws to suit the needs of their league.  These local rules are referred to as "Local Rules of Competition".  These changes account for players age (ball size, field size, match duration, etc.), skill level (being able to slide tackle "safely", etc.), and other considerations.

Referees who accept assignments in any league are expected to know and enforce that league's local rules of competition. 

The attached handout is a summary of CYSL Local Rules of Competition.  I recommend you print a copy (if you don't have the one you received in the referee class) and put it with your referee gear that you bring to the fields.  That way you can reference it quickly if you need to.

When I refereed, I used to make a quick review of it before my first game every Saturday.  Some referees have even been known to carry a folded copy in their pocket to have available during the game!  -- Wes

There are a number of outstanding referee websites that provide instruction and video clips of actual game situations that can be helpful to referees:

Ask a Soccer Referee

This is an excellent website where referees from around the country can submit questions to USSF and get official answers (not just some "expert" referee's opinion -- "expert" has been defined as a has-been drip under pressure!).  It's interesting to read the question submitted and then to try to answer it yourself before reading the official answer.  It's a challenge!  Sometimes those answering the questions rag on some of the "inventive referees" who come up with all sorts of weird law interpretations.  The link to the site is http://www.askasoccerreferee.com/

Law Book and Guide to Signals

You can access a .pdf file of the laws from the following website:  http://images.ussoccer.com/Documents/cms/ussf/07_law_of-the-game.pdf 

 You can access a .pdf file of the "Guide to Proceedures for Referees, Assistant Referees and Fourth Officials" at:  http://images.ussoccer.com/Documents/cms/ussf/2008-09%20GTP.pdf  This contains all the approved signals and procedures for referees (sometimes referred to as "mechanics", that is, how to signal, where to be positioned, etc.).

In-Depth Explanations of the Laws

If you need help understanding a particular law, USSF publishes "Advice to Referees", which provides great explanations of all facets of each law.  It is organized by each law, so it's easy to find answers about offside issues by going to section 11 of Advice to Referees, which corresponds to the offside law, which is Law number 11 in the Law Book.  The link for the .pdf file is http://images.ussoccer.com/Documents/cms/ussf/Advice%20Final%20Aug2007.pdf

Knowing the difference between the major and minor fouls is critical for all referees because the type of foul dictates what the restart is.  Direct free kicks (DFK's) are only for major fouls, everything else is an indirect free kick (IFK).  The only exception is a penalty kick is awarded if there is a major foul committed by a defender in the penalty area.

So what are the major fouls?  There are 10 of them:

1.  Kicking or attempting to kick an opponent

2. Tripping or attempting to trip an opponent

3. Jumping at an opponent

4. Charging (running into) an opponent unfairly (only shoulder to shoulder contact is fair)

5. Striking an opponent

6. Pushing an opponent

7. Making contact with an opponent before touching the ball when tackling (tackling in soccer is an attempt to steal the ball away from someone)

8. Holding an opponent

9. Spitting at an opponent

10. Handling the ball with your arm or hand

While it may be hard to memorize these, here's an easy way to recognize a major foul -- with the exception of handling, all the other major fouls are something one player does phyically to an opponent (kicks, trips, jumps, charges, stikes, pushes, gets them before the ball on a tackle, holds or spits at).

So all you need to do is memorize handling as a major foul not involving contact with an opponent, and then for all other situations any time you see someone do something illegal to another player's body, it's going to be a major foul and a direct free kick or penalty kick if done by a defender in the penalty area.

Everything else is restarted with an IFK -- offside, the goalie picking the ball up after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a teammate, second touches on free kicks and throw-ins, dangerous plays (dangerous plays means the action was dangerous, but no contact was made.  For example a high kick near the face of an opponent is penalized with an IFK because the player didn't actually make contact with the other player's face -- if he would have, it would be called as the major foul of kicking), etc.